Tutti's Promise: A novel based on a family's true story of courage and hope during the Holocaust

by K Heidi Fishman

Overview

A promise kept is like the twinkling stars in the night sky: a constant reminder of something important that makes you who you are. Those who are moved by Lois Lowry's Number the Stars will also find Tutti's Promise a courageous, memorable story. Tutti's Promise is the true account of the Lichtenstern family's unwavering quest to stay alive during the Holocaust while protecting others in harm's way. Written by Tutti's daughter and filled with historical photos and documents-including one very important Paraguayan passport-this multi-award-winning book draws the reader into the family's plight and reveals the precious legacy of a promise kept.

AWARDS:

- Designated a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young Readers by the National Council for the Social Studies and the Children's Book Council

- IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards: Two Silver Medals:
Best New Voice: Children's/YA
Young Reader: Fiction (8-12 Years)

- Moonbeam Children's Book Awards:
Gold Medal Winner for Preteen Fiction-Historical/Cultural

- Nautilus Book Awards:
Silver Winner: Middle Grades Fiction

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780990843016
Publisher:	MB Publishing, LLC
Publication date:	03/01/2017
Pages:	238
Sales rank:	479,753
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2017
Gr 5–8—According to the author's note, more than 75 percent of the Jewish population in the Netherlands in 1940 died in the Holocaust. Among the few to survive were Tutti, the author's mother, who was five years old when the war began, and her immediate family. In this fictionalized account of Tutti's survival, Tutti's father, Heinz, is able to keep his family out of the camps for some time on the strength of his connections. Eventually, Tutti and her family are sent to Westerbork and ultimately to Theresienstadt, but even in the camps, Heinz's connections buffer the family. Unfortunately, this fascinating tale falters in execution. The writing is workmanlike, and the narrative flow is often interrupted by historical background. Furthermore, the horrors of the Holocaust are occasionally given short shrift: "Tutti discovered that some of the friends she had made back in November were still here [in Westerbork], though most were not, and she realized, sadly, that they had been put on the list [to be sent to the camps further east]. She and Robbie joined the other children in their games." In addition, Tutti's titular promise, which could have added considerable drama, comes across as an afterthought, mentioned for the first time late in the novel and not elaborated on in much detail. Photos from the author's private collection help personalize the story and may resonate with readers. VERDICT An additional purchase where historical fiction is in demand.—Eileen Makoff, P.S. 90 Edna Cohen School, NY

School Library Journal

2017-05-01
Fishman dramatizes her mother's World War II survival story in this debut novel. The Netherlands, 1940. German forces have crossed the Dutch border and are seizing control of the country. The family of 5-year-old Ruth "Tutti" Lichtenstern—German Jews who had moved to Amsterdam in hopes of escaping Hitler's anti-Semitic policies—attempts to live normally, but the clan soon gets wind from a friend that Hitler has big changes planned for the Netherlands' Jewish businesses: "First, the firms will have to register," and once Germans "are in control of the companies, they will ship the Jewish workers and owners to Poland." Tutti notices changes herself: she is forced to attend a new school exclusively for Jewish students, and she must wear a yellow star whenever she is outside the house. At first, Tutti's father's position in the metals industry protects the family from deportation—though it doesn't save her grandparents, who are collected during a Nazi raid. Despite her father's efforts to keep them safe, the Lichtensterns are caught on a terrible path that leads them to the Westerbork transit camp. While there, Tutti's father tells her he's hidden some money in her doll and that she must keep that fact a secret (" ‘I promise,' she told him solemnly. ‘I'll take care of her…and I won't tell anyone' "). Eventually, the Lichtensterns are sent to Theresienstadt. After the long years of their deteriorating situation, Tutti attempts to keep a vow to her mother: "To always try to do good in the world—by speaking up when you see evil, and by behaving in a way that you know is right." Fishman tells the tale of her mother's family with elegance and a great sense of suspense. The choice to novelize the account, rather than present it as pure nonfiction, helps to flesh out the characters in a way that makes them more fully realized on the page. Photographs of Tutti and her family are featured throughout the work, reminding the reader that the events being recounted really happened. While some of the material will undoubtedly be disturbing for younger readers (the book jacket recommends ages 10 and up), the novel expertly captures the gradual creep of government-driven persecution in a way that should help children internalize Tutti's story. An adeptly constructed Holocaust work based on family history.

Kirkus Reviews