I can’t believe I only just discovered this series of books. It is so my type of thing, and I had a period of reading all the books I could find about the holocaust – particularly those told from the perspective of a young girl (this was after reading Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl as a young girl myself) – and yet I had no idea this existed. I’ve been reading Kerr’s children’s books to my kid (The Tiger Who Came to Tea and the Mog books are firm favourites in our little library) and I came across these and immediately ordered all three.
This is the story of a young girl, Anna, who lives in Berlin with her brother and her parents. Her father is a writer and theatre critic. When we meet them they are just about to flee Germany because Anna’s father has been openly critical of Hitler, and they’re worried about him gaining power. It turns out to be a very wise decision on their part. This book follows them to Switzerland and then on to Paris as they try to adjust to life as refugees, to the loss of their home, social status, income and community, and to the new cultures and languages they must learn.
The real star of this book is Anna. She’s got that innocent view of the world that renders horrific events unbearable. And yet also offers a sense of hope and joy, even in the most desperate of circumstances. This book gave me all the feels, basically. Recommended to anyone who likes WWII books, historical fiction, or children’s perspectives written for adults.
Based on the gripping real-life story of the author, this poignant, suspenseful middle-grade novel has been a favorite for over forty years. Perfect for Holocaust Remembrance Month.
Anna is not sure who Hitler is, but she sees his face on posters all over Berlin. Then one morning, Anna and her brother awake to find her father gone! Her mother explains that their father has had to leave and soon they will secretly join him. Anna just doesn’t understand. Why do their parents keep insisting that Germany is no longer safe for Jews like them?
Because of Hitler, Anna must leave everything behind. – Goodreads
Book Title:Â When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Author:Â Judith Kerr
Series: Yes – Out of the Hitler Time #1
Edition:Â Paperback/Audiobook
Published By: HarperCollins Children’s Books/Audible
Released:Â June 14, 2013 (first published in 1971)
Genre:Â Fiction, Literary, Historical, WWII
Pages:Â 192
Date Read:Â July 30, 2022
Rating: 8.5/10
Average Goodreads Rating:Â 3.99/5 (18,056 ratings)
[…] second book in the Out of the Hitler Time series, this book jumps forward in time from where When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit left off. In this book the family are now living in a boarding house in London during the early […]