Reading Metrics
Description
In the winter of 1943, a Polish physician and her older daughter make a dangerous and arduous trek to Hungary while seven-year-old Malka, who they were forced to leave behind when she became ill, fends for herself in a ghetto.
Quick Summary
Set during the winter of 1943, the novel follows seven-year-old Malka, who is left behind in a Polish ghetto when her mother and older sister flee to Hungary, while the family is separated and each must survive in terrifying circumstances. The book tackles themes of wartime separation, the desperate choices families make to survive, and the strength of a young child left to fend for herself in extreme danger. If your kid likes Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, they will love this similarly heartbreaking but powerful Holocaust story. This book is best for students in grades 9 through 12 who can handle mature content around genocide and family separation.