Hidden Hope (nonfiction picture book)

"During the Second World War
the first priority for Jewish people
was staying out of sight.
Because during the Second World War
the first priority for Nazis
was getting rid of Jewish people."
Elisa Boxer's Hidden Hope doesn't pull any punches. It takes children and parents back to France during World War II. Hitler's troops were invading other nations, intent on carrying out his final solution—the total slaughter of the Jewish people. Families hid in attics, basements, and crawl spaces, living in fear of the Nazis and their informants. Some made the heartbreaking decision to send their beloved children to safety, knowing they might never see them again.
Some very brave people worked to save them. Some forged identity papers. Others delivered them to Jewish people who could use them to escape. One of them was a teen age girl, Jacqueline Gauthier, who delivered documents by bike, concealing the precious papers in a hidden compartment in a toy duck. Together girl and duck saved over 200 precious lives.
Today there are people denying that the Holocaust ever happened. But it did. And we must arm our children with the truth so that collectively we never forget.
On a personal note, yesterday was a scorcher. Luckily I had an invite to spend it in the air conditioned dean's suite. I packed one of the books I need to review for Capstone and literally chilled. I came home to find Eugene and precious Tobago enjoying the big AC.
A great big shout goes out to my friends I was lucky to have quality time with, especially Cam. And my faithful wing cat.
Jules Hathaway