Tomi Kolapo 8I It is 1944 and Susan is scared. Although the war has been raging for years now, the Nazis are only now beginning to impose their ethnic cleansing ideals on Hungary. Papa always told the family that what happened in Poland, the Czech Republic, and other Nazi-occupied countries could never happen in Hungary. Even when Susan began to be ignored at school or when the grocer refused to sell food to Mama, Susan believed her father when he said everything would be okay.
But when Papa is sent away to work in a labor camp, Susan doesn't know what to believe anymore. Mama wants the family to stay put - how else will Papa find them when he gets out of the camp? However, Mama's childhood friend, Aunt Isi, convinces Mama that it would be safer if, at the very least, the two girls go into hiding. There is a nearby Catholic convent that is taking in young Jewish girls and hiding them from the Nazis. Susan is eleven and Vera is just six. Susan promises Mama that she will take care of her little sister, but she doesn't want to leave Mama and their baby brother, Tomas, behind. Who knows how long it will be before the family is reunited? Luckily for Susan and Vera, the nuns at the convent are very warm and loving, welcoming the girls with open arms and willing to break the Nazi law to protect them. Susan soon makes friends with some of the other Jewish girls and begins a new life of her own, tending the vegetable garden and helping in the kitchen. Forced to mature beyond her years, Susan learns the true meaning of courage and discovers that Catholicism and Judaism have more in common than she could have ever imagined. Even though they are of a different faith, the nuns always treated the other girls lovingly and with respect. One of many sad parts was when Thomas the baby died because he no longer got fed he was so sick he didnt even cry anymore :'(
Caitlin 7B this book made me think about how lucky we are to not be completely affected by war.in this book Susan and her sister Vera are sent to live with nuns after their father is sent to a labor camp. Susan is worried that the nuns would either hand them over to the Nazis at the first sign of trouble or not respect their Jewish religion. but the nuns are very excepting of the fact that they were Jewish and she even becomes good friends with sister Agnes and the other Jewish girls. they all faced hardships because the Nazis decide to set up abase right by the nunnery after invading Budapest and the Russians began attacking the Nazis which meant bombs flying everywhere. once the Nazis even came to their doors looking for Jewish girls.they killed sister Agnes when they did this. when the war finally ended they went home to the bad news that their baby brother Tomas had died. eventually the whole family moved to Canada. 9/10
Talia R. F7F This book was really kinda sad, mostly because its sad to think things like this actally happen. Susan and her sister Vera, two young jewis girls, are sent with their moms friend, aunt Isi to go in hiding because things were getting worse with the Nazis invading. their father was sent to work in a labor camp.At first their mother doesnt want them to leave and pretend to be something their not (catholics) but after some convincing from aunt Isi finally Susan and Vera were sent to hiding but were kindly excepted by the nuns. their baby brother stayed with their mother and avantaly ended up passing away. Overall i would give this book a 8/10
This book was an interesting look at a different side of the Holocaust. It told the story of Susan and her little sister Vera, two Jewish Hungarian girls who are sent away to live in a Catholic convent when their parents are sent away. There, they meet their cousin Julia, a very kind nun named sister Agnes (who develops a special bond with Susan) and the Mother of the convent. Their life there is relatively peaceful until one day, the Nazis invade and many tragedies take place. Th rest of the book is about how Susan and Vera adjust to thir post-war life, and just how much the Second World war has a taken a toll on all of Europe. I give this book a 7/10.
Natasha haines 8A i would rate this book a 8.5/10. i found that for a non-fiction bok it did interest me quite a bit. world war 2 is going on and it is getting closer to susan and her family. the nazis are recruiting all the jews and papa is soon taken. it is devastating for the whole family knowing that their father is in a labor camp. vera gets over it quickly, she is still too young to understand. susan and mama definately notice the difference, luckily aunt isi is there to help them. when the nazis keep getting closer, aunt isi convinces mama to send susan and vera to a convent since they are housing jews to keep them safe from all the nazis. that is very dangerous for them to do since they could be imprisoned or killed, but they are still devoted to helping those in need. with susan 11 years old adn vera only 6, mama is very worried and gets susan to promise to always look out for vera. so they move into the convent and vera makes herslef at home roght away. susan doesnt understand how everyone can seem so happy when they are here and their parents arent, soon she fids out that its hard to focus on things like that thanks to the order and system of the convent. there are alot of jews hiding in the convent and susan makes some friends, and gets caught up in the routine of the convent. plus she helps one of the nuns that she almost considers a firend in the vegetable garden. the church is protected by the swedish government so the nazis cant really do anything ot harm the church. after a while though, the attcks on the base the nazis set up on the mountain start to affect the church as well so they have a morgue that they can hide in that cant be found easily at all. everyone gets used to getting up at night to go and hide from the bombs dropped by the russians. eventually the nazis hear of the convent housing girls and come to investigate. they must hgo but susan cant find vera in the queue on their way to the morgue so she must go check as she promised mama. she finds her under the bed curled up but by that time, the nazis are pretty much in the convent. the nun that susan has become friends with holds them off for mere minutes so that susan and vera could get away safely. she ends up being shot. when susan and vera are finally reunited with their family they are faced with many difficulties such as baby tomas dying. the family knows that they can now overcome anything and aunt isi tells them that they should come to canada like where she escaped to and thyey followed her advice!
Gillian Young F7I I really liked this book. I did not know that convents hid Jewish girls during the war. It was really sad when sister Agnes died and also when they were reunited with their family and they found out Tomas and their aunt had died.
6 comments:
Tomi Kolapo 8I
It is 1944 and Susan is scared. Although the war has been raging for years now, the Nazis are only now beginning to impose their ethnic cleansing ideals on Hungary. Papa always told the family that what happened in Poland, the Czech Republic, and other Nazi-occupied countries could never happen in Hungary. Even when Susan began to be ignored at school or when the grocer refused to sell food to Mama, Susan believed her father when he said everything would be okay.
But when Papa is sent away to work in a labor camp, Susan doesn't know what to believe anymore.
Mama wants the family to stay put - how else will Papa find them when he gets out of the camp? However, Mama's childhood friend, Aunt Isi, convinces Mama that it would be safer if, at the very least, the two girls go into hiding. There is a nearby Catholic convent that is taking in young Jewish girls and hiding them from the Nazis. Susan is eleven and Vera is just six. Susan promises Mama that she will take care of her little sister, but she doesn't want to leave Mama and their baby brother, Tomas, behind. Who knows how long it will be before the family is reunited? Luckily for Susan and Vera, the nuns at the convent are very warm and loving, welcoming the girls with open arms and willing to break the Nazi law to protect them. Susan soon makes friends with some of the other Jewish girls and begins a new life of her own, tending the vegetable garden and helping in the kitchen.
Forced to mature beyond her years, Susan learns the true meaning of courage and discovers that Catholicism and Judaism have more in common than she could have ever imagined. Even though they are of a different faith, the nuns always treated the other girls lovingly and with respect. One of many sad parts was when Thomas the baby died because he no longer got fed he was so sick he didnt even cry anymore :'(
Caitlin 7B
this book made me think about how lucky we are to not be completely affected by war.in this book Susan and her sister Vera are sent to live with nuns after their father is sent to a labor camp. Susan is worried that the nuns would either hand them over to the Nazis at the first sign of trouble or not respect their Jewish religion. but the nuns are very excepting of the fact that they were Jewish and she even becomes good friends with sister Agnes and the other Jewish girls. they all faced hardships because the Nazis decide to set up abase right by the nunnery after invading Budapest and the Russians began attacking the Nazis which meant bombs flying everywhere. once the Nazis even came to their doors looking for Jewish girls.they killed sister Agnes when they did this. when the war finally ended they went home to the bad news that their baby brother Tomas had died. eventually the whole family moved to Canada. 9/10
Talia R. F7F
This book was really kinda sad, mostly because its sad to think things like this actally happen. Susan and her sister Vera, two young jewis girls, are sent with their moms friend, aunt Isi to go in hiding because things were getting worse with the Nazis invading. their father was sent to work in a labor camp.At first their mother doesnt want them to leave and pretend to be something their not (catholics) but after some convincing from aunt Isi finally Susan and Vera were sent to hiding but were kindly excepted by the nuns. their baby brother stayed with their mother and avantaly ended up passing away.
Overall i would give this book a 8/10
Lauren Turner F8I
This book was an interesting look at a different side of the Holocaust. It told the story of Susan and her little sister Vera, two Jewish Hungarian girls who are sent away to live in a Catholic convent when their parents are sent away. There, they meet their cousin Julia, a very kind nun named sister Agnes (who develops a special bond with Susan) and the Mother of the convent. Their life there is relatively peaceful until one day, the Nazis invade and many tragedies take place. Th rest of the book is about how Susan and Vera adjust to thir post-war life, and just how much the Second World war has a taken a toll on all of Europe. I give this book a 7/10.
Natasha haines 8A
i would rate this book a 8.5/10. i found that for a non-fiction bok it did interest me quite a bit. world war 2 is going on and it is getting closer to susan and her family. the nazis are recruiting all the jews and papa is soon taken. it is devastating for the whole family knowing that their father is in a labor camp. vera gets over it quickly, she is still too young to understand. susan and mama definately notice the difference, luckily aunt isi is there to help them. when the nazis keep getting closer, aunt isi convinces mama to send susan and vera to a convent since they are housing jews to keep them safe from all the nazis. that is very dangerous for them to do since they could be imprisoned or killed, but they are still devoted to helping those in need. with susan 11 years old adn vera only 6, mama is very worried and gets susan to promise to always look out for vera. so they move into the convent and vera makes herslef at home roght away. susan doesnt understand how everyone can seem so happy when they are here and their parents arent, soon she fids out that its hard to focus on things like that thanks to the order and system of the convent. there are alot of jews hiding in the convent and susan makes some friends, and gets caught up in the routine of the convent. plus she helps one of the nuns that she almost considers a firend in the vegetable garden. the church is protected by the swedish government so the nazis cant really do anything ot harm the church. after a while though, the attcks on the base the nazis set up on the mountain start to affect the church as well so they have a morgue that they can hide in that cant be found easily at all. everyone gets used to getting up at night to go and hide from the bombs dropped by the russians. eventually the nazis hear of the convent housing girls and come to investigate. they must hgo but susan cant find vera in the queue on their way to the morgue so she must go check as she promised mama. she finds her under the bed curled up but by that time, the nazis are pretty much in the convent. the nun that susan has become friends with holds them off for mere minutes so that susan and vera could get away safely. she ends up being shot. when susan and vera are finally reunited with their family they are faced with many difficulties such as baby tomas dying. the family knows that they can now overcome anything and aunt isi tells them that they should come to canada like where she escaped to and thyey followed her advice!
Gillian Young F7I
I really liked this book. I did not know that convents hid Jewish girls during the war. It was really sad when sister Agnes died and also when they were reunited with their family and they found out Tomas and their aunt had died.
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