Signs of survival A memoir of the Holocaust

Based on video testimonies of two Jewish sisters--Renee Hartman and Herta Myers--born in Bratislava, what was then Czechoslovakia, this memoir reads true to its origins as an oral history of the girls' experiences during and after the Holocaust. The book opens in 1943 when Hartman--the only hearing member of her family, which communicates using sign language--is 10 years old and Herta is eight. The "family's ears," Hartman is charged with warning her family as Nazi soldiers begin to round up Jewish people living in their town. The sisters recount their arduous journey first as unaccompanied children sent into hiding by their parents to live on a farm in Poland, then through a year in the Bergen-Belsen camp, followed by three in Sweden. Narrated in a matter-of-fact tone primarily by Hartman, with additional entries by Myers, the story is rich in the depiction of the sisters' strong sustaining relationship throughout their horrific ordeals, especially Renee's protection of her sister. Final sections chronicle the siblings' subsequent lives in America, where they arrived in 1948; Greene's epilogue provides historical background about the Holocaust. Ages 8--12. (Jan.)

Gr 5--8--This title is a transcribed compilation of video interviews from the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University. Hartman narrates her early experiences (at age 10) with the Nazis and other anti-Semites. Each short chapter is alternated with that of her younger sister, Herta. Born in Bratislava, Renee was the "ears" of the family since her sister and both of their parents were Deaf. It was her job to warn the family when they were in danger of being arrested by the marauding troops. The family moved to the country, seeking safety, but moved back to Bratislava when it became too dangerous there. The sisters continued to be shuffled from place to place in search of shelter, but after living on the streets, and separated from their parents, they eventually ended up in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. The only thing that kept them going was their sisterly bond. After the camp's U.S. liberation, Renee and Herta were released by the Red Cross into the custody of their U.S. relatives. Photos and a note from the author conclude the stirring text. VERDICT Difficult to read at times, this touching narrative is a poignant addition to the World War II Holocaust canon.--Eldon Younce, Anthony P.L., KS

A true story of two sisters--one Deaf and one hearing--and how they endured a perilous childhood in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. Herta Myers, 8, and Renee, 10, are sisters living in Bratislava, the capital of what was then Czechoslovakia, during World War II. Renee is her family's ears, as Herta and both of their parents are Deaf. They all communicate using sign language. Renee becomes so good at recognizing the sound of soldiers' boots outside the window that she can warn her family of any danger. With narration traded between the girls, readers learn that the sisters are hidden on a farm with a couple who are also Deaf. Eventually, separated from their parents, the sisters' journey leads them to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where their collective resolve is endlessly tested. This is a compelling story, exploring the role that senses play when one is in danger as well as presenting the candid recollections of everyday details of two children navigating appalling conditions during wartime. It is, however, a lot to process for kids who are as young as Herta and Renee were at the time of their most traumatic experiences. In the epilogue, co-author Greene reveals that this book is largely a compilation and interweaving of the transcripts of interviews that these two sisters gave to the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University. An extraordinary tale of sisterhood and survival, told with simplicity. (poem, photographs) (Memoir. 10-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.