American shoes A refugee's story

American-born Rosemarie "Rosel" Lengsfeld Turke, now 91, recounts to her son, author of this powerful memoir, how she and her German-born parents were trapped in Nazi Germany during WWII. New York City--born Turke was four when she and her parents went to Germany in the mid-1930s to visit her ailing grandfather. He lingered, and when they finally tried to leave Germany, they weren't permitted. As the only US citizen in her family, Turke made the heartbreaking decision at age 15 to return to America in 1946 without them, uncertain she'd ever see them again. Describing the nightmares she had aboard the ship, Turke relives her family's survival struggles--her father's conscription to fight for the Germans and the dangerous journeys she, her Mutti, and her sister undertook on foot to escape Allied bombings as well as Russian retaliation toward the Germans. Still, Turke is naive and sheltered; it's only after she meets a Jewish, clarinet-playing concentration camp survivor aboard the ship that she realizes the extent of the atrocities the Nazis inflicted on Jews and others. A moving and hopeful story of courage and perseverance in the face of hardship in WWII Germany, told through the eyes of a child. Back matter includes a trigger warning, sketches, an epilogue, a postscript, discussion questions, acknowledgements, a glossary, terms and historical events, maps, and a creative liberties disclaimer.

Gr 7 Up--In 1935, when Rosemarie was four years old, she and her parents went to Germany to visit family. After a year, the Lengsfelds attempted to board an ocean liner back to the United States. They were told Chancellor Adolf Hitler had closed the border, and Germans were not permitted to leave. Thus, Rosemarie and her parents were unluckily dwelling inside what would turn into World War II and the Nazi regime. Over a decade later, at 15 years old, a malnourished and traumatized Rosemarie, an American citizen, was able to return home via the SS Marine Flasher. Her parents and younger sister, Eleanor, were German citizens and were once again not allowed to board the ship. Separated from her family, Rosel, as she was nicknamed, set sail on the 10-day cross-Atlantic voyage, where readers learn of the horrors of Nazi Germany through her nightmares. In 2012, after a pilgrimage to his mother's childhood home in Breslau, Rosemarie's son Garrett sought out his mom's story. At 85 years old, Rosemarie, quiet for decades, began to talk about the war. Those hundreds of hours of conversations, which at times included nightmare-inducing recollections, turned into this harrowing book. Garrett shares his mother's story out of necessity and as a warning. His hopes that her "haunting testament" will be a "reminder of a global tragedy never to be forgotten, lest it be repeated" absolutely succeed. The book includes a trigger warning, sketches, an epilogue, postscript, acknowledgements from Rosemarie and Garrett, discussion questions, and a glossary of words, terms, and historical events. VERDICT An unforgettable YA historical nonfiction book, written in an exquisite manner.--Gretchen Schulz

Rosemarie "Rosel" Lengsfeld was an American girl trapped in Nazi Germany during World War II. In 1934, Rosel and her immigrant parents left New York City to visit German relatives. However, when it was finally time to leave, her family--now including her new baby sister--learned that Hitler had closed the borders to German citizens, forcing them to remain in Breslau. As Lutherans, they were lucky enough not to be fully aware of the atrocities occurring in German-occupied territories. Her parents, however, emphasized that she should not believe antisemitic propaganda. When the war ended, 15-year-old Rosel was able to secure passage back to the States due to her American citizenship, painfully leaving her parents and sister behind. As the horrific truth about Hitler's Final Solution came to light, Rosel had to deal with anti-German sentiment, grappling with her perception of the Nazis as the enemy and her awareness that her accent would make Americans believe she was one of them. Her situation presents readers with difficult questions about collective responsibility and good versus evil, and they are given the space to come to their own conclusions. Co-authored by Rosemarie and her son, this is a haunting, harrowing memoir. Rosemarie's time in Nazi Germany is recounted through recurring nightmares during her 10-day shipboard voyage; while this structure feels a bit forced at times, it is a useful tool for conveying her story. A remarkable and thought-provoking memoir. (postscript, discussion questions, glossary, historical notes, author's note, maps) (Memoir. 13-adult) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.