Synopses & Reviews
Exiled to Siberia
In June 1942, the Rudomin family is arrested by the Russians. They are "capitalists -- enemies of the people." Forced from their home and friends in Vilna, Poland, they are herded into crowded cattle cars. Their destination: the endless steppe of Siberia.
For five years, Ester and her family live in exile, weeding potato fields and working in the mines, struggling for enough food and clothing to stay alive. Only the strength of family sustains them and gives them hope for the future.
Synopsis
This is the remarkable true story of a family during one of the bleakest periods in history, a story that "radiates optimism and the resilience of the human spirit" (Washington Post).
In June 1941, the Rudomin family is arrested by the Russians. They are accused of being capitalists, "enemies of the people." Forced from their home and friends in Vilna, Poland, they are herded into crowded cattle cars. Their destination: the endless steppe of Siberia.
For five years, Esther and her family live in exile, weeding potato fields, working in the mines, and struggling to stay alive. But in the middle of hardship and oppression, the strength of their small family sustains them and gives them hope for the future.
The first winner of the Sydney Taylor Awards was Esther Hautzig's The Endless Steppe: Growing Up in Siberia, and 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of this powerful classic.
About the Author
Esther Hautzig is the author of many books for children and adults. The Endless Steppe is an autobiographical account of her childhood in Siberia. It was a 1969 National Book Award nominee and an ALA Notable Children's Book of 1968. It also received the 1969 Jane Addams Children's Book Award and the 1971 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. Mrs. Hautzig is also the author of Riches, an original Jewish folktale, which was a finalist for the 1993 Jewish Book Award. She lives in New York City.