Synopses & Reviews
Raoul Wallenberg's name may not be familiarand#160;to you but the impact he had during World War II is immeasurable.and#160; Raoul was a Swedish humanitarian who worked in Budapest, Hungary, during WWII to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. He did this by issuing protective passports and housing Jews in buildings established as Swedish territory, saving tens of thousands of lives.and#160; Louise Borden has been researching Raoul's story for many years.and#160; She has visited with his family, gone to the site of his home and his workplaces, seen his baby photos, and has learned his story from beginning to end.and#160; Raoul himself cannot tell his story, as he has not been heard from since 1945.and#160; It is suspected he died while in Russian custody, though this has never been proven.
Raoul was born into a banking family, and he studied all over the world as a young man - spending time throughout Europe, in the United States, Mexico, and Africa.and#160; He studied architecture and worked in Israel, and eventually got a job inand#160;Sweden, working for an import-export company. and#160;In 1936, when he had to enlist with the Swedish army, rumblings of war were heavy in the air.and#160; Raoul readMein Kampf; he knew what evil ideas Hitler had.and#160; When war broke out officially in 1939 and 1940, Sweden stayed out of it -- only one of a few countries to do so. Sweden was neutral, but Europe was in a very dark place.and#160;and#160;Jews were forced to identify themselves; they lost their jobs, could not travel, could not attend school with non-Jews.and#160; Raoul's life remained mostly unchanged untiland#160; he saw a movie about a man who helped Jews escape -- Raoul wanted to help, too.
When Hungary was invaded by the Nazis and the formerly safe Jews were put into terrible danger, Raoul was moved to action. Raoul's boss, a Hungarian Jew, could no longer travel between Sweden and Hungary safely.and#160; Raoul, however, being a citizen of a neutal country, could.and#160; Jews were being deported fromand#160;Hungary in record numbers.and#160; When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was looking for someone familiar with Budapest, and who could mount a rescue mission for the Hungarian Jews, Raoul was the answer.
In 1944, Raoul traveled to Budapest as the First Secretary to the Swedish embassy in Budapest. With another Swedish diplomat Per Anger he issued "protective passports," orand#160;SchutzPasses, which identified the holders as Swedish subjects awaiting repatriation and thus prevented their deportation. Although not legal, these documents looked official and were generally accepted by German and Hungarian authorities (along with bribes).and#160;and#160;With support from the American War Refugee Board, Raoul rented 32 buildings in Budapest and declared them to be extraterritorial, protected by diplomatic immunity. He put up signs such as "The Swedish Library" and "The Swedish Research Institute" on their doors and hung oversize Swedish flags on the front of the buildings. These buildings housed almost 10,000 people.and#160; Over 350 people were involved in rescuing the Hungarianand#160;Jews; Raoul slept in a different building each night to avoid being captured by the Hungarian Nazis.and#160;and#160;It was a difficult, scary time, but Raoul knew that he and his large team were doing the right thing.
In 1945, Raoul was suspected of being an American spy by the Russians.and#160;and#160;He likely died while in their custody, though no one knows for sure if he was killled or if he died of natural causes, as the Russians suggest.and#160; He was named an honorary American citizen in 1981, and has been honored in similar ways in numerous other countries.and#160;and#160;
Raoul Wallenberg...it's a name you might not know, but you'll never forget his story.and#160;and#160;
Review
In 1940, Hans and Margret Rey fled their Paris home as the German army advanced. They began their harrowing journey on bicycles, pedaling to Southern France with childrenand#8217;s book manuscripts among their few possessions.
Louise Borden combed primary resources, including Hans Reyand#8217;s pocket diaries, to tell this dramatic true story. Archival materials introduce readers to the world of Hans and Margret Rey while Allan Drummond dramatically and colorfully illustrates their wartime trek to a new home.
Follow the Reyand#8217;s amazing story in this unique large format book that resembles a travel journal and includes full-color illustrations, original photos, actual ticket stubs and more. A perfect book for Curious George fans of all ages."A stirring, uplifting, and elegantly packaged saga."--Publishers Weekly, Publishers Weekly, Starred review
"More than a first biography of picture book icons, this is a fine introduction to the period for young children, a model of documentation, and an exceptionally inviting and well-designed book." --Horn Book Horn Book
Review
"Moving and inspiring; Wallenbergs is a name to remember for all time, and Borden has done an admirable job of ensuring readers will."—Kirkus
Review
"Though this story of loss is set in the 1940s, its message is timeless. . . . The retrospective narrative lends Molly's sorrow distance without diluting its significance; it also allows her to commend the wisdom of such remembrance." --Horn Book Horn Book
"This elegant book speaks to the far-reaching effects of war and the healing power of memory." Publishers Weekly
Review
Compellingly written war reminiscences, a stinging indictment of the U.S. Army Air Force's discrimination against blacks, and a sometimes-surprising picture of segregation's local realities before World War II. . . . Often thrilling and consistently absorbing.
Booklist, ALA
Definitely worth remembering. . . . The story of these two friends is enough to keep all readers interested.
VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
"[The] power of...alternating stories, illustrated with personal photographs and period documents...[t]eens will find reason to ponder just how much difference two decades can make." The Bulletin 9/2007 Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"Moving and inspiring; Wallenbergand#8217;s is a name to remember for all time, and Borden has done an admirable job of ensuring readers will."and#8212;Kirkus "Borden's extensive research is evident throughout. Abundant photographs add immediacy to the narrative, and the double-spaced text and wide margins make the book accessible to students with reading difficulties."--School Library Journal, starred review "Borden takes a little-known story from history and gives it new life and appeal via meticulous research and deft presentation...a compelling and readable nonfiction gem."--VOYA "Scrupulously researched...The story is riveting, and the stylish prose, in compact, ragged-right format, provides a sense of urgency and mystery."--Bulletin
Synopsis
Here is the true history of a friendship that almost wasnand#8217;t.
John Leahr and Herb Heilbrun grew up in the same neighborhood and were in the same third grade class together. They were classmatesand#151;not friendsand#151;because Herb was white and John was black.
John and Herb were twenty-one when the United States entered WWII. Herb became an Army Air Forces B-17 bomber pilot. John flew P-51 fighters. Both were thrown into the brutal high-altitude bomber war against Nazi Germany, though they never met because the army was rigidly segregatedand#151;only in the air were black and white American fliers allowed to mix.
Both came safely home but it took Herb and John another fifty years to meet again and discover that their lives had run almost side by side through war and peace. Old friends at last, Herb and John launched a mission to tell young people why race once made all the difference and why it shouldnand#8217;t anymore.
Synopsis
When the United States enters World War II, Molly is attending Beechwood Elementary. But her thoughts are with Ted Walker, her neighbor, who is serving aboard a cruiser in the South Atlantic.
Three years later, the war is still going on and Molly is in the fourth grade. Ted is still at sea, as a naval officer of the USS Albacore, a submarine in the Pacific Ocean. Orchard Road feels like the safest place on earth, but somewhere on the other side of the world, Ted and his crew are carrying out dangerous missions. No one knows when they will come home, and young Molly must find a way to live with fear during wartime.
Synopsis
An amazing and inspirational World War II story about how one man saved the lives of many.
Raoul Wallenbergand#8217;s name may not be a universally familiar one, but the impact he had is immeasurable. Wallenberg was a Swedish humanitarian who worked in Budapest during World War II to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. He did this by issuing protective passports and housing Jews in buildings established as Swedish territory, saving tens of thousands of lives. Louise Borden researched Wallenbergand#8217;s life for many years, visiting with his family and the site of his childhood home, and learned his story from beginning to end. Wallenberg himself has not been heard from since 1945. It is suspected he died while in Russian custody, though this has never been proven. Raoul Wallenberg . . . itand#8217;s a name you may not have known, but youand#8217;ll never forget his story.
About the Author
Louise Borden is the author of 25 picture books, including the acclaimed The Journeyand#160;that Savedand#160;Curiousand#160;George.and#160;A history major in college, Borden attended Denison University.and#160; Louise and her husband Peter have three grown children, and three grandchildren. They live live in Cincinnati and also in the Washington, D.C. metro area.