Gr 4–7—Arato presents the true account of 11-year-old Rachel Landesman and her family, who survived the Holocaust only to be stranded on board the ship
Exodus along with 4,500 other Jewish refugees. Vivid details portray the indignity of life on the cramped ships and in refugee camps. Arato's prose is never heavy-handed, nor does it gloss over the lack of food, sanitation, or space available to those on the ship. She deftly allows well-documented events to tell the story. The photos and author's notes enhance the historical perspective. Despite a few awkward instances of wooden dialogue, it is Landesman's riveting tale and her indomitable hope for the future that shine through every page of this work.
VERDICT A solid purchase for school libraries. Hand this book to intelligent young tweens in need of informational texts that dig deep and provide valuable connections to the current refugee crisis.
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