This is a novel about the hardships of a Jewish family in a small town in Germany, through the eyes of Erich Levi, their ten-year-old. The humiliations suffered by every member of the family, from the children at school to the parents, the loss of income when all their previous customers turned away from them, the loss of friends, and children having to come to grips about such hard things at such a young age; the family's story covers the years 1933-1938.

From the author's note: “This novel is a mixture of fiction and historical fact. We have researched the major national events of the time, and those of local and school history, as carefully as possible. … The names of the Jewish families, particularly those of the main characters, have been kept, in honor of their memory.”

Recommended to young adult readers to broaden their understanding of history and of life. ( )

This novel is based on a true story researched by a German teacher and her students in Ellwangen, Germany. It details the rise of Nazism under Hitler and its effects on Jewish families. The main character is Erich Levi, whose father was a respected cattle dealer in the town of Ellwangen. The family, as the SA and SS became a more visible presence in their community, suffer losses in business, friendships and school. Erich goes from being a top student to one whose teachers grade him down merely based on his religion. Erich loses his friends as Kurt joins the Nazi Youth and Helmut, must meet him in secret so they will not be seen. Yet in the midst of all this change, Erich experiences his first love - a girl named Gertraud. Being the niece of Gremm, one of Erich's teachers and a fanatical member of the party, places the two in danger and ultimately, Gertraud, is forced to leave. As time goes on, Erich's father must finally realizes that the treatment of Jews will only worsen and works to emigrate the family to America. Erich returns once more to his hometown - as a member of the American Army. His language skills and local knowledge, particularly of the town's Nazi leaders, prove useful. He is acknowledged as the person who kept his town from being bombed by the military and some families claim he was responsible for saving their homes as well. The author does a good job demonstrating what it must have been like for a Jewish family living in Ellwangen during the build up to war. It is astonishing to realize that there were good German families, who did not agree with the rise of Nazism nor the treatment of their Jewish friends, yet did nothing out of fear.