CHANCE Escape from the Holocaust: Memories of a Refugee Childhood

Haunting music begins and ends this account of Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator Uri Shulevitz's childhood. His story is fittingly narrated with unhurried restraint by Fred Berman. Four-year-old Shulevitz and his family fled Warsaw for the Soviet Union when it became clear that Poland was no longer safe for Jews. Thus began a harrowing childhood spent running from one untenable place to another during WWII and after. Berman's Yiddish, sprinkled throughout the story, is convincing, and his clear, somber tones and measured cadence keep the terrors faced by Shulevitz from overwhelming young listeners. The episodic nature of the narrative makes it a good choice for family and classroom listening and discussion, especially at a time when education is needed regarding events of the Holocaust. S.G. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2021]