MY REAL NAME IS HANNA

Suzanne Toren ably narrates this coming-of-age story of courage, survival, and hope inspired by real Holocaust events. Hannah Slivka is a teen living in the small town of Kwasova, in the Soviet-occupied Ukraine. When Hitler's army marches across the border, Hannah's family and other Jewish folks are imperiled. When the Gestapo orders that their lands be "free of Jews," Hannah's family and kin are forced to flee, leaving their homes behind. Toren's narration makes the plight of these characters palpable. Although a bit slow in pacing, her delivery perfectly expresses their fear and despair as they try to survive living in forests and caves. When war finally breaks out, Toren skillfully conveys Hannah's hope for an Allied victory and for building a new life. A.C. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2018]