When The World Was Ours: A book about finding hope in the darkest of times

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In his childhood, his family participated in a chance meeting thatchanged everything for them and in this novel the author looks at what may have happened if that lucky moment had not taken place. Inspired by author Liz Kessler’s family history, it is the perfect book to insure teens read an unvarnished story about the Holocaust.

In Vienna in 1936 three children, best friends for years, are celebrating Leo’s ninth birthday with a day out, a Ferris wheel ride, sachertorte and laughter.This is especially evident in the case of Max, who emerges as the most complex character and the only one of the three children whose thoughts are communicated in the third person. The story opens when they are 9 years old, celebrating one of their birthdays with a magical day on the town.

Probably the best book I've read so far about those horrific times and even more heartbreaking coming from the point of view of children. These books for teenagers take a variety of different approaches to representing the events of World War II. Leo and Elsa and their families’ main goal is to simply survive and Max is an enthusiastic participant within the Hitler Youth. WOW is what I can say to this book it was so unputdownable and emotional Kessler really knew how to take my feelings because I really felt for these children and they felt so realistic that I felt this book like a movie I really loved Leo, Max and Elsa their friendship was pure and unique to read about even though this was a middle grade it does deal with deep topics so read the triggers before you dive into it I really loved this book so much! We follow Max, Elsa, and Leo, from their favorite memory together, straight through their teen years/WWII.This emotive poetry anthology from former Children’s Laureate, Michael Rosen, explores the plight of refugees today, Rosen's childhood as part of a Jewish family in post-war London, his family's' memories of the war, and the fate of relatives who disappeared in Nazi Germany. I wholeheartedly recommend this book – but be warned, it will probably affect you deeply and will bring tears. The chilling beauty of this book is the way Kessler chose not to lean in to the horrific shock value of the Holocaust and yet still creates a heartbreaking portrayal of its devastation. But the part that made me cry the hardest was the final chapter, the one that took place in our day. These beloved photos mark a cherished friendship that has already hit its figurative and literal high point, and will quickly become a memory.

Their two narratives explore, truthfully and therefore disturbingly, what happened to those who did not escape, and why anyone co-operated with the Nazi regime. As the holocaust goes on, Max and Elsa find themselves brought to the same concentration camp, yet on opposing sides. The characters start out young, when their friendship was simple, uncomplicated by the political world and expectations of adults around them. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives. Three young friends—Leo, Elsa, and Max—spend a perfect day together, unaware that around them big changes are coming as Europe is descending into a growing darkness and that they will soon be cruelly ripped apart from one another.The story reaches a breathtaking crescendo when we witness an interweaving of the three family stories years after the Ferris wheel ride: Elsa’s family is sent to Auschwitz on a death camp train. These days, I have a connection to a nonagenarian who, as a teenager, jumped from a death camp-bound cattle car, escaping as the Nazi guards shot at her with rifles. But Leo and Elsa are Jewish, and as Europe falls under Hitler's sway, the three take different paths. The friendship between these three kids in spite of everything they were put through is just amazing.

Despite the heartbreak and the horror, we witness moments of kindness, friendship and hope, chief of which is the act of generosity by the couple who provide an escape for Leo and his family. Inspired by a true story, WHEN THE WORLD WAS OURS is an extraordinary novel that is as powerful as it is heartbreaking, and shows how the bonds of love, family and friendship allow glimmers of hope to flourish, even in the most hopeless of times. To mark Holocaust Memorial Day and the liberation of Auschwitz, here is a poignant booklist that should hopefully help explain and inform younger readers about the events surrounding the Holocaust.The day’s highlight is a Ferris wheel ride featuring large enclosed cars in which the riders can move about. Das ist für mich etwas, das sich aus dem kurzen, offiziellen Klappentext nicht direkt herauslesen lässt. I’m grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in advance of its late January publication, and will have no qualms about recommending it to readers. Through the eyes of three children we see the devastation that was brought about by the Nazi regime. Doch diese Zeiten sind vorbei, als Hitler in Deutschland die Macht erlangt und sich dadurch der Nationalsozialismus im ganzen Land ausbreitet.