Review: Freedom's Game
Freedom's Game
by Rosanne Tolin
Reycraft Books, 2024
Category: Middle Grade
Reviewer: Julie Ditton
Buy at Bookshop.org
During World War II, hundreds of Jewish children were hidden in Paris orphanages and schools by the French resistance, and eventually smuggled to safety in Switzerland. Tolin tells a well researched story about two such children. This well paced tale examines the lives and feelings of two children, Ziggy and Elke. Flashbacks take the reader to 1939 and tell how they managed to move from the safety of their homes and families before Hitler's rise, to one refuge after another. With two main characters, the author deftly manages to show the contrasting feelings of realistic pessimism and the hope that keeps these children going. Ziggy is suspicious of the new blonde haired gym teacher Georges Loinger. He claims to be a member of the resistance, but Ziggy wonders if he isn't really a German spy. His friend Elke has faith in Georges and clings to hope that the man will somehow keep them safe and help them eventually escape to Switzerland. As a gym teacher, Loinger organized sports to supposedly keep up the children's spirts. All the games and Elke's training makes this book much more interesting and relevant for middle grade readers who know little of the time period. It is only in the afterward that youngsters will discover that although the story is fiction, some of the characters were very real. Georges Loinger did help save hundreds of Jewish children. I don't give spoilers but I will say that adult readers may be surprised by the inclusion of one of the other real people.
Teachers who wish to use novels in a unit about World War II and the Holocaust will find that this story helps add balance to the Holocaust literature available for middle grade readers. There are many books about concentration camps, but far fewer about all the children who were smuggled to safety. With the interesting characters, intrigue, and sports, readers of any background will find this a great read.
Reviewer Julie Ditton posts reviews on her Storybook Lady Facebook page and on Instagram @story.book.lady. As her name would imply, her favorite genre is Children’s Literature. Most of her reviews are children’s books and about half of those have Jewish themes. She has a shelf on Goodreads specifically for Jewish Children’s Books. She also has individual shelves for each Jewish holiday. She enjoys promoting Jewish Children’s literature. and is an active contributor to the Jewish Kidlit Mavens Facebook group.
During World War II, hundreds of Jewish children were hidden in Paris orphanages and schools by the French resistance, and eventually smuggled to safety in Switzerland. Tolin tells a well researched story about two such children. This well paced tale examines the lives and feelings of two children, Ziggy and Elke. Flashbacks take the reader to 1939 and tell how they managed to move from the safety of their homes and families before Hitler's rise, to one refuge after another. With two main characters, the author deftly manages to show the contrasting feelings of realistic pessimism and the hope that keeps these children going. Ziggy is suspicious of the new blonde haired gym teacher Georges Loinger. He claims to be a member of the resistance, but Ziggy wonders if he isn't really a German spy. His friend Elke has faith in Georges and clings to hope that the man will somehow keep them safe and help them eventually escape to Switzerland. As a gym teacher, Loinger organized sports to supposedly keep up the children's spirts. All the games and Elke's training makes this book much more interesting and relevant for middle grade readers who know little of the time period. It is only in the afterward that youngsters will discover that although the story is fiction, some of the characters were very real. Georges Loinger did help save hundreds of Jewish children. I don't give spoilers but I will say that adult readers may be surprised by the inclusion of one of the other real people.
Teachers who wish to use novels in a unit about World War II and the Holocaust will find that this story helps add balance to the Holocaust literature available for middle grade readers. There are many books about concentration camps, but far fewer about all the children who were smuggled to safety. With the interesting characters, intrigue, and sports, readers of any background will find this a great read.
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Thank you for this lovely review, Julie!
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