We Had to Be Brave: Escaping the Nazis on the Kindertransport

This nonfiction work chronicles the Kindertransport rescue operation that brought nearly 10,000 Jewish children from Nazi-occupied territories to Great Britain between 1938-1939. Hopkinson incorporates firsthand accounts and testimonies from survivors who experienced this mass evacuation as children. Primary source materials, including photographs, letters, and documents, help reconstruct the historical context and personal stories. The narrative follows multiple children's journeys as they leave their families behind in Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia to seek safety in England. Their individual experiences before, during, and immediately after their rescue missions create a mosaic of perspectives on this historical event. The book explores universal themes of courage, sacrifice, and resilience while documenting a crucial rescue mission that saved thousands of young lives during the Holocaust. Through these children's stories, readers gain insight into both the human capacity for cruelty and the determination to preserve life in the face of darkness.

Readers describe this book as educational and moving, making complex history accessible for middle-grade students through personal stories and photographs. Many note it helps children understand the Holocaust through age-appropriate content. Liked: - Clear organization and timeline - Mix of individual stories and historical context - Inclusion of primary sources and photographs - Addresses difficult topics sensitively - Extensive research and source citations Disliked: - Some found the writing style dry - A few readers wanted more details about what happened to specific children after the war - Several mentioned the pace slows in certain sections Ratings: Goodreads: 4.27/5 (482 ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (116 ratings) "The personal accounts made history come alive for my students" - Teacher review on Amazon "Well-researched but maintains emotional impact" - School librarian on Goodreads "Some parts felt repetitive, but important for reinforcing key events" - Parent reviewer

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry This novel follows a Danish family who helps their Jewish neighbors escape the Nazis during World War II through the perspective of a ten-year-old girl.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak The story chronicles a young German girl who finds solace in books while her foster family harbors a Jewish man during the Holocaust.

Anne Frank's Last Days by Ruud van der Rol and Rian Verhoeven This work combines photographs, maps, and documents to trace Anne Frank's journey from her arrest in Amsterdam to her death in Bergen-Belsen.

Survivors Club: The True Story of a Very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz by Michael Bornstein, Debbie Bornstein Holinstat This memoir recounts Bornstein's experience as one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz, supported by historical documents and records.

The Children of Willesden Lane by Mona Golabek This biography tells the story of Lisa Jura, a young Jewish pianist who escaped Vienna on the Kindertransport and found refuge in London.

🚂 Nearly 10,000 children were saved through the Kindertransport program, which operated from December 1938 to September 1939, when World War II began. 📚 Author Deborah Hopkinson conducted extensive research and interviewed living Kindertransport survivors to create an authentic narrative that weaves together multiple personal stories. 🗝️ Many Kindertransport children never saw their parents again; approximately 1.5 million Jewish children were killed during the Holocaust. 🌟 The book includes more than 80 archival photographs, helping readers visualize the children's experiences and the historical context of their journeys. 🏆 "We Had to Be Brave" received multiple honors, including being named a Sydney Taylor Notable Book and an NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People.