Helpful Score: 1
I'm thrilled to see this in print! I read this 25 years ago when I was in Middle School and it made a tremendous impact in my life. I was lucky enough to find a copy at a garage sale one day a few years ago. I highly recommend this book!
I read this book in middle school and loved it. It's about a ten year old girl that doesn't understand what's going on. Germany has invaded her town and her freinds have stoped talking to her. She isn't allowed to go to school any more simply because she's Jewish.
Elizabeth M. (princesselizabeth) reviewed The Upstairs Room (Upstairs Room, Bk 1) on + 7 more book reviews
Like other reviewers, also read this in junior high. It really impacted me, probably because of the first-person true narrative. I loved the Dutch couple and the grandma. So feisty! But it was scary to read; I remember being tense. I don't remember much about the sequel, "The Journey Back." Not as much drama, I guess. I recently read her adult memoir of revisiting Johan and Dientje in the Netherlands with her own children. It didn't flow very well for me, although it was quite moving. It confirms that they had really become almost foster parents for Annie as a child. Not so much Sini, though. Reiss speculates on whether or not Sini and Johan had an affair while they were in hiding, but decides not to ask Sini about it. Yikes!
This is a beautiful book about two young girls time during the holocaust. A wonderful historical novel.
Good book.
