This is the story of a young girl who has overcome horrendous obstacles to live to tell her story. Rutka was just 9 years old when the Nazis came and took her and her younger sister. She never saw her sister again. She never saw her parents again. She spent 3 long years in a prison camp. Then one day she and other women prisoners were led on a long walk, left in an abandoned barn and deserted. Rutka had no idea where she was. She only knew that she had to get home and find her family.
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Crossing countryside with no food, water and thread bare clothes, Rutka finally finds a group of other ex-prisoners also trying to survive and get home. Through flashbacks Rutka tells us about her family. Her grandparents, aunts and uncles. How her parents didn't listen when they were told they should leave Poland before the Nazis find them. Instead, they move to a smaller town, change their names and put the girls in a Catholic Convent. They were discovered and Rutkas little sister is torn from her arms by the guards and Rutka is sent to a camp.
Rutka finally makes it to a center for war orphans, finds an aunt and makes new friends. All of them practice for their 'escape' to the New Home Land - Israel. But she soon learns that there is a chance she can go to America instead, if a Jewish family will sponsor her.
Ruth, as she is now called, does make it to America where she lives with a wonderful Jewish family, learns English, educates herself and finally makes it on her own.
Best part of story, including ending:
This story is so heart wrenching. I love the fact that it is not over exaggerated for sympathy by the author and that she went on to become a speaker to help people overcome and not hate.
Best scene in story:
My favorite scene is when she realizes she can go to America and she does!
Opinion about the main character:
I love her strength and determination to move on in spite of what happened to her.
