This book was written by Johanna Reiss. It is about a little girl named Anna who is the youngest of 3 girls in a Jewish family. The family resides in Holland which appeared to be safe from the German rule that was going on in other European countries. Soon though, Anna's family learned that the Germans were soon headed for them. Their lives changed dramatically, losing their jobs, being pulled from the local school, etc. Anna and her sister Sini were forced to hide in their neighbors, the Oostervelds attic, away from the rest of their family in order to escape the Germans. They even had to careful of their safety living in the attic, especially when Germans occupy the remote farmhouse for their own business. Although Anna and her sister were kept safe from the Germans, many Jews were not that fortunate. Reiss also incorporates her own recounts of World War II and gives some insight into the life of some less fortunate Jews by the survivors that she meets up with after she comes out of hiding. It shows the struggle of the Jews as well as the faith and optimism that they had to embrace in order to survive. It is a good story for overcoming any obstacle, but also helps the reader have some appreciation for Jewish heritage. This not only helps us learn to incorporate Jewish cultures, but teaches us how to incorporate the acceptance and appreciation for cultural history in our everday lives.
Book Citation:
Reiss, Johanna. The Upstairs Room. New York: Haper Collins Children's Books, 1972.
Image Citation:
HarperCollins. 2008. 1 Dec 2008. <www.harpercollins.com/.../
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