Journey to America - A Review

Laura and I finished Journey to America this afternoon.  It is in the extension package of Preparing Hearts for His Glory.  Though I am sure she could have handled the reading on her own, I read the book to Laura for a couple different reasons.  First, I wasn't sure how the content of the treatment of the Jewish people in the beginning of Nazi Germany would be handled.  While I knew it wouldn't be graphic, I did want to be able to explain sensitive things with my daughter as we read them.  Second, I read the book to Laura because I wanted to read it desperately and was limited on time.

Journey to America is the story of a Jewish family in 1938.  In Germany, the treatment of the Jewish people was getting worse and worse.  The story follows the middle daughter, Lisa Platt, as she deals with many tough and confusing situations.  Her father, to keep the family safe, decides that the family needs to go to America.  He cannot take them at once, so he travels alone first.  His wife and three daughters are to join him later.  Lisa, her mother, and sisters all must deal with living in Germany alone, leaving Germany with nothing, surviving in Switzerland until travel can be arranged to get to America, and finally the trip to America.

I really enjoyed this story.  It gave an account of the time without being scary for children.  It showed the red tape and the struggles of some of the families that left Germany for safety.  It also showed the heartache of those that had left for those left behind, especially when stories would emerge from Germany that were scary and tragic.  What was really wonderful was the relationships between the Jewish people and the Christians that were around them. 

Laura enjoyed this book too.  She didn't want me to stop reading.  I read the book at a much faster pace than scheduled because we have another book we want to read, and because the story was too good to put down.  I highly recommend this book.