This was an easy to understand book that had an engaging author's voice and a delightful leading girl. I loved that it was a true story based on the events of the author's childhood during WWII. It held plenty of heartache and was challenging at times, but it also showed how Miss Levi sought out happy moments to enjoy in the midst of a tumultuous time.
A couple of views expressed in the author's note were different than my own.
The first was the statement that there is definitely racism in every country on the planet and encouraging children to “join the fight.” Not every neighborhood in the world experiences racism. It truly depends on the heart of each individual person. As for joining the fight, I believe each person must decide for themselves which “fights” God is calling them to address with their life's journey. Not every fight is for every person, but I do believe every person has a calling deep down inside of them.
Also in the note after the story was that our first goal should be to “protect yourself.” I disagree with this, because the Bible teaches that our first goal should be to love God and love people.
Those differences in views didn't dampen my enjoyment of the story that came before the author's note. I cherished the way little Lia survived her childhood with happiness. That is such a challenging thing when times are challenging and daily life is tough.
