What Rosa Brought

Author:

Jacob Sager Weinstein

Illustrator:

Eliza Wheeler

Published by:

Katherine Tegan Books

First Published:

14 Mar 2024

Ideal for readers aged

6-9y

My Review

So very beautifully illustrated by Eliza Wheeler, whose artwork I love, this autobiographocal story has a slightly different take on the Holocaust to some other children's books. It doesn't focus on the brutality of the Nazis, but on the effect of their coming to Austria on the life of one little girl, Rosa. It is a gently told story - one that will encourage questions and conversation about the trauma and oppression suffered by Jews at the hands of the Nazis, but which doesn't force information on its readers. Rather, children will empathise with Rosa's plight and her loss, making this a great book for talking, not only about the Jewish people forced to flee Europe during World War Two, but about all refugees, everywhere.

Heads Up!

This book does not focus on the violence and oppression of the Holocaust, but on the power of family love in the midst of trauma - the sadness of the book is that Rosa's family had to leave her grandmother behind in Austria.

Publisher Review

Author Jacob Sager Weinstein and New York Times bestselling illustrator Eliza Wheeler deliver a stunning picture book about a young Jewish girl fleeing Nazi occupation with her parents. Drawing on the childhood experiences of the author’s mother, this story of family, immigration, and identity shows the boundless power of love. Vienna, Austria, is the only home Rosa knows. While her parents work at their store, she plays with her grandmother, reads her favorite books, and climbs trees. But when the Nazis arrive in 1938, everything changes. Rosa’s family is Jewish, and the Nazis’ new laws make it dangerous for Jews to live in Vienna. Rosa’s parents can no longer run their store. Soon, some Jews decide to leave the country, and Rosa wants to go, too. But where would they go? And what would Rosa be able to bring with her?