The Orphan Rescue

Anne Dublin ; Illus. by Qin Leng
Second Story Press, 124 pp., $8.95. 2010

Reviews:

Linda R. Silver (Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter, November/December 2010 (Vol. 30, No. 2))
The setting is Sosnowiec, Poland, in the 1930s during the Great Depression. Twelve-year-old Miriam and her seven-year-old brother, David, are orphans who are cared for by their grandparents, who, like many people, have trouble putting food on the table. When their situation becomes desperate, Miriam is forced to quit school to take a job she hates in a smelly kosher butcher shop and, worse yet, David is sent to an orphanage. On the surface, the Jewish orphanage is benign but underneath, its director cruelly sells some of the children to an unscrupulous factory owner who uses them as forced labor doing dangerous, even lethal, work. The tightly-constructed plot concerns Miriam’s attempts, always adventurous and eventually successful, to rescue David and restore him to his family. In pacing, characterization, and the realization of a moving theme, The Orphan Rescue is a sterling example of how meaningful subjects may be distilled into stories that appeal to middle-grade children, arousing their interest, their empathy, and their social conscious ness. In an afterword, the author draws an analogy between the story and the exploitation of many children in the world today, who are forced by poverty into work for which they are far too young. This message never impinges upon the story but it adds contemporary resonance. The author is best known for her nonfiction, such as the Sydney Taylor honor book, Bobbie Rosenfeld, the Olympian Who Could Do Anything (Second Story, 2004) and her more recent Dynamic Women Dancers (Second Story, 2009) among others, but in this work of fiction, she shows a talent for accessible storytelling that is reminiscent of her earlier work of historical fiction, Written On the Wind (Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2001). Both novels are based on Dublin’s family and out of true events and specific historic periods comes wider and more timeless meaning. Highly recommended for grades 3--6. Category: In The Spotlight. 2010, Second Story Press, 124 pp., $8.95. Ages 8 to 112

Charna Gross (Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews, November/December 2011( Vol. 1, No. 4))
On a beautiful fall morning, Sadie and her little brother, Ori, wake up early, too excited to sleep. It is the first day of Sukkot and they can’t wait to see if their sukkah decorations lasted the night. As they slip outside their house to take a closer look at their intact paper chains, popcorn strings and fruit mosaics, they decide to eat breakfast in the sukkah. They come up against two obstacles: first, the food tray is too heavy for them to carry, and second, where can they find the requisite Sukkot guests at dawn? Their solutions model cooperation and inventiveness for young readers. The repetitions, “Sadie got the cereal/Ori got the spoons/Ori got the bowls/Sadie got the milk” would make for a fun read-along. Fortenberry’s watercolor illustrations, reminiscent of Denise Fleming’s with their combination of sharp details and gaussian blurs, invite the reader to explore them many times over. Although not mentioning the Ushpizin (divine guests) when looking for Sukkot guests seems like a lost opportunity, and not having honey to dip the challah in makes the meal seem incomplete, the final scene of the young siblings giving thanks for their food and their friends ends the story on a satisfying note indeed. Category: Holidays. 2011, Kar-Ben/Lerner, 24 pp., $7.95. Ages 2 to 6.

BBKT (Best Books for Kids & Teens, 2011)
Starred Review. It’s 1937, and Poland is suffering from the effects of the Great Depression. Miriam and David live with their grandparents after the death of their parents. Unable to remain in school, Miriam works in a butcher shop while David faces a worse fate -- he is sent to the Jewish orphanage. When the unscrupulous orphanage director sends David out to perform dangerous work in a factory, Miriam must do everything she can to save her brother. Thematic Links: Child Poverty | Exploitation | Orphanages | Great Depression | Poland. Category: Junior Fiction. 124 pages, b&w, 5 1/4” x 7 1/2”. Ages 9-12. 2010, Second Story Press, $8.95 PB.

Midwest Book Review (Children's Bookwatch: November 2010)
The Orphan Rescue" is a chapter book written for young readers ages 7-10 that tells the story of a brave Jewish girl named Miriam and her brother David who lived in Sosnowiec, Poland with their grandparents in 1937. Because of extreme poverty, the grandparents decide they must send the younger brother, David, to an orphanage. Miriam learns David has been forced to work in a factory by the unscrupulous orphanage director. Help comes from an unlikely character, the orphanage bully, Benji. Thanks to Miriam's resourcefulness and determination, the scandal of child labor exploitation is revealed, and the grandparents are able to take David home again to reunite the family. Based on a true story in the author's family history, "The Orphan Rescue" is an excellent true life adventure that will lead readers to many startling facts about the history of Jews in Europe in pre-WWII times. The Judaic Studies Shelf. ...., Second Story Press, $8.95. ages 7-10

Joyce Rice (Children's Literature)
Sosnowiec is a town in southern Poland, and in 1937, it was home to Miriam and David and their grandparents. Like many countries of that day, Poland was in an economic crisis and much of its population was destitute with little money for clothing, housing, or food. Those who had these things were considered rich. When Miriam’s mother and father were living and her grandfather was working as a locksmith they were a part of this group. But when Miriam’s father died in a typhus epidemic, she was only seven and David was two. Miriam’s mother had to get work at a dressmaking shop, working long hours into the night. Mama sold her jewelry and papa’s tools to help pay the rent but still there was not enough money. Finally, Miriam and her family moved in with their grandparents. That is what has brought them here, to the orphanage door, today. Miriam’s mother is dead and her grandparents can no longer support the family. They must leave young David here at the orphanage so that he can have proper shelter and food. Miriam must leave school and find a job to help with expenses. But the people at the orphanage do not care about children and Miriam is determined not to leave her brother here. With the help of an unlikely friend, Miriam will rescue her little brother and reunite her family. Her can-do attitude will help young readers to see that even though they are young, they can make a difference in their world. The elements of history about the country of Poland are subtle but interesting. The character of Ben introduces discussions about stereotypes and expectations. This is a story to be read on several levels and would be a good discussion starter in social studies classes. 2010, Second Story Press, $8.95. Ages 6 to 10.

Diana Lynn Wilkes (CM Magazine, February 4, 2011. (Vol. XVII, No. 21))
This children's novel describes the heart-wrenching situation of an impoverished Jewish family struggling to survive in the small town of Sosnowiec, Poland, in 1937. In the author's note, Anne Dublin reveals that this family story happened to her cousins and was told to her by her father many years ago. This is her retelling of a distressing but sadly not that uncommon occurrence in a critical period in history, the years just prior to the Second World War. Historical novels for children are most effective when the situation described in the book can be generalized or extrapolated to reveal a current or familiar experience. The average privileged child of today, reading The Orphan Rescue would have very little experience with the situation in this story. This offers a great opportunity to learn. In Dublin's notes, she comments on the fact that many children around the world are currently experiencing situations like the one these characters found themselves in and worse. Sadly, this is very true. Yes, the past has some sad tales, and they can be interesting, but why present a seventy year old story to children about poverty and desperate measures when there are similar current and relevant stories of even more urgent natures happening right now all around the world? Children do need to know about the desperate lives of other children in order to put their own lives in perspective and possibly make a difference through altruistic projects. Therefore, we should offer them current stories not sentimental family stories that have little connection with the present day. For example, Deborah Ellis writes excellent stories about children in various parts of the world struggling to survive and to help one another. Today. History and current events aside, The Orphan Rescue is an adventure story with likeable (and villainous!) characters. Miriam and her younger brother David are spunky and easily relatable. After their parents die, the siblings are left with their sick and elderly grandparents who are unable to care for them. Twelve-year-old Miriam is taken out of school to work for the village butcher at a job she detests in order to bring home some money for the family. But for seven-year-old David, it is much worse. He is taken to the Jewish Orphanage where he will be taken care of in exchange for doing chores after classes. Promises are made that he will be clothed and fed well. It is a heart-breaking decision for the family but a necessary, temporary solution. However, when David is secretly "sold" to a factory owner to do dangerous work because of his diminutive size, Miriam, along with an unlikely friend, fights with all she has to rescue him from the slavery. The ending is hopeful, and all the problems are neatly resolved so that they can all live together again. The children in the novel are resourceful, creative and display development of character. The adults, on the other hand, are almost all despicable. Most of the adults are men, and they are deceptive, exploitive, and manipulative. Chapter six has particularly sinister foreboding as David is woken up in the middle of the night to be the focus of a "deal" between men for him to do a "job" because he is small and has no parents. The "purchasing" man is creepy, fat, and quite repulsive. It's hard not to think about human trafficking and sexual exploitation even though David "only" ends up working at a factory. Unfortunately, the grandparents are not as sympathetic as you might hope either. The grandmother is especially unkind as she "raised her hand," "pushed Miriam forward," "grabbed Miriam by the shoulders," and says to David, "You are a boy who makes trouble." It's difficult to understand why she would be so harsh with her grandchildren but not so difficult to understand why Miriam deceives her grandmother. There are many references to making a plan as Miriam and her friend Ben try to rescue David. Because the plan is never actually discussed, the reader has no sense of how the children figure things out. They seem to act rather impulsively until the final act in which they pull the fire alarm, lie to authorities, pick locks, and rummage through personal drawers to steal a discovered letter. When an unknown man interrupts Miriam's theft, she inexplicably chooses to trust him (not her grandparents or employers) with the letter and information concerning why she is there. Luckily, he turns out to be the right one to take action and solve the problem. Once again Miriam's questionable actions reap her success. Is this a good message to present to children? The Jewish references are frequent, but the reader is left wanting more. For example, Miriam is concerned about Kosher food, but the change in menu does not explain it-a missed opportunity for those unfamiliar with Jewish traditions. The Sabbath may also be unfamiliar to some readers. If mentioned, it would be good to illustrate it further. Another detail that is presented early in the story as an important fact about David-his gifted drawing skills-does not play a role in the rescue or conclusion of the story. It may be a fact of the character in the original story, but it doesn't add to this story, and its presence is misleading and, therefore, irrelevant. An endearing feature of The Orphan Rescue is the love the siblings have for each other. It is this love that propels the story and ensures the rescue. It is terrible to imagine sending a child away because a family cannot support him, and it is clear in this story that the family's decision is only made in the direst of circumstances. David's discussion with fellow residents at the orphanage about what it means to be an orphan and whether or not he is one is a very poignant aspect of this story. How can you be an orphan if you still have family? David is convinced that he is not an orphan, and Miriam proves him right! The illustrations that are scattered throughout the novel add the perfect tone to the story. Qin Leng has captured the waif-like quality of the children along with the menacing adults and surroundings with simple pen and ink drawings. They are effective and support the writing. The writing style is appropriate for the younger end of this age group. However, there is an over use of adjectives and adverbs that offers a "telling" rather than "showing" style of writing that feels forced. There are far too many clichT phrases, such as "pounced on her like a cat on a mouse," "David's face, pale as the moon," "Miriam felt the tears welling in her eyes," and "I wish I could wake up from this bad dream." The other disappointment is the weak, formal dialogue that does not sound authentic especially for a former time period. Although the story is based on facts from seventy years ago and involves children solving a challenging problem, their methods are sometimes questionable, and the ending wraps up the loose ends all too conveniently. It is a sweet story but misses the mark on a number of important points. Recommended with reservations. Rating: ** /4. Grades 4-7. 2010, Second Story Press, 124 pp., pbk., $8.95. Ages 9 to 12.

Nicole Rowlinson (Resource Links Reviews, February 2011 (Vol. 16, No. 3))
Books for this age group that are this heartfelt and emotionally raw are few and far between. Orphan Rescue tells the story of 12 year old Miriam Goldstein, and her 7 year old brother David, who live in Sosnowiec, Poland in 1937, in the worst of the Great Depression. After losing both their mother and father, the two children move in with their elderly grandparents. For this Jewish family, the world revolves around where their next meal is coming from, and how they are going to manage to keep their home, their business, and each other together. Eventually the inevitable happens - they simply cannot survive in their current situation. Miriam is forced to leave her beloved school and begin working full-time at a butcher shop. Worse yet, David, who is much too young to be employed, is sent to the Jewish Orphanage of Sosnowiec. Brokenhearted, Miriam is determined to rescue her young innocent brother and have him rejoin his family. She engages the help of Ben, a brash young man who has been a resident at the Orphanage for several years. Together, the two children learn that David has been essentially sold to a clothing factory by the Orphanage’s directory, Mr. Reznitsky, who we discover is a regular player in the horrific business of child labour. The kids plot to rescue David from his terrifying situation, and bring him back to his family. Although the book’s ending is slightly abrupt and neat, all in all, this novel is a wonderful example of historical fiction that will touch a nerve in the hearts of its readers. The courage and resilience of the human spirit that all the children display is inspiring, and one hopes that the story will be thought provoking for today’s children, helping them to realize their good fortune. While the story is woven using somewhat old-fashioned language, it is not lackluster in the least, and the traditional styling only makes the story more genuine and heart wrenching. Reading it actually brought to mind such beautiful classics as Eleanor Estes’ The Hundred Dresses. It reads almost like a journal that one would expect to find in the trunk of a great-grandmother who lived and breathed in Poland in 1937, experiencing the heart-wrenching poverty and dismal health and family conditions. In fact, the story is partially based on a true story the author’s father told her about a young polish boy put into the Jewish orphanage in Poland who went through similar experiences. This touching story is definitely worth the effort of hand selling to both boys and girls. Category: Fiction Grades 3-6. Thematic Links: Child Labour; Jewish Orphans; Poverty; Poland; The Great Depression. Resource Links Rating: G (Good, great at times, generally useful!), Gr. 4-7. 2010, Second Story Press, 124 p., Pbk. $8.95. Ages 9 to 13.