Author: Mario Escobar
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: February 2020
August 1942. Jacob and Moses Stein, two young Jewish
brothers, are staying with their aunt in Paris amid the Nazi occupation. The
boys’ parents, well-known German playwrights, have left the brothers in their
aunt’s care until they can find safe harbor for their family. But before the
Steins can reunite, a great and terrifying roundup occurs. The French
gendarmes, under Nazi order, arrest the boys and take them to the Vélodrome
d’Hiver—a massive, bleak structure in Paris where thousands of France’s Jews
are being forcibly detained.
Jacob and Moses know they must flee in order to survive, but
they only have a set of letters sent from the south of France to guide them to
their parents. Danger lurks around every corner as the boys, with nothing but
each other, trek across the occupied country. Along their remarkable journey,
they meet strangers and brave souls who put themselves at risk to protect the
children—some of whom pay the ultimate price for helping these young refugees
of war.
This inspiring novel, now available for the first time in
English, demonstrates the power of family and the endurance of the human
spirit—even through the darkest moments of human history.
Children of the Stars takes place during the Nazi occupation of France during WWII. Jacob and Moses are two young brothers who set out on a journey to locate their parents. Their parents have gone ahead looking for a safer place for their family to live. They meet a variety of people who help them along the way.
For the most part, I enjoyed the boys story. There were definitely times and circumstances in the book where I probably would have given up. So, I admired their drive to locate their parents. While the setting of the Nazi occupation and their treatment of the Jews was horrific, I never really sensed that the boys were in grave danger. There were a lot of things that seemed too easy for them. Helpful people seemed to always show up to help just at the right moment. I also felt like this was written for a much younger audience It read like a YA novel, so I'm not sure if there was something lost in the translation. I don't normally read a lot of WWII books, so I'm not sure if there are many out there from a child's point of view. Because of that, I would recommend this one to younger YA readers who are looking for starter WWII fiction. I think it would be perfect for them.
Purchase Links
About Mario Escobar
Mario Escobar Golderos (Madrid, Spain) has a degree in
History, with an advanced studies diploma in Modern History. He has written
numerous books and articles about the Inquisition, the Protestant Reformation,
and religious sects. He is the directs the magazine Nueva historia para el
debate, in addition to being a contributing columnist in various publications.
Passionate about history and its mysteries, Escobar has delved into the depths
of church history, the different sectarian groups that have struggled therein,
and the discovery and colonization of the Americas. He specializes in the lives
of unorthodox Spaniards and Americans. Books.
Connect with Mario
Review tour:
Monday, February 24th: Reading
Reality
Tuesday, February 25th: Jathan
& Heather
Wednesday, February 26th: Helen’s
Book Blog
Friday, February 28th: The
Lit Bitch
Monday, March 2nd: From the TBR Pile
Wednesday, March 4th: @reading_with_nicole
Thursday, March 5th: Kritter’s Ramblings
Tuesday, March 10th: Into the Hall of Books
Wednesday, March 11th: Hallie Reads
Friday, March 13th: @cassies_books_reviews
Monday, March 16th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Wednesday, March 18th: @bibliolau19
Wednesday, March 18th: Palmer’s Page Turners
Instagram tour:
Monday, March 2nd: @books_with_bethany
Tuesday, March 3rd: @books_faith_love
Wednesday, March 4th: @booksandbackroads
Thursday, March 5th: @giuliland
Friday, March 6th: @lets_talk_books_and_cats
Friday, March 6th: @beritaudiokilledthebookmark
Saturday, March 7th: @megsbookclub
Sunday, March 8th: @my_book_journey
Monday, March 9th: @ifcatscouldread
1 comment:
I think you're right, a younger audience might really enjoy this one as well. Thank you for being on this tour! Sara @ TLC Book Tours
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