Erika's Story

Title: Erika's Story
Author: Ruth Vander Zee
Illustrator: Roberto Innocenti
Publisher: Creative Editions, 2003
Genre: Picture Book, Informational Text
Age Range: 2nd and up

Summary:
Erika doesn't know her real name, her age, or the makeup or her family. The only thing she knows for sure is that on her mother's way to death, she threw her to life. Erika's family was Jewish and like so many of the Jewish people during the Holocaust,her family was mistreated and misled. Erika imagines her final days with her family. Their sadness at being forced from their home into a ghetto filled with misery and sickness. The twinge of hope they must have felt when they were told that they were to be relocated. Would this relocation be to a better place? The packed cattle car in which her parent's realization of where they were headed ultimately saved her life. It was on this train ride to death that her mother gave her life. She threw Erika from the train. Erika was taken to a kind woman who named her, raised her, and risked her life to keep her.

Response:
Although this true story is laced with sadness, it's message of hope is still able to shine through. In the midst of death and despair, a life was saved. Through a combination of extordinary circumstances Erika was saved and was able to live, marry, and have children and grandchildren of her own. When so many of the yellow star's light went out, hers continued to shine. This book is just phenomenal. It's sparing text tells the story of the horror and hope that existed side by side in those tragic years of the Holocaust. Roberto Innocenti has created stunning artwork to accompany this extrodinary story. Erika's story in pictures is told in grim shades of gray that are only relieved when Erika's mother tosses her from the train. Through a glimspe of her pink blanket on the gray background we are able to feel a glimspe of hope for her survival. The final illustration shows Erika as a young girl in a world full or color. The gray has lifted, and life (and color) have begun anew. The illustrations at the beginning of the text are haunting. The gray backgound highlights the shining yellow stars on the clothing of the Jewish people. The significance of these stars are further shown on the last page of the book, where the author has included a powerful line of text, "My star still shines."

Teaching Ideas:
This true story would be a powerful addition to any unit on WW II or the Holocaust. Be sure to notice the author's note at the beginning of the book. In this note, Ruth Vander Zee tells her story of how this story came to be.

Check out this Teaching Guide created by Ruth Vander Zee.