A FARAWAY ISLAND

This is a thoughtful story about two young Jewish sisters from Vienna, twelve-year old Stephie and her eight-year old sister, Nellie.

During WWII, Stephie and Nellie were separated from their parents who sent them away to an island near Sweden to escape from the Nazis during the war. The sisters expect to stay in there for about 6 months until they can reunite again with their parents in America. Unfortunately, they were separated upon arrival to the island. Nellie stays with a foster family that really cares for her. She has many friends and becomes adapted to the Swedish culture. Stephie on the other hand, has a miserable life. Her foster mother is a cold woman, she has no friends and is constantly bullied at school. She is very jealous of her younger sister. During this journey of being distant from her family, she wonders to herself if she will ever see her parents again. The sadness of familiar separation and the barbarity of Hitler is well expressed telling the story of Jewish children during World War II in Europe.