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katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
A graphic novel detailing the experiences of a refugee - a Jewish girl sent by her mother to safety in England before World War II. Marianne experiences hostility, friendship, bigotry, hardship and worry over her mother and remaining family in Germany and Europe.
In black and white, it covers a long span of Marianne's childhood years in England, as she is first sent to London and then evacuated alongside others during the Blitz.
The text seems a little forced, trying to include as much detail as possible for young readers to understand the context. It isn't natural-feeling in parts, as a lot of important facts are squeezed in. I did like the letters and postcards, though some children might need help deciphering the handwriting.
It's a mostly sad tale, as Marianne's loneliness and worry fill the story, and her foster families don't offer love or support.
The true stories of the times, those I've read about before, are channelled here, all the facts are real ones, this could easily have been a real girl and her real life.
Loved the black and white look of this, it's an easy and quick read, and suitable for primary ages and above to access and learn from.
In black and white, it covers a long span of Marianne's childhood years in England, as she is first sent to London and then evacuated alongside others during the Blitz.
The text seems a little forced, trying to include as much detail as possible for young readers to understand the context. It isn't natural-feeling in parts, as a lot of important facts are squeezed in. I did like the letters and postcards, though some children might need help deciphering the handwriting.
It's a mostly sad tale, as Marianne's loneliness and worry fill the story, and her foster families don't offer love or support.
The true stories of the times, those I've read about before, are channelled here, all the facts are real ones, this could easily have been a real girl and her real life.
Loved the black and white look of this, it's an easy and quick read, and suitable for primary ages and above to access and learn from.
lsparrow's review against another edition
3.0
a graphic novel about a part of wwII history that is not often know - liked the story but was not so into the illustrations.
mochomito's review against another edition
4.0
I was a bit confused here and there, but overall a very powerful story about a little Jewish girl that gets moved from place to place because of the war.
backonthealex's review against another edition
4.0
Back in 2014, I read and reviewed a trilogy by Irene N. Watts called Escape from Berlin. The first book, Good-bye, Marianne, tells the story of Marianne Kohn, 11, a young Jewish girl living in Berlin, with her mother. Her father has been missing since before Kristallnacht and her mother is working in an orphanage. It was through her work there that Marianne was able to secure a last minute place on the Kindertransport.
Seeking Refuge is the graphic form of the second book in the trilogy, which is called Remember Me, and picks up where Good-bye, Marianne leaves off. Marianne has just arrived in London, where she is sent to live with the very wealthy and very snobbish Mr. and Mrs. Abercrombie Jones. Mrs. Abercrombie Jones immediately changes her name to Marianne* to Mary Ann, gives her a small room in the servants quarters and has her helping out around the house. Luckily, Marianne is allowed to go to school where she makes a friend named Bridget O'Malley. But when the two girls come up with a plan to find a someone who will sponsor Marianne's mother so she can also leave Germany for England, Mrs. Abercrombie Jones finds out and puts a stop to it, angry that she has been humiliated in front of her friends. Once the war begins, however, Marianne is evacuated out of London with the rest of her school and away from the Mrs. Abercrombie Jones.
From London, Marianne finds herself in Wales, but has a hard time finding a family that wants her. Finally, she finds herself in the home of a couple who have recently lost their daughter and expect Marianne to take her place - almost literally. When that doesn't work out, she is taken to another place, where she is met with a wonderful surprise.
I am a big fan of graphic novels. They are very appealing to reluctant readers and can be used in classrooms to supplement social studies classes. They are fast to read and don't require the kind of time as would a novel. Of course, that means that the graphic novel has to be done well, since it must convey the same information as a novel using a combination of words and illustration.
For that reason, I was very apprehensive about recommending Seeking Refuge at first. Even though I had read the novel, I was a little lost. I think I was a little put off by the fact that the illustrations are done in shades of gray and white, and that there is absolutely no other colors throughout. Ironically, for years whenever I thought about Nazi Germany and WWII, I thought about it in shades of gray. as though the sun never shone throughout the war and the Holocaust. Yet, the more I thought about what I was reading, the more I realized that here was a graphic novel that had actually succeeded in getting the story across and that the illustrations were perfect for the subject matter.
Both Watts and Shoemaker have created a story that really manages to convey the fear, the tension, the unease of a refugee arriving in a country where she is not really welcomed by everyone, and even looked down on by some. No one takes into consideration how a 11 year old girl might feel having just left her family behind in a dangerous place, never knowing if she will see them again, knowing no one in the foreign country that she was sent to for safety and not really understanding the language that well. It's pretty daunting, when you think about it. And hopefully, this is a book that will get young readers thinking, particularly in a time when we are seeing refugees seeking a safe place only to have the welcome mat pulled out from under them.
I did discover that an earlier graphic novel was published some years ago that tells the first story in the Escape from Berlin trilogy called Goodbye, Marianne which I know is still available but I haven't read it yet. I did think that Seeking Refuge stands on its own, but I would like to read the first graphic novel someday.
The book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was purchased for my personal library
*In German, the final e has a soft uh sound, as in Emma
This review was originally posted at The Children's War
Seeking Refuge is the graphic form of the second book in the trilogy, which is called Remember Me, and picks up where Good-bye, Marianne leaves off. Marianne has just arrived in London, where she is sent to live with the very wealthy and very snobbish Mr. and Mrs. Abercrombie Jones. Mrs. Abercrombie Jones immediately changes her name to Marianne* to Mary Ann, gives her a small room in the servants quarters and has her helping out around the house. Luckily, Marianne is allowed to go to school where she makes a friend named Bridget O'Malley. But when the two girls come up with a plan to find a someone who will sponsor Marianne's mother so she can also leave Germany for England, Mrs. Abercrombie Jones finds out and puts a stop to it, angry that she has been humiliated in front of her friends. Once the war begins, however, Marianne is evacuated out of London with the rest of her school and away from the Mrs. Abercrombie Jones.
From London, Marianne finds herself in Wales, but has a hard time finding a family that wants her. Finally, she finds herself in the home of a couple who have recently lost their daughter and expect Marianne to take her place - almost literally. When that doesn't work out, she is taken to another place, where she is met with a wonderful surprise.
I am a big fan of graphic novels. They are very appealing to reluctant readers and can be used in classrooms to supplement social studies classes. They are fast to read and don't require the kind of time as would a novel. Of course, that means that the graphic novel has to be done well, since it must convey the same information as a novel using a combination of words and illustration.
For that reason, I was very apprehensive about recommending Seeking Refuge at first. Even though I had read the novel, I was a little lost. I think I was a little put off by the fact that the illustrations are done in shades of gray and white, and that there is absolutely no other colors throughout. Ironically, for years whenever I thought about Nazi Germany and WWII, I thought about it in shades of gray. as though the sun never shone throughout the war and the Holocaust. Yet, the more I thought about what I was reading, the more I realized that here was a graphic novel that had actually succeeded in getting the story across and that the illustrations were perfect for the subject matter.
Both Watts and Shoemaker have created a story that really manages to convey the fear, the tension, the unease of a refugee arriving in a country where she is not really welcomed by everyone, and even looked down on by some. No one takes into consideration how a 11 year old girl might feel having just left her family behind in a dangerous place, never knowing if she will see them again, knowing no one in the foreign country that she was sent to for safety and not really understanding the language that well. It's pretty daunting, when you think about it. And hopefully, this is a book that will get young readers thinking, particularly in a time when we are seeing refugees seeking a safe place only to have the welcome mat pulled out from under them.
I did discover that an earlier graphic novel was published some years ago that tells the first story in the Escape from Berlin trilogy called Goodbye, Marianne which I know is still available but I haven't read it yet. I did think that Seeking Refuge stands on its own, but I would like to read the first graphic novel someday.
The book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was purchased for my personal library
*In German, the final e has a soft uh sound, as in Emma
This review was originally posted at The Children's War
abiart's review against another edition
2.0
I found the art style confusing and it was hard to tell what was being said by who, the letters where hard to read, and there was little change between scenes so it was difficult to understand where the character was at times. I feel as if the messages and smaller details such as how her English and handwriting improves throughout the story where well crafted. Overall the novel was okay but confusing.
bookdragon_library's review against another edition
3.0
Illustrations have the feel of BW pencil sketches. It shows the different scenarios of families from one who is obviously condescending and prejudice against Jews, to one who sort of creepily wants her to replace their dead daughter. The ending resolution of being reunited with her mother was what I wanted to happen so I'm glad it did but it sort of came out of the blue. I think the book does a good job of showing the challenges of not speaking the langugae well in a new country and also shows the sometimes two=sided nature of those people who claim to be "helping" refugees. It isn't as violent as White Bird, probably because it actually is set in London, but still shows prejudice and some of the effects of Jewish persecution. A good addition for WW2 collections to add some variety of topics with Kindertransport and the Graphic Novel format. The only other book I've read on Kindertransport was Lifeboat 20 which I couldn't get through.
Notes: Jewish Austrian refugee during WW2 to London, Kindertransport. Eventually moved to Wales, England with a family. BW Graphic Novel, based on author's life, Adaptation of author's 2000 novel "Remember me"
Publisher: 2017 in US (2016 Canada) by Tradewind Books
Notes: Jewish Austrian refugee during WW2 to London, Kindertransport. Eventually moved to Wales, England with a family. BW Graphic Novel, based on author's life, Adaptation of author's 2000 novel "Remember me"
Publisher: 2017 in US (2016 Canada) by Tradewind Books
rjlee89's review against another edition
4.0
This broke my heart as I followed the story of Marianne. I actually don't remember ever studying/learning about the Kindertransport. It is SO incredible that such a program was created, and in some ways it almost reminded me of The Orphan Train. The similarities in that the youngest and "cutest" were favored, many were ill-treated, or the cultural ignorance/oversight. Marianne was bullied for being a German Jew (either called a spy or "Christ killer"), forced to eat pork (which is not Kosher), and forced to forget her family (which she refused). Fortunately, she found a good friend in both a peer and teachers, but still my heart ached for her.
ladykatka's review against another edition
3.0
This was a good story, especially if it is your first introduction to the Kindertransport during WWII. However, the pencil sketches made it incredibly difficult at times to know which little girl in the group was Marianne which made the reading far more frustrating that it should have been. The end was very sweet to the point of being a little unbelievable. It ended far differently for most children and I do not think that it should be covered that up with "happy endings" in storybooks.
samiwise's review against another edition
1.0
The illustrations were all so dark it was hard to follow.
jessicafulton's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0