Signs of Survival

I somehow heard of Signs of Survival: A Memoir of the Holocaust by Renee Hartman and Joshua M. Greene and got it from the library. The book description reads, "As Jews living in 1940s Czechoslovakia, Renee, Herta, and their parents were in immediate danger when the Holocaust came to their door. As the only hearing person in her family, Renee had to alert her parents and sister whenever the sound of Nazi boots approached their home so they could hide. But soon their parents were tragically taken away, and the two sisters went on the run, desperate to find a safe place to hide. Eventually they, too, would be captured and taken to the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen. Communicating in sign language and relying on each other for strength in the midst of illness, death, and starvation, Renee and Herta would have to fight to survive the darkest of times."

This was a great read. The accounts of Renee and Herta are from oral histories they recorded about their experiences in the Holocaust. Because of that format, it was different than a novel is written and so not quite as engaging, but it was a very quick read and a powerful story. It was also an approachable story that showed the horrors of the Holocaust without it being too much for children. I think my sensitive 11-year-old could handle this read just fine. Renee and Herta are pretty incredible people who endured so much, and I'm glad I read their story.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)