Product Description

A Life in Hiding

When the German army occupied Holland, Annie de Leeuw was eight years old. Because she was Jewish, the occupation put her in grave danger-she knew that to stay alive she would have to hide. Fortunately, a Gentile family, the Oostervelds, offered to help. For two years they hid Annie and her sister, Sini, in the cramped upstairs room of their farmhouse.

Most people thought the war wouldn't last long. But for Annie and Sini -- separated from their family and confined to one tiny room -- the war seemed to go on forever.

In the part of the marketplace where flowers had been sold twice a week-tulips in the spring, roses in the summer-stood German tanks and German soldiers. Annie de Leeuw was eight years old in 1940 when the Germans attacked Holland and marched into the town of Winterswijk where she lived. Annie was ten when, because she was Jewish and in great danger of being cap-tured by the invaders, she and her sister Sini had to leave their father, mother, and older sister Rachel to go into hiding in the upstairs room of a remote farmhouse.
Johanna de Leeuw Reiss has written a remarkably fresh and moving account of her own experiences as a young girl during World War II. Like many adults she was innocent of the German plans for Jews, and she might have gone to a labor camp as scores of families did. "It won't be for long and the Germans have told us we'll be treated well," those families said. "What can happen?" They did not know, and they could not imagine.... But millions of Jews found out.
Mrs. Reiss's picture of the Oosterveld family with whom she lived, and of Annie and Sini, reflects a deep spirit of optimism, a faith in the ingenuity, backbone, and even humor with which ordinary human beings meet extraordinary challenges. In the steady, matter-of-fact, day-by-day courage they all showed lies a profound strength that transcends the horrors of the long and frightening war. Here is a memorable book, one that will be read and reread for years to come.

1973 Newbery Honor Book
Notable Children's Books of 1971–1975 (ALA)
Best Books of 1972 (SLJ)
Outstanding Children's Books of 1972 (NYT)
1973 Jane Addams Award Honor Book
Children's Books of 1972 (Library of Congress)
The Buxtehude Bulla Prize 1976 (German Award for Outstanding Children's Book Promoting Peace)
1972 Jewish Book Council Children's Book Award

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #71022 in Books
• Published on: 1990-10-30
• Released on: 1990-10-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780064403702
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
In this Newbery Honor book, Reiss writes a stirring, fictionalized account of her own experiences as a Jewish girl during World War II. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"In this fine autobiographical novel, Johanna Reiss depicts the trials of her Dutch-Jewish family during World War II. . . . The youngest of three daughters tells how she and her sister hid for more than two years in the upstairs room of the peasant Oosterveld family. . . . Offers believable characterizations of unremarkable people who survived, if not thrived, and displayed an adaptability and generosity probably beyond their own expectations." -- SLJ.

From the Publisher
In this teachers guide, you will receive easy to use, inspiring lessons plans. The legwork is done for you! The guide incorporates essential reading, writing and thinking practice.(This is NOT the actual novel.)

Customer Reviews

You'll Be Hooked Too.........
This book is about 2 girls, Annie and Sini de Leeuw. Because they are Jewish and live in Holland they have to go into hiding from the Germans during World War II. If they don't they will be taken to a concentration camp and be killed.
Both of the girls leave their parents and older sister to go to safety with the Hannicks. Mr Hannick is known for helping Jews get to different home to hide in. When someone sees Mr Hannick helping a Jewish family to another home, it becomes unsafe for the girls so they have to go somewhere else.
They end up going to the Oosterveld's. The girls end up living in an upstairs room of the farmhouse. During the day they must quietly stay upstairs in their room and never go near the windows. In the evening, after dinner,the girls come down to listen to the radio.
Mr.Oosterveld's makes a special hiding place so if the soldiers come to check the house the girls won't be caught. Do the soldiers come? Do they get caught? What happens to Sini , Annie and the Oosterveld's? Do Annie and Sini ever get to see their parents and sister again? You must read the book to see for yourself what the answers are.
. So many exciting things happen throughout the book that I couldn't put it down and I bet you won't either. It's not another boring war book. It's hard to believe that it is based on fact. I can't wait to read the sequel - The Journey Back...........This book is a five star read

The Upstairs Room
In class I was assigned to read The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss. The story takes place during the Holocaust in the city of Usselo, Holland. The main character is Annie. She is a small girl with dark hair. She has two sisters and her mother gets very sick. I have also read the book Parallel Journeys by Eleanor Ayer, with quotes from Alfons Heck, a German soldier, and Helen Waterford, a Jew. Both Parallel Journeys and The Upstairs Room are about the Holocaust and what it was like to be a Jew. I feel that the message of The Upstiars Room was to treat all people equal. During the Holocaust, Hitler hated the Jews and was killing them. The Jews had to hide so that they would not be killed, but if they were found, they would be sent to work or extermination camps. Hitler established the Hitler Youth in which there were ranks. If you got to the top of the ranks, you would then be moved to the German army. I think The Upstairs Room is an excellent book. It was very exciting. It made me imagine myself as Annie. I think Johanna Reiss did a good job telling the story as Annie. I would recommend this book to girls from grades six and up because there was some language inappropriate for young childrenand some boys that read The Upstairs Room told me that it was a girl's book. I hope this book review helps you decide if you want to read The Upstairs Room.

you have to read this!!!
This book was fabulous! It's definately one of the best Holocaust books out there. It has great character development and a very suspenseful plot. Also the first person perspective tells the story in a whole new way. The book is about a Jewish family, the deLeeuws, from holland, who tries to go into hiding. While the germans are throwing people out of their homes, Annie who is six and her older sister Sini hide. at the same time their mother is terribly sick and their other sister Rachel stays to take care of her. Later in the book Annie and Sini hide in the Oostervelds, a simple Gentile farming family. the story unfolds into a wonderful relationship between the deLeeuws and the Oostervelds. this book is a must! Read it and learn what some people will do to save a life. I couldent put it down and i'm sure you wont either.