Hedy's Journey is a middle grade story based on the life of a 16-year-old from Hungry. It takes place at the onset of World War Two.

This is what you might called a short and sweet story, but given the subject matter it really isn’t that sweet. But rather a story of a strong young teen fleeing her homeland as persecution of the Jews begins to spread far and wide.

Her journey is a story of inner strength and courage as part of Hedy's journey sees her traveling alone through German occupied areas before finally being reunited with her family. The struggle doesn’t end there as there is prejudices in America where they begin life a new.

The illustrations for this 40 page story are wonderful as are the maps to show her journey. It would make a great addition to classrooms and home libraries.

HEDY'S JOURNEY is a middle grade novel in which the title character was a real person who is approximately the same age as those reading this book.
Because of this, readers will be able to relate to Hedy and will be invested in seeing her succeed in her journey to escape the Nazi regime.

It is well written and interesting. I rate it as 4 out of 5 Stars

Hedy's inner strength and her courage are put to the test as she travels from her home in Hungary through Germany alone on her way to meet up with her family in Barcelona. As the family travels to America they suffer through trials and tribulations on the unpredictable journey to safety. This book shows the lengths people are willing to go to be safe when those in power don't agree with your religious beliefs.

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In Hedy’s Journey, Michelle Bisson tells the true life story of her mother’s flight from the Nazis and her home in Hungary in 1941.

Although Hungary was allied with the Axis powers, Germany and Italy, during the 1930s and early 1940s, Hungarian Jews were not rounded up and deported to concentrations camps until 1944, when Nazi Germany finally deposed the Prime Minister and occupied the country.

But that didn’t mean Hungary was a safe haven for Europe’s Jews. Far from it, as Hedy Engle learned when her cousin Marika, a Polish Jew who was visiting with Hedy’s family in Budapest, was ordered to report to the deportation office there in 1941. Sent to a concentration camp, Marika and her family were never heard from again. Hedy’s family knew that if the Nazi’s were going to round up Polish Jews in Hungary, it wouldn’t be long before they came for Hungarian Jews.

As if to emphasize their precarious position, in the summer of 1941, Hedy’s father, a successful jeweler, was sent to a labor camp. Luckily, he was released in three months. And that was when the family decided it was definitely time to leave Hungary. But even with visas to enter the United States in hand, only three train tickets could be found to take them to Lisbon, Portugal, and a ship across the Atlantic Ocean. It was decided that Hedy’s parents and younger brother Robert would be the first to leave Hungary, and Hedy would follow a week and a half later. Then, when they would reunited in Lisbon, they all would board a ship to America and freedom.

Imagine being a 16 year-old Jewish girl traveling alone through Nazi-occupied Austria. Hedy’s trip to Portugal was fraught with fear and caution. Although she didn’t look Jewish and most people treated her as though she weren’t, the sight of German soldiers in Vienna was still a frightening experience for the teenaged Hedy. When she finally arrived in Lisbon, her family breathed a sigh of relief. But then, Pearl Harbor was bombed, and the US entered World War II.

As if they hadn’t already dealt with enough challenges and setbacks, the Engle family now found themselves stranded in Portugal with worthless tickets for a ship that was not longer available. Eventually, the family does secure passage on a ship that comes with its own setbacks and challenges, but ultimately, the family arrived in New York harbor and freedom.

Hedy’s Journey is a true story about courage and daring in the face of fear. It is based on the memories that Hedy shared with her daughter, author Michelle Bisson. There are photographs of the family at the end of the book, along with information about what happen to the family after arriving in the U.S. Readers will also find a map of the journey the Engle family undertook, as well as a timeline of events.

Hedy’s Journey is an ideal book for introducing young readers to the Holocaust. It is done as an illustrated book. It is really in part graphic form, and in part a picture book for older readers. The story is told in narrative, though, rather than text bubbles. The illustrations are done in subtle sepia tones, giving it an old fashioned quality, with shades of gray, but Hedy’s clothes are highlighted in dusty pink.

The journey of Hedy and her family may not sound like a terribly dangerous or distressing flight from the Nazis if compared to other similar accounts, but it is wise to remember that for Jews every moment that they lived under this regime was dangerous. Fleeing held it own dangers, but for many like Hedy and her family, they thought it was worth the risk.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an EARC received from NetGalley

One of my favorite types of book is a picture book that tells a true story from history for young children. I'm very happy whenever I can find a good book like that that I haven't seen before. Hedy's Journey is my most recent find.
Hedy was a young girl when the Germans took over her country of Hungary. By 1941, her family knew they had to leave Hungary or they would be sent to labor camps in Germany. As Jews, there was nowhere in Europe that was really safe for them. Through the help of a relative in America, they were able to get visas to go to that land of freedom—but could only get three train tickets to Portugal, where they were to catch a ship across the Atlantic Ocean. With four people in the family, one would have to stay behind to catch a later train—could Hedy be brave enough for that?
As you read this story, you'll follow Hedy and her family across Europe, and then across the Atlantic Ocean. A lot of the story is sad; a trip like they were forced to make in order to survive is not easy. This is a true story, however, about real people.
I thought the pictures were well-done for this story. They are not quite black and white; there is a little color. However, they are somber, which fits the mood of the book perfectly. I also liked the maps here and there in the background of the illustrations. They were helpful in showing the family's progress.
If you have a child who tends to get worried easily, this book might be a bit much for him. On the other hand, the ending is happy, even though there were challenges all through the journey.
I received a free ecopy of this book from NetGalley, and chose to write a review.
WARNING: The concentration camps are mentioned on page 6, and someone who is being taken there knows she will die in them. On page 31 a toddler dies while playing.

I am only sorry I didn't get more out of life while I could. She understood that she was going to die. If the Nazis were coming for one Jew, it was only a matter of time before them for us all.


What a lovely account of the author's family in their escape from the Hungary. The illustrations will pierce your heart and their story will open your eyes to reality of the importance of equality for all. Equality meaning the pursuit of justice and the freedom of life and liberty. This book is geared for children 4th grade and up, however, as mom and a grandmother now, I would treasure this account with my own to instill in their own hearts the value of people.

The illustrations show maps of the escape and the difficulties making a simple journey. Their fears and their gratitude in their successful escape. I highly recommend.

A Special Thank You to Capstone Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

Hedy’s Journey reads simply but powerfully, recounting the intense journey a young girl makes alone across Europe to escape her Nazi-controlled homeland. The illustrations are beautiful and emotive. I felt like I experienced the fear and anxiety along with Hedy and her family as they struggled to complete their journey toward freedom.

This is a bit heavier than the likes of Number the Stars by Lois Lowry in terms of its transparency about the real terror Hedy’s family and other refugees faced and what might happen to them, but the author still carefully limits details and information to keep it appropriate for younger readers.

Hedy’s Journey would make a great addition to a classroom unit on the Holocaust for grades four through six, or a home library. I definitely recommend it.

Posted 8/09/17

Hedy was a Jewish girl living in Hungary in 1941. Her family was scared of the Nazi’s because her cousin was sent to a concentration camp. Her parents decided to take them to the United States. Hedy’s parents and brother made their way to Lisbon to get a ship to New York. Hedy had to wait for another train because there wasn’t enough room for her. Eventually they all made it onto the ship and began their long journey from Lisbon to New York City.

I really liked the illustrations in this book. The muted colours, in greys and browns, reflects the sad tone of the story.

This is a great story for young readers. I remember reading Hannah’s Suitcase when I was in elementary school, which taught me about the Holocaust. The World Wars aren’t taught very much to young kids these days, so this book would give them an idea of what happened then. Hedy’s family was one of the lucky ones, so the story is not as devastating as some stories set during that time.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* 'Hedy's Journey' is a beautiful, delicate picture book that would be suitable for students in upper primary to lower secondary. I am looking forward to this booking being published so that I can share it with some of my Middle School History classes. The book tells the true story of a young Jewish Hungarian girl, Hedy, who must make her way across Europe to flee the Holocaust. It is written by the protagonist's daughter, which really adds to the weight of the book. My favourite part of the book is the illustrations - they are just so beautiful and poignant and really add so much to the story. As a large part of the story is about Hedy's journey, the pages of the book are also spotted with maps showing where she travelled by train or boat. A sad story, but a delightful story and one that needs to be told.

While I like that this book tells the story from a Hungarian perspective, I didn't love it. This topic is generally taught between fifth and eighth grades. Considering this, I would appreciate greater strength in word choice, vocabulary, and depth of content that would be more appropriate to the age of the reader. The pictures are beautiful and I enjoyed the added text features.

This book is one I believe should be integral to children's curriculums and should be in every library.

Hedy and her family fear for their lives and must escape Hungary at all cost. Although this is a children's book, it was a bit of a thriller and the historical facts were not glossed over.

I loved the illustrations - they were just the right balance to what could have been a very sad story.

This is an excellent introduction to the Holocaust to use with young children. It conveys the fear and heartbreak that this family went through, but will not overwhelm a young audience. It is very well written. For such a short book, the historical details and the biographical details are very well balanced. Neither overwhelms the other.
The illustrations are perfect for the story. They caught the terror of Hedy’s journey, but also the simple joys and love of any family. I really appreciated the inclusion of the maps. It helped give more perspective to just how brave Hedy was.
I received this as a free ARC from NetGalley and Capstone Press.

This is an excellent addition to a Holocaust collection and deals with the lesser mentioned difficulties of escaping the Nazi clutches.

Great picture book about a Holocaust survivor. I will definitely share the title with teachers teaching about the Holocaust.

This is a wonderful book in all ways. Hedy's journey is unlike those that I have heard and read about in the past. There is so much uncertainly but she finds hope and strength from the love she has for her family. Hedy is amazingly brave.

There is a timeline in the back of the book explaining what was happening in the world alongside Hedy's. It really bring an extra light to her story and shows how hard her journey was and how close she was to death.

AND let's not forget the illustrations!!! They captured the emotions so well. They were simplistic but in a beautiful and captivating way.

I would recommend this book to everyone.

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Hedy's Journey: The True Story of a Hungarian Girl Fleeing the Holocaust
by Michelle Bisson
Capstone
Capstone Press
Children's Nonfiction , Middle Grade
Pub Date 01 Aug 2017

I am reviewing Hedy's Journey: The True Story of a Hungarian Girl Fleeing the Holocaust through Capstone Press and Netgalley:

This story is geared towards Middle Grade reader's. We learn of a young Jewish Women having to travel through Europe on her own in the Middle of World War Two during the time of Holocaust. She was Jewish and had to flee the Nazi's.

She talks about her cousin Marika being killed by the Nazi's in that time. That Summer her Forty Nine year old Father was forced to spend three months in a labor camp as a "waterboy" by the Hungarian Nazi officers.

The family was granted passports for America but they had to travel separately for risk of being found out. Hedy did not look Jewish so it was easier for her to travel alone.

‘We had all made it to a safe port in the storm of the Holocaust.’

Hedy’s Journey is the true story of a young Hungarian girl, Heddy, and her experience of trying to flee Hungary during World War II. This short yet effective picture book details Hedy and her family’s journey across Europe and into America during the early 1940’s, as they tried to escape Jewish persecution in Hungary. Although this would have been a terrifying experience no matter the circumstances, Hedy finds herself having to complete part of the journey alone, and experiencing setback after setback with her family – Bisson details the horrors of the war and trying to escape, alongside the hope of better times and goodness of those who helped Jews (amongst countless others) in a mere forty pages with skill.

This, I hope, will become a fantastic resource for young readers – the illustrations are simple yet evocative, easily transporting you into Hedy’s story, and the chunks of writing are ideal for emerging or reluctant readers as you are not overwhelmed with massive amounts of information. As well as telling a nail-biting tale, Hedy’s Journey is ultimately a factual account of the ordeals faced by European Jews, and the things they had to go through to survive – written, in this case, by Hedy’s daughter. I love that there is a timeline of the family’s journey, as well as pictures and the rest of Hedy’s story, at the end of the book, it somehow brings the whole story into perspective when you realise that Hedy and her family were travelling for nearly two years, and that so many other people were doing the same just to try and survive.