On a historical level, the novel is based on the evacuation of over 10,000 Jewish children from the German Reich and the countries threatened by it between the end of November 1938 and 1 September 1939 to Britain, Belgium and Sweden et al. The children travelled to safety on trains and ships; most of them never saw their parents again and were often the only ones in their families to survive the Holocaust.
Zinser talks about some of these children and their families in the months and days immediately before their departure: from their being perfectly integrated into the social fabric to becoming pariahs. Of the hopes, hardships and betrayals. Of the not easy integration into British society, itself suffering from the war, which in some way, as Germans, discharged on them responsibilities that they obviously could not have. Of the people who had worked to bring them to safety and their fates.
An excellent book with a solid historical basis, and only a few naivety in the narration.

I think that this book had great insight to what went on with the children during World War II. It is a subject that it’s not really discussed very often. I like books that are realistic and when it came to defending himself with a yo-yo, I thought it took away from the validity of the writing. That is my only critique. Otherwise it was an excellent read and I would recommend it

"The Children's Train" by Jana Zinser
Release Date: 10.26.2015

After The Night of the Broken Glass in November, 1938, parents looked for ways to get their children out of Germany. When England opened their borders to Jewish children, the Kindertransport began moving Jewish children from Germany, to Holland, across the English Channel, to England. Ten thousand children made their way to England through the Kindertransport and never saw their parents again.

Eleven year old Peter loved playing the violin and his younger sister, Becca. His father fought in the World War I and owns a butcher shop. In 1933, he cannot slaughter animals through Jewish tradition. His father continued to butcher this way. Peter's mother was caring and kind. Their baby sister, Lily, completed their family.

Peter did not understand the hatred towards the Jewish people, ,especially since his father was a war hero. Peter began noticing that friends were now enemies, and his entire community was being treated unfairly and differently. They could not even continue attending school.

Parents began seeking ways to have their children taken from Germany somewhere safe. The Children's Train was organized and fully funded by volunteers and donors from England, and they moved as many children as they could out of Germany before the borders closed. Peter and Becca, as well as some of their classmates, were on the train.

Many others did not make it out of Germany. Peter and Becca were separated. Peter was taken in by a bitter and cruel farmer who made him work the fields. Becca lived with a better family but missed her family. This book focuses on the loved ones left behind and the atrocities they experienced while Peter grew up worrying about his loved ones. When Peter is old enough, he decided to return to Germany to join the Jewish Underground Resistance and search for his family.

This was a hard read. All of Holocaust reading is difficult, but this one really was hard. To see how an 11-year-old viewed the world and then saw how Berlin switched their feelings overnight, it just is difficult to fathom. This was a heartbreaking work of fiction, based on the lives of many brave individuals.


Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.

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There was a problem with my Kindle I was unaware of, and this book didn’t download, sorry. If you’d like to re-allow access to it, I can download now?

Many children’s lives were saved through emigration to other countries before, during or after WWII and there is often a sense that they therefore experienced a comparatively “good” outcome in what were exceptionally tragic and fearful circumstances. This book shines a light on the challenges which must come when a child is taken from their home and families, even when that is done to save their lives. Martin Gilbert’s insightful works touched on the aftermath of such upheaval in his studies of the Holocaust and the children who survived it. This book is a fictionalised exploration of different perspectives - those who stayed, those who left. The characters are so real that I was unsure whether they were based on real people and found myself trying to find out more about the author to aid my understanding.

I recently read the book "The Children's Train" written by Jana Zinser. It is a book that I have not been able to stop thinking about. The fact that there was a children's train and the circumstances behind it are terrible enough. But the children's and families stories that are described in the book were so heartbreaking and so realistic. The story of Eddie and his family, I will think about forever. there were many families featured in the book and how their lives were changed by the Kindertransport.

I'm soo glad I read this book and will definitely be praising it to friends of mine. The book was so well written that after I finished the book I wanted to delve into any information I could find about the children of the Kindertransport to see if I could find any other information about them. I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. 5 out of 5 stars!!!