Hana's Suitcase

February 1, 2016

Gr 5-8-The recipient of multiple honors, this moving title simultaneously shines a spotlight on the life of a young Holocaust victim and makes the process of exploring and unraveling history relevant and exciting. In 2000, after receiving an empty child's suitcase from a museum in Auschwitz labeled "Hana Brady, May 16, 1931, Orphan," Fumiko Ishioka, curator of a Holocaust museum in Tokyo, decided to track down Hana and discover what happened to her. Alternating between describing Hana's life in Czechoslovakia as the Nazis came to power and following Ishioka's process of learning about the girl's story, Levine creates tension and drama as readers slowly uncover Hana's fate. Bonus material includes notes from Levine, Ishioka, and Hana's brother, George Brady; photographs from Hana's childhood and from Ishioka's and Levine's travels and visits; and memories from those who knew Hana and her family.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 3, 2003
Levine expands on her radio documentary, produced for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, for this unique approach to learning about the Holocaust. The author alternates between two chronicles, the first set in contemporary Tokyo, where a dozen children between the ages of eight and 18 form a club at a center for Holocaust education run by Fumiko Ishioka, and the other in 1930s Czechoslovakia, where young Hana Brady is enjoying a happy childhood. Fumiko obtains for the club some children's artifacts from Auschwitz, including a suitcase marked with Hana's name. She then attempts to find out everything she can about Hana. Levine cross-cuts to the tragedies that befall Hana and her brother, but does not let readers anguish; she interposes exciting accounts of Fumiko's detective work and the sense of accomplishment it brings to the club. The engrossing account of Fumiko's research offsets the author's flat prose and occasionally questionable methodology (e.g., the construction of pivotal conversations between 13-year-old Hana and a friend who, like Hana, was killed upon arrival in Auschwitz). In an introduction, Levine promises that the suitcase contains "terrible sadness and great joy." That "joy"—apparently the impact of Fumiko's research, which culminates in her discovery of Hana's brother in Toronto—may strike some as disproportionate to the circumstances, but it also reflects the club members' commitment to "building peace." Their commitment lends credence to the optimistic message passed along to the audience—that an awareness of the past can impact the future. Ages 10-13.

July 1, 2016
This account alternates the story of a Jewish girl who died at Auschwitz with that of a contemporary Japanese museum curator determined to commemorate her. Liberally illustrated with documentary photos, the text makes an attempt (with limited success) to bear witness and to tell a good story. A solid introduction for middle graders, this edition includes an activity list and an updated bibliography. Websites.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)