
Reach for this book when your child is grappling with the complexity of what makes a family, or when they are navigating a difficult transition between two different homes or caregivers. While set against the backdrop of the Holocaust, the heart of this true story is about the deep, sometimes confusing bonds children form with those who protect them during a crisis. Lore's journey from her biological parents to a kind farm family and back again validates the very real pain of saying goodbye, even when you are going to a place where you are loved. It is an essential choice for parents looking to discuss big historical themes through a personal, child centered lens. The somber watercolor illustrations provide a gentle, reflective atmosphere for these heavy topics, making it suitable for children ages six to ten.
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Sign in to write a reviewThe constant underlying threat of being discovered by Nazi soldiers.
Context of the Holocaust and the persecution of Jewish people.
The book addresses the Holocaust, religious persecution, and family separation. The approach is direct but age-appropriate, focusing on the child's internal experience rather than graphic historical violence. The resolution is realistic and bittersweet: Lore reunites with her parents, but the emotional scars of the transition are acknowledged.
A child aged 7 to 9 who is interested in history or someone experiencing 'kinship care' or foster situations who needs to see the validity of loving two families at once.
Parents should be prepared for the final pages where Lore cries because she does not want to leave the farm. It is helpful to emphasize that her biological parents loved her enough to keep her safe by sending her away. A parent might choose this after hearing their child express confusion about why they have to leave a beloved teacher, grandparent, or friend, or if the child asks, 'Why do people hate others for being different?'
Younger children (6-7) will focus on the farm animals and the sadness of saying goodbye. Older children (9-10) will grasp the historical stakes and the injustice of the Nazi occupation.
Unlike many Holocaust stories that end at liberation, this book uniquely focuses on the 'second trauma' of reunification and the complicated loyalty a child feels toward their rescuers.
Lore Baer is a four year old Jewish girl in the Netherlands who must go into hiding to escape the Nazis. She is taken to a farm owned by the Schoutens, a Christian family. Over several years, she becomes 'Gertrud Schouten,' bonding deeply with her foster family and their rural life. When the war ends and her biological parents return, Lore faces the traumatic reality of leaving the only home she truly remembers to rejoin a family that feels like strangers.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.