Malka

Mirjam Pressler's 'Malka' is a powerful and deeply moving historical fiction novel set during the Holocaust. It tells the story of Malka, a seven-year-old Jewish girl, who is tragically separated from her mother and older sister during a perilous escape attempt from Poland to Hungary in 1943. Left behind in a ghetto due to illness, Malka must navigate a terrifying world of strangers, starvation, and the constant threat of Nazi roundups. The narrative also follows her mother's frantic, desperate search for her lost daughter, highlighting the unbreakable bond of family amidst unimaginable hardship. This book offers a gritty, raw, and poignant look at survival, resilience, and the enduring human spirit, making it an essential read for young adults aged 12-18 to understand this dark period of history.

When the roundups start, Malka's mother knows she must get her daughters-seven- year-old Malka and sixteen-year-old Minna-across the Hungarian border to safety, a place where they hope Jews can live in peace. But escape proves harder than they could have imagined, with bleeding feet, bad weather, and homesickness, and little Malka falls ill. Left behind to be brought across when the threat has passed, Malka finds herself in a terrifying world full of strangers, starvation, and constant fear of Nazi roundups. As time passes, it becomes more and more apparent that the threat is far from over. Completely alone, Malka struggles to stay hidden, unaware that miles away, a brokenhearted mother is searching frantically for her lost little girl.