Torn Thread
In 1943, in Poland, the life of 12 year old Eva takes a terrifying turn when her beloved sister is seized by the Nazis in a raid on the Jewish ghetto. In an effort to save both of his daughters, Papa sends Eva to join her sister in a Nazi labor camp, where the girls spin thread on treacherous machinery to make blankets for the German army. As she struggles amid ever-worsening dangers to save her life and that of her sick sister, Eva's world tears apart like the weak threads on her spinning machine.
In this riveting account based on a true story, two teenagers strive to create home and family for each other amidst inhumanity and chaos--sharing not only crusts of bread, but precious moments of love and laughter.
Reviews:
"In a noteworthy departure, Isaacs (Swamp Angel; Treehouse Tales) turns her considerable literary gifts to a painful subject -- her mother-in-law's experiences as a teenage prisoner of a Nazi camp -- and transforms it into a powerful work of fiction. Given its precise detail and sensitivity to unimaginable suffering, this gripping novel reads like the strongest of Holocaust memoirs."
-starred review, Publishers Weekly
"This story would be a meaningful addition to any unit on World War II and the Holocaust. Highly Recommended."
-starred review, The Book Report
Honors:
- IRA: Outstanding International Book, Notable Book for a Global Society, 2000
- American Library Association: Notable Book, Best Books for Young Adults, 2000
- National Jewish Book Award Finalist
- Booklist: Best of the Year -- Holocaust Literature for Youth, 2000
- New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, 2000
- Sydney Taylor Honor Book, Notable Book for Young Readers
- Pick of the lists, American Booksellers Association
- Smithsonian Notable Book for Children
- Children's Literature Choice Book
- Children's Book Council Notable Book in Social Studies
- Stared Reviews: Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, The Book Report
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