In 1930, the Rosenthals were a bustling, happy family. Friedel and Gina were two of six children, their father a successful small businessman who managed three corner shops throughout Dusseldorf. Antisemitism was on the rise, however, and Hitler eventually came to power. The Rosenthals were systematically stripped of their businesses, property, possessions, and humanity. The 13-year-old twins, like other Jewish students, were forced to leave school. The story follows the girls as they experienced the agony of being torn from their family members, forced into degrading conditions in the Czestochowa ghetto, and ultimately hauled off to concentration camps. Dronfield explains the historical facts simply and directly, presenting painful truths and not minimizing the horrors of Nazi Germany. His well-drawn portrayal of Friedel and Gina is compelling; he shows them to be creative, brave, tenacious, and somehow, despite it all, hopeful. Readers will be engrossed by each turn of their tale, each new atrocity they somehow survive, and will cling desperately to the hope that the sisters get a chance at the beautiful lives they should have had all along. This is a historical page-turner with two remarkable, inspiring women at its center that deserves a place on library and classroom shelves.
