I've read some of the other books in this series and was interested to see how the author would handle the topic of World War II. She says herself that she wasn't sure it was a suitable subject for the grade level this series is meant for, but she received hundreds of letters from readers asking her to write about this time period. I believe that she has done a good job of conveying the dangers, fears, and conditions of the Nazi occupation of Europe without going into more detail than is age-appropriate.
By telling the story of Max and his sister Zena as Jewish children in Poland, the author shows the situation in the ghettos that Jews were forced to live in, the terror of soldiers coming to arrest people who were never seen again, the ban on radios and newspapers so there was no word from the outside world, the despair as neighbors turned on the families and destroyed their businesses and synagogues. But she also includes the partisan fighters hiding out in the Loda Forest and sabotaging Nazi supply trains and the common people (like the farmer who helped Max and Zena hide when they escaped the Nazis) who did what they could to help.
The extra information in the back about WWII, the Holocaust, and the partisan fighters is very helpful, and so is the timeline of events. The author also provides the URLs for some websites that have more facts. This would make a good novel study to accompany a unit on WWII, or just a good book for young readers who enjoy historical fiction.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley. The book is available on our current book fair and we will be adding it to the library after the fair. *It has been added as of 2/21/2014!