The three books in this series are the merriest Holocaust books I have ever read. That is because the author has a great sense of humor and he and his mother are "characters." She is gorgeous, resourceful, and knows how to use her looks and sex to get her and her son to safety. In addition, the author himself was a weird little guy who had strange ideas about God and religion, couldn't relate to other children and formed conclusions about situations that were quite bizarre (both the situations and his conclusions!) After escaping over the Carpathian Mountains into Hungary (Book 1), eight-year-old Yulian and his mother, Barbara, with courage, wit, and a large diamond ring, finally make it by boat to Brazil--where they have adventures--he with an older female refugee (Irenka), and she with a wealthy suitor whose Latin ardor clashes with her European upper-class values, but she really needs his money . . . So many romances and so much pretending! What a movie, maybe a musical, this would make. MWP

Jewish Book World; winter 2011