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Ordering Books for The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss
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About the Book The Upstairs Room
The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss is an autobiographical novel that recounts the author’s experiences as a young Jewish girl during World War II. The story begins in Winterswijk, Holland, in 1938, where six-year-old Annie lives with her family. As the war progresses, the de Leeuws face increasing persecution, and notices appear limiting Jewish citizens’ rights. In October 1941, they move to an unfinished house outside town, and soon after, Jewish men are taken to labor camps. The family’s neighbor’s son is taken and never returns.
The narrative provides a stark look at the suffering of Jews in Holland during the occupation. Annie’s father builds a house outside the town, hoping for safety, but the threat looms large as the Germans gather Jewish men for labor camps, and their neighbor’s son is taken away, never to be heard from again. The de Leeuws eventually go into hiding in October 1942, after being warned of transportation to a work camp. Annie, now ten, and Sini, twenty, find shelter with the Hannink family in Usselo. Their sister Rachel joins a family forty miles away, and their father hides near Rotterdam.
After two months with the Hanninks, Annie and Sini move to the Oostervelds’ farmhouse in Usselo, where they remain for the duration of the war. The Oostervelds, despite the constant fear for their own lives, promise to hide them. The sisters endure many terrifying moments, especially when cramped in a hiding place behind shelves in an upstairs closet.
The book, which has received numerous awards including the Newbery Honor, the Jane Addams Peace Association Honor, and the Jewish Book Council Juvenile Book Award, is a testament to human resilience and compassion. It explores themes concerning the loss of childhood innocence, the sacrifices made during wartime, and the importance of family bonds.
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