A Life in Hiding — When the German army occupied Holland, Annie de Leeuw was eight years old. Because she was Jewish, the occupation put her in grave danger-she knew that to stay alive she would have to hide. Fortunately, a Gentile family, the Oostervelds, offered to help. For two years they hid Annie and her sister, Sini, in the cramped upstairs... more » room of their farmhouse.

Most people thought the war wouldn't last long. But for Annie and Sini -- separated from their family and confined to one tiny room -- the war seemed to go on forever.

In the part of the marketplace where flowers had been sold twice a week-tulips in the spring, roses in the summer-stood German tanks and German soldiers. Annie de Leeuw was eight years old in 1940 when the Germans attacked Holland and marched into the town of Winterswijk where she lived. Annie was ten when, because she was Jewish and in great danger of being cap-tured by the invaders, she and her sister Sini had to leave their father, mother, and older sister Rachel to go into hiding in the upstairs room of a remote farmhouse.

Johanna de Leeuw Reiss has written a remarkably fresh and moving account of her own experiences as a young girl during World War II. Like many adults she was innocent of the German plans for Jews, and she might have gone to a labor camp as scores of families did. "It won't be for long and the Germans have told us we'll be treated well," those families said. "What can happen?" They did not know, and they could not imagine.... But millions of Jews found out.

Mrs. Reiss's picture of the Oosterveld family with whom she lived, and of Annie and Sini, reflects a deep spirit of optimism, a faith in the ingenuity, backbone, and even humor with which ordinary human beings meet extraordinary challenges. In the steady, matter-of-fact, day-by-day courage they all showed lies a profound strength that transcends the horrors of the long and frightening war. Here is a memorable book, one that will be read and reread for years to come.

1973 Newbery Honor Book

Notable Children's Books of 1971?1975 (ALA)

Best Books of 1972 (SLJ)

Outstanding Children's Books of 1972 (NYT)

1973 Jane Addams Award Honor Book

Children's Books of 1972 (Library of Congress)

The Buxtehude Bulla Prize 1976 (German Award for Outstanding Children's Book Promoting Peace)

1972 Jewish Book Council Children's Book Award

ISBN-13: 9780064403702
ISBN-10: 006440370X
Publication Date: 10/30/1990
Pages: 208
Reading Level: Young Adult
Rating:

Currently 4.1/5 Stars.

4.1 stars, based on 12 ratings

Publisher: HarperTrophy
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

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Top Member Book Reviews

Currently 0/5 Stars.

Wendy R. (WMRod) reviewed The Upstairs Room on 1/15/2007 + 140 more book reviews

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

My daughter (age 15 when she read it) says this book is "really REALLY good." She highly recommends it!

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Currently 5/5 Stars.

LISA M. (LISACHERIE) - PA reviewed The Upstairs Room on 11/23/2009 + 7 more book reviews

I remember reading this book when I was about 8 years old. I am now 47 and can still say that this book is one of my favorites. I would highly recommend that our children read this book. It gives great insight into what the war was and how the people of the time sacrificed for each other.

Currently 2.5/5 Stars.

Judith L. (jlessl) reviewed The Upstairs Room on 9/8/2009 + 8 more book reviews

This book received numerous rewards and excellent reviews. I enjoyed it, but I would make one suggestion, I believe it is a book for very young readers. The narrative and wording is simple to the extreme. I guess I expected better and more engaging prose, similar to Anne Frank's diary.

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Genres:

Biographies & Memoirs >> Ethnic & National

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