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Book Review of Hana's Suitcase on Stage

Hana's Suitcase on Stage
GeniusJen avatar reviewed on + 5322 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2


Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

HANA'S SUITCASE ON STAGE is the definitive version for those interested in reading this remarkable story for the first time. Containing both the original story, HANA'S SUITCASE, written by Karen Levine, and the play version by well-known playwright Emil Sher, this is a must-have for your keeper shelf.

HANA'S SUITCASE is the story (bestselling, I might add) of a suitcase that arrived at a children's Holocaust education center in Tokyo in March of 2000. Written in white paint on the outside of the suitcase was the name Hana Brady, the date of May 16, 1931, and the word Waisenkind, which is German for orphan.

Of course the children at the center immediately wondered who Hana was, where the suitcase came from, and who had sent it to them. It was up to the center's director, Fumiko Ishioka, to find the answers to those questions, and many more.

What follows is Mr. Ishioka's search, throughout Europe and North America, to find out any information he could about Hana Brady -- and that fateful suitcase.

In Emil Sher's play version, the story is the same, but brought vividly to life by his playwriting. Perfect either as a story to read or as inspiration for a school drama club, this is the play that you don't want to miss.

Kudos to such a great version: HANA'S SUITCASE ON STAGE is great!