The Secret Buttons - Paperback

by Ellen M. Shapiro (Author), Caterina Baldi (Illustrator)

Anni Blum and her little sister Rosie depart alone from Nazi-occupied Austria with their dark, curly hair pulled back, disguised as 'Aryan' holiday travelers. On the train and boat to England, they knit and practice English, worried about what lies ahead. They arrive in a country deep in war preparations. Because the girls speak German, the local children accuse them of being Nazi spies. And that's just the beginning of the challenges they face. During the years of blackouts and bombings, they solve a very grown-up problem. Inspired by a memory shared by the author's mother, the book presents resourceful girls in hero roles - girls who deal with the dangers and difficulties all immigrants face when adjusting to a new culture and learning a new language.