A jewish boy flees Germany during WWII and is blessed with eight blessings of kindness as he tries to find his new home.

3.25 ( )

A refugee seeking sanctuary from the horrors of Kristallnacht, Oskar arrives by ship in New York City with only a photograph and an address for an aunt he has never met. It is both the seventh day of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve, 1938. As Oskar walks the length of Manhattan, from the Battery to his new home in the north of the city, he passes experiences the city's many holiday sights, and encounters it various residents. Each offers Oskar a small act of kindness, welcoming him to the city and helping him on his way to a new life in the new world.

Young Oskar seeks refuge in New York City after the Night of Broken Glass in Europe. He experiences comfort through unexpected blessings during his search for his aunt’s home. Author’s Note. Glossary. Map

Lovely story and pictures! Great map of Manhattan in NYC circa 1938 at the end of the book that shows Oskar’s journey and the events/people he encounters along the way. There is a touching and informative author’s note at the end too. Great story for Hanukkah, and as a gentle introduction to the Holocaust, and even for Christmas too, for historical fiction NYC, and a wonderful story about perseverance and kindnesses and finding the good there is to be found. I followed along with Oskar as he goes down Broadway to his destination and found the story entrancing. It was a perfect book for me to read at this time of year, and brought back some memories of NYC too. Also, we need a story like this right now. Highly recommended as a story about a refugee/immigrant! ( )