This teen Jewish French girl’s historical graphic novel is inspired by a true survival story. Rachel Cohen, whose passion is photography, lives at the Sevres Children’s Home outside Paris. As Hitler’s war escalates, she must go into hiding. She has to leave her friends, but she takes her camera as she is forced to move from location to location. The ink and watercolor illustrations capture beautifully the detail of the French setting. A map of Catherine’s journey through France is included, as well as photographs of the real Catherine, and an interview with the author. mjw |
Title: Catherine’s War
Author: Julia Billet
Illustrator: Claire Fauvel
Publisher: Harper Alley, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: French
Translator: Ivanka Hahnenberger
Original Title: La Guerre de Catherine
Original Publisher: Rue de Sevres, Paris
Original Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-291559-7
Paperback pages: 176
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Historical Fiction, Graphic Novel
Book setting: France
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: France
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: France
Awards: 2021 ALA Batchelder Honor Award
Subjects: Cameras, Coming of age, Holocaust, Nazis, Paris, Photographs, World War II |