From international bestselling author Mario Escobar comes a story of escape, sacrifice, and hope amid the perils of the second World War.August 1942. Jacob and Moses Stein, two young Jewish brothers, are staying with their aunt in Paris amid the Nazi occupation. The boys’ parents, well-known German playwrights, have left the brothers in their aunt’s care until they can find safe harbor for their … find safe harbor for their family. But before the Steins can reunite, a great and terrifying roundup occurs. The French gendarmes, under Nazi order, arrest the boys and take them to the V lodrome d’Hiver–a massive, bleak structure in Paris where thousands of France’s Jews are being forcibly detained.
Jacob and Moses know they must flee in order to survive, but they only have a set of letters sent from the south of France to guide them to their parents. Danger lurks around every corner as the boys, with nothing but each other, trek across the occupied country. Along their remarkable journey, they meet strangers and brave souls who put themselves at risk to protect the children–some of whom pay the ultimate price for helping these young refugees of war.
This inspiring novel, now available for the first time in English, demonstrates the power of family and the endurance of the human spirit–even through the darkest moments of human history.
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I read a lot of WWII fiction and it is amazing how many different stories there are from that time period. This is a different look at the war in France seen by two young Jewish boys who are trying to get away from the people who want them dead while they try to find their parents. There was a juxtaposition between good and evil/light and dark and the pervading question of which side was going to ultimately win.
Paris 1941. The parents of 11 year old Jacob and 8 year old Moses have left Paris to try to find a safe place for the family leaving them in the care of an aunt. The French gendarmes, under Nazi order, arrest the boys and take them to the Vélodrome d’Hiver—a massive, bleak structure in Paris where thousands of France’s Jews are being forcibly detained. The boys know that they must escape if they have any hope of finding their parents but all they have is one letter with their parents address to guide them. Their journey out of France is fraught with danger and they are often close to being detained again. Along their journey, they meet strangers and brave souls who put themselves at risk to protect the them—some of whom are punished for trying to help them.
This well written novel is about one of the most dark times in the history of the world. What was amazing were all of the people who were willing to risk their lives to help these boys. Even in the dark, there was light to guide their way. It’s a story of family and love and a story of helping people who need help no matter how dangerous it is. I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy WWII historical fiction to get a different view of the war through the eyes of children.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
I love WWII stories, and when they have several heroes that makes them even better! Of course there is sadness that goes without saying but every time a milestone is reached you just want to stand up and cheer. I could go on and on how great this story is but I’m afraid I would put to many spoilers in the review. You really do need to get it and read it to find out who the heroes are! Thank you Mario for writing such a great book!
Every generation nurses the hope that the world will begin anew – Moses’ father, at the train station.
The author has written the most incredible story of survival during times when going with the flow would have been so much easier. It’s 1941 and young Jacob Stein and little brother Moses are left with a relative as the parents seek a way to escape war-torn Paris and hopefully the continent. Unexpectedly their world turns upside down, and the boys are left to survive on their own. What follows is the almost unbelievable story of perseverance against all odds.
I must admit, it was impossible to set this novel aside until I knew what the end result would be. Even though it is a fictional story, this testament to those who held out against tyranny and oppression is one not t0 be missed. Hope, courage and sacrifice were found in the least likely places and in the most unassuming people. It renewed my faith in mankind to read of such bold resistance to the evil around them.
This digital copy was received through NetGalley with no expectation of a positive review. However, it certainly made me consider my reaction, if tyranny was on my doorstep…
If you like World War II novels, you are likely going to love this one! I am impressed with the beauty of the writing, vivid imagery, and raw emotions that captured my attention and these beautiful elements exist in a translation.
This book begins with Jacob and Mose’s parents leaving on a train to find a safe place for all of them to live. The boys remain with their aunt in Paris because it is safer there for the children in the meanwhile.
I enjoyed reading about the harrowing journey Jacob and Moses went on after the French police rounded up all the Jews in Paris. Ordinary citizens of France hated the cruel treatment of the Jews by the weak French government and the Nazis but many were afraid to stand up for the Jews. Yet there were some who defied the government to help as many as possible.
I think that is what I really liked the most about Children of the Stars. It renewed my hope in the goodness of humanity.
The people Jacob and Moses met were from varying circumstances and religious opinions. An aetheist helped them a bit. Several priests, nuns, wealthy and poor people helped too.
I loved that it didn’t matter to most of these people that the boys held different religious views than they did. They still saw them as human beings in need of comfort. I like to believe we can still work together in society that way—loving each other because of our shared humanity and giving aid when needed despite differences.
Another WWII novel also extremely well written is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. While I enjoyed the beauty of his writing and his creativity, I was shocked by the occasional profanity in what is termed a children’s book. It has a somewhat dismal aura. I was pleasantly surprised to find no profanity in Children of the Stars and loved the vibe that whispers of hope even in horrifying circumstances.
The importance of being together as a family over issues of security and wealth were shown throughout this novel. The boys had several opportunities to receive a safe new home with people to take care of them. But they needed their parents. That is a fundamental need I believe.
Do get Children of the Stars. This is a classic!
I received a free advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions are completely my own.
I enjoyed this amazing heart wrenching story of brotherhood, family, hope and resilience in the midst of the horrors and perils of the second World War.
It is the summer of 1942 when brothers Jacob and Moses Stein are with their aunt in Paris during the Nazi occupation. Their parents in Germany are famous playwrights who are trying to reunite the family. The children end up forcible detained at the Vélodrome d’Hiver. They escaped the harrowing conditions of that place and returns to their aunts apartment but she is no longer there. With only a postmarked letter with an address for the south of France, the boys’ determination and strength are tested as they struggle to survive through their journey.
The story of their ordeal through their journey in hopes of reconciling with their parents was both intense and also inspiring to see how people will go to lengths of helping others.
This was a powerful read that tests the human spirit through the darkest of times. This novel truly inspired me and brought hope in this must read, heart warming story.
What a touching story about two young boys during the Nazi invasion. This saga is full of survival, love, loss, sacrifice, fear, and bravery. While I might question the ability of two boys to travel from Paris to Argentina, the story is still amazing. There were people along the way who were willing to resist the evil Hitler spread during his reign to help these young boys to find their parents.
I love books based during WWII and having read “Auschwitz Lullaby” by the author, I knew this would be a well-researched and heartbreaking book. Though the two boys, Jacob and Moses, are fictional characters, many of the characters and the situations described throughout the pages are based on fact.
The relationship between the brothers was precious. And the connection they shared with so many people was touching.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I was honored to have an opportunity to read such an amazing book!
I feel like we’ve come to a point where it’s very hard to write a story about WWII that hadn’t already been told. Escobar’s book turned out to be a unique surprise for me, because it was exactly that: a WWII story I hadn’t already heard. A story of two young boys making their way through war-torn and Nazi-filled countries in a desperate attempt to reunite themselves with their parents.
As I always say, I’m a huge fan of character-driven novels, and stories about families and sibling relationships. So I especially appreciated the bond between Jacob and Moses. Their dedication to each other, and to finding their parents, was both heartwarming and heartbreaking (WWII). There were plenty of instances, both good and not so good, when I was reading with my heart in my throat.
I have to admit to being surprised at how hopeful and inspirational this story was. There were so many nuggets of wisdom peppered throughout the story, life lessons important for everyone to hear. Normally I approach a WWII story expecting to be in a near constant state of anxiety as I make my way through the story, but that wasn’t what happened here. It was a refreshing experience.
One other aspect worth mentioning: this is a translation from the original Spanish, and it read flawlessly. I’ve read some less than stellar translations, and this was not one of them. I didn’t even realize it had been translated until after I’d read it.
A favorite quote: “Though the world is full of injustice, don’t ever give up hope. There’s a lush valley behind every new mountain.”
Children of the Stars is a historical fiction novel set in France during World War II. This touching story chronicles the twenty-eight month long journey of two young Jewish brothers Jacob and Moses Stein as they escape from confinement in war-besieged Paris and travel across German-occupied France to Spain and finally to Argentina in search of their parents who have left them in Paris with an elderly aunt to go seek a safer place to live.
The plot in this compelling adventure flows at a fitting pace twisting and turning with hope then disappointment. The author skillfully blends real-life historical characters and events into the fictional plot. The characters are well developed, but at times their escapes did not seem plausible; however, that’s ok because after all this is a fictional account!
This story of perseverance and survival evokes a myriad of emotions—fear, anger, sympathy, sadness, outrage, joy, hope, and thankfulness to name a few. The World War II Era is not my favorite setting, and I was hesitant to read this book even with all the positive comments from Christian authors who I follow; however, I am glad I read it!
This book captured and kept my interest from the beginning. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and rich figurative imagery, and I especially enjoyed the segment of the story set in Le Chambon-sur-Ligon (quoting the author) “…where a village of men and women set their faces against the horror and showed that, armed with the Spirit, the noblest hearts are capable of overcoming and that the shadows of evil will finally be dispelled until light invades everything once more—for a new generation to believe it can change the world, or at least try.” I highly recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Steins never give up
“I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This is a story of two Jewish brothers Jacob and Moses Stein. It is a book of fiction but it is based on. True events and stories of the Jewish in France during the occupation by the German Nazi’s.
The brothers are living with their aunt in Paris when they are caught in a roundup by the Nazi’s and taken to a large auditorium to be held for shipment to labor camps. The boys escape but as they return home they are rescued by a neighbor that tells them their aunt jumped out a window to her death rather than be captured. Now they must travel thousands of miles across France to find their parents.
The story written is about their journey. The people they meet along the way. Those that help them and the close escapes they have from those that wish to capture them. They meet so many people that risked their lives to help the Jewish boys. such as those at Le-Chambon-sur-Lignon with Pastor Andre and his wife Magda. So many people helped showing that not everyone had hate in their hearts. In this horrible historical time there were compassionate and loving people. The boys were brave and they never gave up trying to find their parents.
This was a great read, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
Thanks to Mario Escobar, Thomas Nelson Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of this book.
I received a free electronic copy of the ARC of this historical novel from Netgalley, Mario Escobar, and Thomas Nelson Publisher. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am adding Mario Escobar to my favorite authors. He writes a brisk, compelling tale with factual historical backgrounds and sympathetic protagonists.
And Children of the Stars is an excellent WWII historical. We begin with a prolog dating back to May 23, 1941, when Jewish German immigrant parents Eleazar and Jana Stein, actors by profession, take a train from Paris to seek a safe new home for their family further south. Paris has become dangerous and non-French Jews are being returned to German workhouses. Their children, brothers Jacob and Moses are left in Paris with their Aunt Judith, the older widowed sister of Eleazar and a long-time resident of Paris who took in her brother and family six years ago when they had to flee from Germany. Judith is not registered as Jewish and the boys should be safe with her in Paris until Eleazar and Jana can establish a safer home and send for them. Their ultimate destination would eventually be in South America.
Paris, in the spring of 1942, basic supplies and foods are exhausted, scooped up by German soldiers, and even those French residents with ration cards and ready cash can find little to eat. By the summer of 1942, Paris was under direct German rule and on July 6, 1942, French police officers began a mass arrest of 13,152 Jews, whom they held at the Winter Velodrome before deportation to Auschwitz. Thousands of Jewish families, including native French Jews, were imprisoned there for days without food, water, medical assistance, or hope. Many were ill from the unrelieved heat and dehydration. All were enveloped in fear. The Stein boys were turned into the police by the doorwoman of Aunt Judith’s apartment on day one while Judith was at work. They did not know if Judith was entrapped as well but were not able to find her in the Velodrome. Jacob, twelve years old, Moses, eight, team up with a youngster about Jacob’s age named Joseph, also looking for family members in the crowded Velodrome. They managed to find their way into the basement area, and eventually, following the sound of water flowing in the sewer pipes, they were small enough to escape back under the streets of Paris and eventually to the apartment house of their Aunt. Finding no sign of Judith, the boys go with Joseph to his home. Joseph discovers that his family is interred at Drancy, and he chooses to join them there. First, they return to Judith’s apartment, gathering necessities that will fit in their backpacks along with letters from their parents and their own passports. And find out from Margot, their downstairs neighbor, and friend, that their Aunt Judith had committed suicide, jumping from the roof of the apartment complex. Judith knew what happened to her father, taken to Dachau in 1937. She couldn’t live knowing the German’s had captured her nephews.
On their own, Jacob and Moses accompany Joseph as close as they can safely get to the gates of the internment camp and watch as he is reunited with his parents behind the gates of Drancy before making their way to the Gare de Lyon train station, and slipping onto the train without being stopped. In Versailles, they will be met by Margot’s friend Raoul Leduc, an art restorer who is allowed to travel freely, who will help them get to their parent’s last letter’s address. Their next reunion destination will be a tiny town, Place de la Liberte, Valence, France, south of Lyon in unoccupied France. Or so they hope.
And thus begins their journey to find their parents. With common sense and luck, the help of strangers and the French resistance and the Catholic church, the boys work their way across France, missing their parents by weeks and then days. This is an excellent story. It will give you hope and break your heart in turn, but it is a story of courage and human goodness and will fill your heart with joy, as well.
Of the many stories that have ever been told, or that will be told, stories of World War II and all the atrocities associated are some of the most important ever. The reign of terror that Hitler and his Nazis inflicted upon millions of innocent men, women, and children should never be taken for granted or be forgotten. Children of the Stars by Mario Escobar is one such novel that tells the harrowing story of Jacob and his brother Moses who together embark on the wildest odyssey across occupied France during the 1940s in search of their parents. This novel is filled with twists and turns, and just when you think the boys are on the right track heartbreak and disappointment ensue. Children of the Stars is an adventure story I won’t soon forget.
While there is a lot of action in this novel, I struggled with this story. I found the pacing to be incredibly slow. In fact, this book took me ten days to read. Yes, ten days! I’ve been struggling to figure out why I had such a difficult time reading this story, and I really think it boils down to one thing — believability. I do not for one second believe that an 11-year old and an 8-year old are capable of doing half the stuff Jacob and Moses do in Children of the Stars. And, their internal monologues seem that of men, not scared, little boys. For example, at one point Jacob, who is 11, makes this astute observation: Valence was more like the country his parents had fallen in love with and where they had hoped to make a fresh start and which, since the arrival of the Nazis with their threats and lies, had become gray and prosaic, like an endless, monotonous silent film. I’m sorry, but show me an 11-year old who can make this observation and use prosaic and monotonous correctly in a sentence. Perhaps French kids in the 1940s who had been abandoned by their parents and who were actively escaping the Nazis did think and speak at such an advanced level, but I just couldn’t buy it. The intense fear from trying to constantly be two steps ahead of the Nazis alone would make even the smartest 11-year old think and react as a child naturally would. Don’t get me wrong. I know kids can rise above and often take on adult-like roles when they shouldn’t have to, but in this novel, it is just TOO much and so unbelievable.
I did appreciate the many timely themes that Escobar presents. There is a lot to mentally chew on. My most favorite food-for-thought came when two French police arrive at a woman’s house to search it for hidden Jews. The homeowner offers the two men coffee, and in a fit of guilt, one of the police officers tells the woman, “Don’t think it’s easy for us to go after innocent people. Most of them are children, or mothers and elderly folk. It breaks our hearts to arrest them, but it’s our duty.” The woman tells this man, “We must always act according to our conscience, no matter our occupation.” I love this response! I would like to believe that if I were in the cop’s shoes I would have done something noble like create an underground resistance and thwart the Nazis at every turn. I’m not cool enough to be that fearless and smart under such scary circumstances, but I pray that in a situation like this I would choose to do what honors God more than what honors men.
While I did appreciate the many thought-provoking themes and wise tidbits that occur often in this novel, the unbelievability of Jacob’s and Moses’s characters made Children of the Stars a novel I could set down. In the end, I just could not suspend my disbelief enough to accept that an 11-year old and an 8-year old could traverse all of France and Spain escaping Nazis with little experience, know-how, or resources. Even in 1942, kids were kids.
I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I love World War II stories. From the heroes who populate the pages to the horrific standards of mistreatment to the characters.I can’t imagine trying to survive in those times. I can’t imagine standing up for what is right like that generation did. I admire them so much. I read Mario Escobar’s first English published novel, The Auschwitz Lullaby, and enjoyed it, but I can’t really say that for Children of the Stars. On the cover, there is two boys running away from something. Well that sums up the whole plot. They run for point A to B, C, D . . . and all the way to the last two percent in the novel. Yes, it was horrible some of the conditions they faced. Yes, brave people risked their lives for their safety, but when I finished the novel, I sighed in happiness that the novel was over. It wasn’t what I usually want in a World War II novel. It was kind of dry. Didn’t really thrill me. The characters are young boys, so they don’t transform by the end of the novel. Maybe later in life, they will change because of all the horrible things that occurred to them because of the Nazi’s, but not in their young mind frame. If readers enjoy World War II, they might completely enjoy this novel, but it didn’t hit the spot for me.
I received a complimentary copy of Children of the Stars by Mario Escobar from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions are all my own.
Children of the Stars is a harrowing tale of two Jewish boys’ desperate escape from Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Mario Escobar weaves the true story of the people who lived in a secluded mountain town in France named Le Chambon-Sur-Lignon into his fictional tale when the boys arrive in the village looking for refuge. The brave men and women of this rural town risked their lives to save the people marked for destruction by the Nazi regime.
Children of the Stars was both a beautiful and terrifying story. Knowing the brutality and hatred that fueled the Nazi’s goal of eliminating the Jewish people, it was difficult to read about two young boys who were without protection or guidance from family or friends. They seemed so young, lost and vulnerable. The daily peril Jacob and Moses encountered on their journey kept me turning pages and reading one more chapter despite the dread I had at knowing the truth about the horrors they might face.
One of the reasons I love historical fiction is I like to learn about parts of history that may otherwise remain a mystery. And while I knew there were people who opposed the Nazis and fought to keep as many Jews safe as possible, I did not know about the brave community of Le Chambon-Sur-Lignon. Reading the sermons from the pastors there, and seeing the sacrifices people were willing to stand up against such evil was a beautiful tribute to the good in humanity and the heart Christ gives us.
This goodness was a common theme in the book as Jacob and Moses traveled day after day. There were plenty of ‘bad’ people along their path. There was definitely evil closing in on all sides, but they managed to find the good in people, too–the love shared between others simply because we have the same heart beating inside each of us.
The shifting point of view distracted me at first, but I quickly became accustomed to it, and it allowed the author to give us more insight into how people from different walks of life viewed the destruction happening all around them.
If you are a fan of historical fiction, especially WWII fiction, you will enjoy the unique tale of this book. I have read several fictional WWII books as well as several non-fiction books by survivors of the Holocaust, and I’d never come across a story like this. The historical details the author gives before and after the story are interesting as well. You can tell the sacrifice and bravery of the people of Le Chambon-Sur-Lignon laid heavy on the author’s heart, and I’m glad he shared their story with all of us.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own.
This story takes place in Europe during the Holocaust, and the horrific time of hate. The author has us focus on the lives of two young boys, left with their aunt in France. The hope the parents had when they left their boys didn’t turn into reality, and things go wrong very fast.
The courage these youngsters show as they try to flee France and go to Spain to find their folks, and we walk in their shoes as this horrible journey begins and ends as they span continents.
As a parent I would have had a hard time leaving my children, sometimes hard decisions are made, but are they the right ones?
I did love the title and made a connection between the horrible yellow stars and the vastness of God’s universe and the night sky fun of stars.
Don’t miss the author’s notes at the end, yes, these are fictional characters, but there were real children that had this happen to them!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.
This beautiful story has all the feels! It broke my heart to read about families broken apart and children left all alone in a world of evil. But the book shines with the brightness of kindness. Jacob and Moses go through many adventures and some struggles in trying to be reunited with their parents and meet beautiful people along the way!
This book is the first I’ve read by Mario Escobar and I was truly impressed. The story was very riveting and completely held my attention. I knew the story was about Jewish Children during WWII but that was the extent before reading this.
The story revolves around two young boys. Both were very well depicted and you felt like you knew them. There were several other characters in the book that you got to know to some degree. You never felt like you didn’t know enough about them but you didn’t feel overwhelmed with useless information either.
The story flowed very well and kept me wanting more. It is a clean story, no sexual content, and no foul words. The editing was also well done. I give this book a 5 out of 5 star rating and would recommend this to my friends.