What if They Find us? is a wonderful book about two Jewish girls from Budapest who survive the Second World War in a convent in the centre of the city. It is a book about love and hope in an appalling situation and so is a book I can heartily recommend to 9-12 year olds.
What if They Find us? has a compelling plot and short chapters, so it should appeal to most children of this age. It was originally published in Canada under a different title but was subsequently republished in the UK as part of the My True Story series because it tells the story of Kathy Clark’s mother and aunt in fictional form. (And, by the way, “Clark” is the correct spelling of her surname: the extra “e” on the front cover is a mistake.)
There is a place for fiction about the horrors of war but the value of this book is that it draws our attention to the acts of generosity and heroism that also happened during those terrible years. That is why What if They Find Us? is a book that deserves a place on every family bookshelf.
Roy Peachey's Books 