"A woman on the next bunk stared back at me.
At first, I looked away and ran a shaky hand
over my scalp. My blonde hair had been cropped
close so that lice would have less of a chance to
nest there. Why is she staring? What does she
want from me?"
It has already been four years of being moved from one prison camp to another for Francine and her Maman. Bergen-Belsen was the worst of them all. It smelled awful, and was teeming with rats and mice. Maman pulled Francine close, reminding her that they must always stay close together. Memories of the other camps flooded their minds.
Their first objective was to find a safe bunk. Being on the top meant it was harder for anyone to take their extra precious food or belongings. Maman worried constantly about Francine, and about Papa who was a prisoner somewhere. As they sat close to each other, Maman opened a paper bag to show Francine two pieces of chocolate. She promised she would keep them safe until the day when Francine really needed them.
" ... when you are so sad or weak
or have lost all hope, that's when
I'll give the chocolates to you."
All Francine wanted was that chocolate; it was hard to imagine there would come a day when she needed it even more that she did right then. Not knowing who to trust, Francine carefully looked around. That is when a bunkmate Helene introduced herself, doing her best to reassure the young girl that she would become accustomed to this new place and to help allay her fear.
Francine recognized that Helene was expecting a baby. The guards could not know. It was the second secret Francine was charged with keeping. Conditions in the camp remained horrendous as Francine watched poor Helene get weaker and weaker. Only then did she bring up the subject of the chocolates Maman was so carefully hiding. Francine knew that Helene needed them more than she did. Those chocolates would make a difference for Helene.
When her baby was born, the women protected them from discovery by the guards. The baby remained quiet and content at all times. Only when the camp was liberated by British soldiers, did she finally let the world hear her voice. What wonder comes from kindness in the worst of places!
The storytelling is real and honest; the illustrations focus on life in the prison camp with an emphasis on the emotions felt; and an afterword lets readers know the parts of the story that are true. Back matter includes further facts about Francine Christophe, and about the Bergen-Belsen prison camp.
No comments:
Post a Comment