Module 2: Picture Book #6

A.   Author	Ruth Vander Zee
B.    Title	Erika’s Story
C.    Illustrator	Roberto Innocenti
D.   Readability Score	Grades 3 and up
E.    Genre	Picture Book
F.    Subgenre	Historical Nonfiction
G.   Theme	Holocaust
H.   Primary and Secondary Characters	Primary: Erika Secondary: Couple traveling
I.      Awards/Date of Publication	Awards: EKLA Children’s Book Award 2006, 2004 Award of Excellence for Book-Communication Arts, English 4-11 Awards for the Best Children’s Illustrated Books in 2004 in Great Britain, Best Foreign Picture Book of 2004 in Japan Published: August 31, 2003
J.     Publishing Company	Creative Editions
K.   ISBN Number	1-56846-176-3
L.    Summary	The author tells of an encounter with a woman named Erika while studying abroad with her husband.  As the couple talks with Erika they hear of her experience during the Holocaust.  Erika was just a baby during the majority of the Holocaust, but she tries to imagine what her mother must have felt as she gave Erika a better life.  Erika was thrown from a train as her mother and father were on the way to a death camp.  An bystander took her in and gave her a name, birthdate, and a loving family.  Erika owes everything to her mother’s brave decision to give her life. The illustrator uses vivid, detailed pictures and puts the reader in the story.
M.  Picture of Book Cover
N.   Usage with students	This book would be a great edition to any lesson teaching about the Holocaust.  The illustrations could be used for a writing activity, and the students could write about what they predict is happening.