In September 1939, as German bombs fell on Warsaw, 4-year-old Yuri flees with his parents to Soviet-occupied Bialystok. Deemed enemies of the Soviet Union, they are sent to a labor camp in the freezing northern wilderness, only to be sent south to Turkestan in Central Asia when the Germans invade. How through luck, perseverance, his love of drawing, and his mothers storytelling Uri survives the hardship of war and anti-Semitism, eventually arriving in Paris as a teen, makes for an unforgettable, riveting autobiography of this award-winning author/artist. Your young readers will be captivated by this story of survival in the midst of war and depravation as they discover the power of story to lift us up and light our way. Illustrated with drawings by the author and a few surviving personal photos. Ages 8 and up. 336pp.

The first middle-grade book from a picture book mastera harrowing, heartrending, illustrated account of his childhood escape from the terrors of war.

From a beloved voice in childrens literature comes this landmark memoir of hope amid harrowing times and an engaging and unusual Holocaust-related story.With backlist sales of over 2.3 million copies, one of FSG BYRs most acclaimed picture-book creators details the eight-year odyssey of how he and his Jewish family escaped the terrors of the Nazis by fleeing Warsaw for the Soviet Union. It was during those years, with threats at every turn, that the young Uri experienced his awakening as an artist, an experience that played a key role during this difficult time. By turns dreamlike and nightmarish, this heavily illustrated account of determination, courage, family loyalty, and the luck of coincidence is a true publishing event.