A True Story of Outwitting the Nazis
Written by Susan Hood with Greg Dawson
The world almost missed out on this true and amazing account of 14-year-old Zhanna Arshanskaya and her 12-year-old sister, Frina, who somehow managed to outwit the Jews and survive during the Holocaust, right in plain sight of the Nazis. The sisters held their story in secrecy for many years until Zhanna’s granddaughter asked what life was like for her when she was her age, and Zhanna finally felt ready to share the unbelievable account of how she and her sister escaped the extermination of the Jews. The story is heartwrenching and triumphant, and I highly recommend every library have a copy. The book is written in verse as a tribute to the music that was a crucial part in saving the girls’ lives. The author does a tremendous job poetically sharing their story.
Reviewed by Denise Aguilar, Media Clerk, Farnsworth Elementary School Library
Review shared in February 2022
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4-12
Alias Anna: A True Story of Outwitting the Nazis
Written by Susan Hood with Greg Dawson
Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
339 pages
Release Date: March 22, 2022
ISBN: 9780063083899
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
