2014 Silver Nautilus Book Award for Middle Grade Fiction
2015 New Mexico/Arizona Book Award Historical Fiction
On the first day of war, September 1, 1939, 12-year-old Werner Berlinger receives a ship s ticket and passport precious items for a Jew in Germany at that time. Leaving his family and traveling alone, Werner has one goal:...get a foothold in America. A place to live, a safe home. That s what Father had said then he and his sister would follow. He d promised Werner. That dimly burning ember of hope lit the boy s path...
Along the way, Werner meets a charming, mischievous fellow refugee Anika, faces bullies and anti-Semitism, and makes new friends, all while caring for his new Mutti, Esther. In Werner s struggle to find a safe home in the U.S.A., he travels across the city from Second Avenue to Central Park to Harlem and back again.
Forced Journey, The Saga of Werner Berlinger... is not only an interesting read but there were many times in the story when I felt that what happened to Werner was what happened to me. - Henry Frankel, President, One Thousand Children
