This is a unique work. It is one of the first books written for young readers describing the early days of the event that has since come to be known as the Holocaust. Originally written in Yiddish in 1938, it is one of the most accomplished works of children's literature in this language. It is also the only book for young readers by Glatshteyn, a major American Yiddish poet, novelist, and essayist.
Written in the form of a suspense novel, "Emil and Karl" draws readers into the dilemmas faced by two young boys--one Jewish, the other not--when they suddenly find themselves without families or homes in Vienna on the eve of World War II. Because the book was written before World War II, and before the full revelations of the Third Reich's persecution of Jews and other civilians, it offers a fascinating look at life during this period and the moral challenges people faced under Nazism. It is also a taut, gripping, page-turner of the first order.

Reviews

Written in 1940, this novel set shortly after the Nazi invasion of Austria contains disturbing images of cruel persecution while conveying a powerful message about survival and loyalty. The story unfolds through the alternating points of view of two nine-year-old boys, Emil and Karl, whose friendship strengthens in the midst of adversity. After Emil's Jewish father is executed and Karl's socialist mother is arrested, the boys find themselves thrust into the streets of Vienna. They witness (and at times are victim to) tyranny carried out by soldiers and citizens. In one heartwrenching scene, Jews are forced to scrub a public square with their bare hands; in another, they are corralled in a park to be ridiculed by onlookers. Throughout the novel, the author conjures an aura of chaos, violence and fear. Yet he also pays tribute to the courageous individuals who stand up in the face of injustice and take enormous risks to protect defenseless children such as Emil and Karl as the Nazis began to gain in power, and when the scope of their plan is still largely rumored. Remaining steadfast to their beliefs and to each other until the day they are forced to part, the boys emerge as true heroes who refuse to be beaten down by a dangerous regime. Ages 9-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

"This important book...gives a chilling portrait of a world descending into madness as experienced by two innocent children. The excellent translation effectively conveys the helplessness of the characters."--"School Library Journal", Starred Review

"It's a clear, powerful novel that will bring today's readers very close to what it was like to be a child under Nazi occupation. . . . The fast-moving prose is stark and immediate. . . . The translation, sixty-five years after the novel's original publication, is nothing short of haunting."--"Booklist", Starred Review

"Like 'The Diary of Anne Frank, ' "Emil and Karl "will stir adults, as well as the book's intended audience."--"The New York Times"

""Emil and Karl" defies categorization. For a moment I feel as if I am in Vienna in 1940, that I am standing beside the author, watching the impossible unfold. I share his disbelief, his mute acceptance of a world turned upside down. The experience is more immediate than mere fiction, more memorable and more frightening."--Meg Rosoff, author of "How I Live Now"