“The trunk is down there,” she said, throwing open a door to reveal a narrow flight of stairs. “Bring it up into the kitchen where we can see better. It is heavy, and it will take all three of you to carry it.”
Holding the candle high, Hans led Jacob and Gretchen down into the cellar. A huge trunk sat along in one corner. As Hans set the candle down, the door at the top of the stairs suddenly slammed shut, and all three heard the ominous sound of a heavy bolt being thrown.
Escape to Liechtenstein by Ed Dunlop kicks off The Young Refugees series, following three kids as they escape the Nazi regime. Aimed at middle-grade readers, this story delivers both adventure and faith-strengthening themes.
Table of Contents
Plot
Hans and Gretchen have had no easy time with the Nazis. Their father was forced into the army and their mother was killed in an air raid, leaving them alone to fend for themselves.
When they discover a young Jewish fugitive named Jacob hiding in their barn, they’re more than happy to risk life and limb to help him across the border to Liechtenstein, a tiny country near Switzerland. And what a risk it will turn out to be.
With seemingly all of the Third Reich hot on their trail, the three kids barely stay ahead of their pursuers. Who can they trust? Nazi sympathizers are everywhere.
Full of twists, traitors, and plenty of suspense to go around, Escape to Liechtenstein will keep readers’ eyes glued to the pages.
Characters
Hans is determined and loving toward his sister, as well as full of faith in God. He’s the encourager of the group, always assuring that God will guide them and protect them from the relentless pursuit. But even he becomes scared at times, and his faith is tested in new ways through their journey.
Since witnessing the death of her mother, nine-year-old Gretchen has been overflowing with hate for the Nazis. And now that they’re trying to kill Gretchen, Hans, and Jacob, she has even more reason to despise them. Hans reminds her of the Bible’s teaching on hate, but she insists she is perfectly just in her actions.
Jacob is creative and loyal, but he is zealous about his Jewish faith and nearly comes to blows with Hans over it. He believes the siblings are blaspheming God as they pray to Jesus. But it seems God is working on his heart—will he finally accept the truth?
Theme & Content Warnings
This book touches on a couple of themes, including forgiveness and salvation. Gretchen must learn to lay aside her hatred. Hans has his faith strengthened by the obvious hand of God in their escape. Jacob struggles against Christianity, loathe to abandon the faith he grew up with.
As it is meant for younger readers, the book has few things to bring up here. One awkward situation arises where a girl and a boy disguised as a girl to hide his identity are told to bathe together—they end up taking turns in the tub.
A Nazi accidentally steps on a land mine and gets blown up right in front of the kids. His wounds aren’t described in detail, but it mentions blood coming from them, and he dies shortly after. It serves to progress Gretchen’s character development forward.
One character crashes a car into a tree after being shot at. The implication is that he dies, but the characters don’t see him or any wounds he has.
Overall
Thought it was my second time through the book, I quite enjoyed it. It is definitely for a younger audience; it shows in the prose and simplicity of many things. The book recommends 9-12, and I would agree with that.
The characters, being from Austria, use many German words throughout the book (all defined in a glossary at the back). So readers might pick up a bit of a foreign language as well.
And as always, thanks for reading, and I’ll write you in the next one!
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