When The World Was Ours: A book about finding hope in the darkest of times

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De insteek van dit verhaal werd gevormd door de herinneringen van haar eigen vader en andere familieleden aan de Tweede Wereldoorlog. De waargebeurde feiten werden aangevuld met eigen ideeën. Waar de scheiding ligt tussen fictie en Non-fictie verteld de auteur zelf in een kort voorwoord, alsook wat ze wil bereiken met het schrijven van dit boek. Over the years, I’ve read and written about some truly outstanding books relating to Hitler, the Nazi movement, and the Hitler Youth movement. But WHEN THE WORLD WAS OURS moved me like nothing I’ve read before. It breaks my heart that the author Liz Kessler is a Brit, not an American, since it means this not-to-be-missed read is not eligible for the Newbery Medal. It’s that good--a powerful and impeccably-written story that I wholeheartedly recommend for 10-14 year-olds. When The World Was Ours is an exceptionally powerful book based on Liz's family's extraordinary escape from Nazi occupied countries . . . a book I hope will be read and discussed by children everywhere -- Francesca Simon Liz Kessler lives in rural Cheshire. She has worked as a teacher and journalist and has an MA in Creative Writing.

Inspired by a true story, WHEN THE WORLD WAS OURS is an extraordinary novel that is as powerful as it is heartbreaking, and shows how the bonds of love, family and friendship allow glimmers of hope to flourish, even in the most hopeless of times.

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When The World Was Ours is a gut-wrenching story of friendship torn apart by war. I can’t recommend it highly enough

Die unterschiedlichen Perspektiven werden von unterschiedlichen Sprecher:innen gesprochen, die ihre Sache allesamt ausserordentlich gut machen. Ausserdem hat dieser Wechsel der Erzähler:innen bei der Orientierung geholfen, aus wessen Sicht die Handlung gerade erzählt wird. Inspired by the true story of author Liz Kessler`s father’s escape from Nazi-occupied Europe, When The World Was Ours is an extraordinary novel which shows how the bonds of love, family and friendship allow glimmers of hope to flourish, even in the most hopeless of times. This book is completely engaging and will engross young (and older) readers . . . it will prove to be very important, and widely read and recommended Very moved by the new Liz Kessler novel . . . the story and the story behind it. I wish I was a Costa judge next year as well Some scenes were extremely painful to read, and the last few chapters had me weeping. Enjoyable is probably the incorrect word to use to describe this book, but this was so powerful.

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Leo must rely on the kindness of strangers to escape the rising threat to the Jewish people. Elsa, like Leo, is hated simply for being who she is. To be safe, she must run. While Max suddenly finds that he is the danger his friends are trying so desperately to escape as his father rises through the Nazi ranks. Despite the heartbreak and the horror, we witness moments of kindness, friendship and hope, chief of which is the act of generosity by the couple who provide an escape for Leo and his family. However, even in the darkest times, there is light in the form of a helping hand, the bond of friendship and a loving family and the memories of a former happiness and the hope that this will return. There is much humanity in this story to offer a balance to the cruelty. It is a book that prompts questions and discussion as we witness the change in the characters, especially the character of Max. How much is he a product of his upbringing, his need to fit in and be liked and his desire to please his father? Liz Kessler never excuses the behaviour but provides a way in which the reader can explore the importance of personal conscience and individual choices. By gaining access to each character’s perspective, this novel allows young readers to understand this period of history in a comprehendible way, while making sense of the motives behind people’s actions. Max, in particular, is a character who explores how so many ordinary people could have become a part of such a brutal regime.