Lost in America

“Lost in America” is another poignant story of a thirteen years old Jewish girl, whose parents and younger sister died tragically during the Holocaust. As usual, the title attracted my attention and it did not occur to me then that “Lost in America” was set in the period of WWII.

Nicole is devastated after returning home one day to find her family taken away by the Gestapo. After that fateful day, the photo album, the charm bracelet and the old blue sweater are the only memories of her family members.

A strong-willed and optimistic child, she buries her emotions and goes into hiding until the war is over. After the war, she continues to stay on in her hometown, Aix-les-Bains, in hope that her family will return. But they never do. After the tragic news is broken to her, she decides to leave for America to begin a new life. By now, she is seventeen and once again, she is crippled. The fast-paced city bewilders her and she is totally lost and alone in America! Will Nicole eventually become a real American girl?

Although this is a fictional novel, the author bases on an account of her close friend, Fanny Krieger. Though I never understand how much suffering the protagonists (be they real or fictitious) have experienced, I admire their determination and how they overcome obstacles and emerge victorious in life. Last but not least, their stories remind me to count my blessings everyday, learn from the past, live in the present and hope for the future.

Author: Marilyn Sachs
Publisher: New Milford, Connecticut: Roaring Brook Press, 2005.
Call No.: Y English SAC
pp. 150