Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I grabbed Catherine’s War off of the shelf while browsing the JGN (presumably Junior Graphic Novel?) section at the library; my older girls love graphic novels and I love history, so it seemed like a perfect fit. (I didn’t realize at the time that it started out as a novel–in French–before the author was approached about adapting it into a graphic novel. I looked to see if our library had the original, but no such luck. I don’t even know for sure if it’s translated into English or not.) I finished it last night and did enjoy it, although it felt–brief. The main character moves around from one refuge to another to escape detection by the Nazis, and each new place seems so very temporary. (Which, of course, it was.) It’s actually (loosely) based on the author’s mother’s wartime experiences as a hidden child during World War II, which made it more interesting for me. I learned a few things about occupied France and its zones that I hadn’t known, and I found the photography angle interesting. It’s a quick read, thereby creating less of the mood of fear and waiting and danger that I associate with Jewish WWII narratives, but that very fact might make it a good bridge to some of the meatier options out there.

Wow, this review feels choppy. I’m blaming it on my still being sick.

Anyway. This is a worthwhile (if easier) read, and I’m looking forward to passing it on to my girlies. Let me know what you think!