The Daughter of Auschwitz: The Girl Who Lived to Tell Her Story

In this powerful middle grade adaptation of the bestselling adult memoir of the same name, New York Times bestselling author Tova Friedman recounts her experiences as one of the youngest survivors of the Holocaust. A Sydney Taylor Notable Book!

At the tender age of five years old, Tola Grossman was sent to a Nazi labor camp. As World War II was breaking out around them, the only thing Tola and her parents were left with was the instinct to survive at all costs. Tola’s life became a series of miraculous close calls, from being saved from a gas chamber to successfully hiding from the Nazis as they were rounding people up.

In this evocative account of one young girl’s survival, Tova Friedman chronicles the atrocities she witnessed while at Auschwitz and, ultimately, the sources of hope and courage she and her family found to persist against all odds.

Based on her incredible true story, Tova’s account reveals:

• A Child’s View of the Holocaust: Experience the world of the ghetto and concentration camps through the eyes of five-year-old Tola, one of the youngest to live to tell her story.
• An Auschwitz Survivor Story: A powerful and honest account of witnessing the atrocities of Auschwitz and the miraculous close calls—including being saved from a gas chamber—that led to her survival.
• Resilience and Courage: Discover the profound sources of hope and courage Tova and her family found to persist against all odds, offering a testament to the strength of the human spirit.
• Essential World War II History: An accessible and necessary historical account for young readers, perfect for classrooms and families looking to understand this critical period.

“This Holocaust memoir is especially engaging and should resonate with middle-grade readers. Tola’s account is searing, straightforward, and compelling. This crucial testimony deserves a wide audience.” - Booklist

“In this young reader’s adaptation of Friedman’s 2022 memoir, the author makes her story more accessible for a younger audience without losing any of its heartbreaking impact. Ultimately, this is a call to action for readers to witness and understand the past so that they are better equipped to find current situations that trigger those same alarms, and then do whatever small measures that they can to be change agents.”   - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“As difficult as this account is to read, it is also one of great will and grit. Masterfully and beautifully written. Not to be missed, this is a first and important purchase for all libraries” - School Library Journal (starred review)

“While Friedman doesn’t shy away from the countless atrocities she witnessed, her writing is sensitively pitched to her young audience. A powerful adaptation, made accessible for young readers.”

- Kirkus Reviews