A deeply moving story about hope and friendship in one of the darkest times in history. Eitan and his best friend Rivka live in a place where children laugh, dogs bark, and neighbours chat. But no one can leave, and once you go through the gates, you never come back… This story takes place in Vilnius in Lithuania – but it could have happened anywhere in Europe during World War II, when Jews were forced into ghettos and suffered greatly in the hands of the Nazis.
Conveying the horrors of the Holocaust in a sensitive but powerful way, Marius Marcinkevicius’s tale tells the story of two children who experience the horror of separation and Nazi persecution, only to find each other again thanks to a pebble, which becomes a symbol of endurance and survival. Inga Dagile’s illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to this story about true friendship, fear – and hope.
'The illustrations are striking and the prose is sombre and poetic' - Storytime 'Sombre and affecting ... A poignant allegory about the Holocaust' - Kirkus Reviews
'The creators don’t mitigate the sadness of this sprawling story, but they do challenge readers to consider something equally profound: the blessings and obligations of memory' - Publishers Weekly
Author
About Marius Marcinkevicius
Marius Marcinkevicius is a children’s book writer, poet, doctor, traveller and father. He is the author of several books, including the award-winning Sivuzas. Inga Dagile is a designer and illustrator of children’s books, including Istorijos kanestai.
