About the Book

In an ancient forest near their home, Ida and Sammy picked wild berries for breakfast and wild mushrooms for soup. But a terrible war was being waged throughout their land. Ida and Sammy and baby Ruthie were in great danger. In 1921, the children's mother and father decided they all must flee. Despite the risks of travel, they knew that their best hope for a new life lay far away in America.

This intensely personal yet universal story about the author's father Sammy and his family tells vividly of losses suffered and hopes that triumphed. With great variety, the pictures reflect a full range of changing emotions. Accurate in every detail, they portray the times in a way that gives readers the unforgettable sense of being present during the struggle, and witnessing one family's enduring spirit.