Someone Named Eva by Joan Wolf

Imagine being pulled away from your family, friends, and the life you’ve always know. That is exactly what happened to Milada, and many other real life holocaust survivors during World War II Nazi Germany. In Joan Wolf’s novel, Someone Named Eva, this is exactly what happens to eleven year old Milada. During the middle of the night Nazi soldiers storm her house and take her and her family. Milada is then separated because of her blond hair and blue eyes, although she isn’t sure why this is of importance yet. She’s taken away and forced to learn the German language and Nazi beliefs and is even given a new name, Eva. For over three years, Milada (now Eva) struggles to remember her real name and life.

If you’re interested in the real life history of World War II and how it affected the real lives of so many people, then you will definitely find this book interesting. Fourth through eighth graders are the appropriate age to appreciate the story of Milada’s unbelievable determination and courage. Although the characters are fictitious, many of the facts and details about events and occurrences in World War II Nazi Germany are very true. This book, published by Houghton Mifflin in 2007, is eye opening to the cruelty of mankind, but the resilience of the human spirit. While reading this book, you will see and feel a tiny portion of what it must have felt like to live in Germany during this period of history. I couldn’t put this book down, and found the characters and story resonating with me for days after finishing it. Will Milada endure through her kidnapping? Will she escape and return home? Or ever be reunited with her family? You’ll have to read Someone Named Eva to find out!

Here's a book review of Someone Named Eva from School Library Journal.

Some questions and answers from Joan Wolf, about her novel, Someone Named Eva, can be found here, on Joan Wolf's website.