With Just One Suitcase by Cheryl Koenig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Australia might not have a long history but the one it has is rich and filled with a patchwork of migrants who made this country the land of milk and honey it is. It’s why, a few centuries later, we still attract people to our shores. With Just One Suitcase is one of those stories that makes us a nation to be proud of.
Life is full of mysteries and Fate plays a massive part in the way our lives play out. Even more so for the two boys, Frici and Istvan – one Jewish, the other Catholic – and a war that destroyed dreams and innocence, yet gave strength and courage that ultimately built a nation.
With Just One Suitcase is an inspirational read that I believe should be in every school library as a tribute to those who made this country a great place to be.
With Just One Suitcase
Cheryl’s fourth book, ‘With Just One Suitcase’, is the true story of two boys, Frici & Istvan – one Jewish, one Catholic – living two kilometres but worlds apart in Timisoara, Romania, when WW2 shatters their innocence and their lives. Spanning two continents and three generations of two families whose lives unexpectedly intersect in their adopted country, this book beautifully captures the loss and dislocation wrought by war; and the struggles and challenges of starting anew in another country. ‘With Just One Suitcase’ is a tribute to the courage and resilience of two men who bear the scars of war, who faced and overcame adversity while never surrendering their optimism for the future. It is Cheryl’s homage to her father, Frici, and her father-in-law, Istvan; and her belief in the importance of history to understanding ourselves.
Small Town Fiction 