Scholastic Canada - After the War

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Scholastic Canada
ISBN 0-590-12384-X
144 pages
Ages 12 and up

by Carol Matas

The unforgettable story of Ruth, a Jewish teenager who survives World War II and then embarks on a long and dangerous journey that leads her to a new land and a new life.


	After the War The Garden Cloning Miranda The Second Clone The Dark Clone Greater Than Angels In My Enemy's House Jesper Lisa More Minds Rebecca The War Within


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Excerpt from AFTER THE WAY
by Carol Matas

Miriam has half the papers that Saul had given us but Nate has the rest. We need papers, I tell myself. But the truth is I can't stand the thought of any Jew being tied up, made a prisoner. Not now.

They were rounding up Jews in the ghetto. Pulling them out of the houses, shooting them on the spot. I heard my cousins scream as they were taken away. They hadn't managed to hide in time. When we crawled out of hiding, little Rachel was tied to a chair with a rope. Her own socks were stuffed in her mouth by some guard and suffocated her.

I crawl through the grass which is quickly becoming wet with dew. It takes me a long time to get to the border post. Once there, I raise myself to my knees and peek around. Nate sits tied to his chair, but no one is watching him. I get up and run over to him. He grins when he sees me.

"There are some bottles in the hut," he says. "They've been drinking."

I nod, run in, find an empty bottle, break it on the ground, and begin to cut through his ropes, which are very thick. It takes me at least fifteen minutes of arduous, careful slicing until I finally break through. Once free he grabs my hand and shakes it, then forgets that and kisses me on the cheek.

From After the War. Copyright © 1994 by Carol Matas.

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"After the War is a book of brave and cunning people. I hope Carol writes more books as awesome as this one!!!!" Alex M., Age 11, Ontario, Rating: 10 "It was a really exciting book, and it was the kind of book that you never want to end! I love how Ruth turns around from bad and tries to help others." Leah K., Age 12, Ontario, Rating: 10 "This book is very interesting about how after the war it was still hard for the Jewish people to live." Erica S., Age 14, Newfoundland and Labrador, Rating: 10

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