Finding Sophie

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

Seven-year-old Sophie is one of the last Jewish children to be evacuated
from Berlin before World War II begins. She is sponsored by a family
friend and goes to live with her in England. At the end of the war,
14-year-old Sophie learns that her mother was killed, but her father is
alive and presumably expects her to return to Germany to live with him.

Finding Sophie illustrates the impact that dislocation has on refugees,
particularly children. Sophie was one of the lucky ones—she went to a
good home. But over the years, she lost her connection with her
birthright—her German, the customs of her homeland, and her ties to
any remaining family. In the end she is faced with the dilemma of
returning to Germany or attempting to gain naturalization rights in
Britain. There is a compromise and a happy ending—rare under the
circumstances.

This is an interesting young-adult novel. Sophie is a sympathetic
character, and the reader can identify with her torn emotions and
divided loyalties. She is a typical teenager, with all the angst
associated with that stage of life. World War II Britain is accurately
portrayed and there are no incongruous modern interpolations: modes of
speech, attitudes, customs, and activities conform to the period.
Finding Sophie is a fine novel both for its content and for its slant on
a fascinating period of history. Recommended.