Hana's Suitcase

A True Story

By: Karen Levine

Narrated by: Stephanie Wolfe

In March 2000, a suitcase arrived at a children's Holocaust education center in Tokyo, Japan. On the outside, in white paint, were these words: Hana Brady, May 16, 1931, and Waisenkind - the German word for orphan.

Children who saw the suitcase on display were full of questions. Who was Hana Brady? What happened to her? They wanted Fumiko Ishioka, the center's curator, to find the answers.

In a suspenseful journey, Fumiko searches for clues across Europe and North America. The mystery of the suitcase takes her back through 70 years, to a young Hana and her family, whose happy life in a small Czech town was turned upside down by the invasion of the Nazis

©2007 Karen Levine (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Skillfully, and with great sensitivity, Levine weaves together the two stories, alternating that of a young life shattered in increments and that of Fumiko Ishioka's relentless search for answers." ( The Globe and Mail)

Amazing

What an incredible true story this is! The Japanese museum director is inspiring in her determination to find out who Hana was.

Gut wrenching

Wow! I have read so many Holocaust memoirs and this does not disappoint . I cried at the end of the “afterward and a few words from the brother

Beautiful and inspiring

This story is written with such compassion and beauty. The Stephanie Wolfe captured the love, passion, and pain of the this true story so well.

Knowing all that Japans people went through during WWII it was inspiring to see this you woman seeking to understand all that happened to a young girl from Prague. I love that she would not let it go, not for her and not for the next generation that needs to know, remember, and hopefully never live to see it all repeated.

Blessings on Hannah’s family and the families of all those who have been touched by this journey.

Moving story

A moving story, very well done and very appropriate for young listeners. Hana’s legacy lives on. My only complaint about the presentation is the narrator’s attempt to do accents. That was totally unnecessary and did not contribute anything to the story. For me it was a distraction.

Important Story to Hear

This is a good way to learn about the tragedies of WWII. Some history, no matter how painful, must be shared again and again.