About the Book
Anni Blum and her little sister Rosie depart alone from Nazi-occupied Austria with their dark, curly hair pulled back, disguised as 'Aryan' holiday travelers. On the train and boat to England, they knit and practice English, worried about what lies ahead. They arrive in a country deep in war preparations. Because the girls speak German, the local children accuse them of being Nazi spies. And that's just the beginning of the challenges they face. During the years of blackouts and bombings, they solve a very grown-up problem. Inspired by a memory shared by the author's mother, the book presents resourceful girls in hero roles - girls who deal with the dangers and difficulties all immigrants face when adjusting to a new culture and learning a new language.
About the Author :
Born and raised in California and a graduate of UCLA's College of Fine Arts, Ellen M. Shapiro has headed a New York graphic communications firm for more than 20 years. She is the author of two books about the graphic design business, a suite of visual materials for teaching phonics, reading, writing and spelling, many short stories, and hundreds of magazine articles and online posts about visual culture around the world. The Secret Buttons is her first novel. She is the winner of prestigious design awards and has taught at leading design schools, including the "Designer as Author" MFA program at New York's School of Visual Arts. Caterina Baldi is one of Europe's leading illustrators of children's and young adult books. She holds a bachelor's degree in visual art from the Academy of Brera (Italy), including an Erasmus exchange at the University of Leeds (UK); a bachelor's in modern literature from the University of Milan, a master's in web and animation design from Anja Academy, Rome; and a master's in literary translation. Her short animation, "Le Train," has won many awards, including at the Bologna Children's Book Fair, as have her many book designs and illustrations, most recently "Tre Gatte nel Bidet," of which she is author and illustrator, published by Settenove.
Review :
"Is it possible to describe a novel that centers on a family's escape for Nazi horror as delightful? I can and I will. Ellen Shapiro's rhythmic writing and flowing graphic design, enriched by alluring illustrations, upend any cliché that this theme might all to mind. This marriage of word and image is intelligent and movingly engaging - from cover to cover."
Steven Heller, former art director, New York Times Book Review; co-chair emeritus. "Designer as Author" MFA program, School of Visual Arts, NYC
"This moving and timely story challenges traditional gender stereotypes of timid, needy girls. The Secret Buttons will inspire our children - and all of us - to be brave and resilient in the face of evil.
Roslyn Arlin Mickelson, Ph.D.
Chancellor's Professor, Professor of Sociology, Public Policy, and Gender & Women's Studies, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
"Brava! The world needs more books like this with girls in hero roles."
Joan Nelson
Middle school math teacher, cantorial soloist, community activist
"Marvelous! I couldn't put it down."
Shoshana Leis
Rabbi, Pleasantville Community Synagogue
"As a member of an immigrant family, I was touched to see how much Anni and Rosie's experiences in a new country mirrored my own."
Christopher Scardino
Technology consultant
"As a knitter, I love how integral knitting is to this book as Anni and Rosie make their way from Austria to England to America. Every knitter, crocheter, and quilter knows that these crafts help us stay calm in tense situations - and that we end up with something beautiful."
Susan Elkodsi, Rabbi, Malverne Jewish Center
"I love this book. My older brother lived this story in wartime England."
Nigel Holmes
Illustrator, author of 12 books including The Book of Everything: A Visual Guide to Travel and the World (Lonely Planet)
"My 12-year-old and I read this book together. We both learned so much about important corners of Jewish and European history - and about each other."
Ryan Merkin
Consultant in building science and environmental sustainability
"A warm, beautiful, and uplifting book for kids and adults."
Sharon Boorstin
Journalist and author of Let Us Eat Cake: Adventures in Food & Friendship (Harper-Collins)
"A fascinating journey through the hardships of life during WWII through the eyes of two courageous young girls from Vienna. Their determination to thrive teaches all of us lessons that remain invaluable to this day."
Sara Leone
Holocaust historian, editor, Duke University Press
"A gentle, superbly illustrated way for young people to learn about what others may have experienced during a not-so-long-ago period of history."
Laura Lilienthal
Learning Support teacher for 11- to 16-year-old students, Shaftesbury School, England
"Having taught history,
I appreciate the authenticity of the details: the settings, the clothing, the postage stamps, the food, even the birds outside the windows. Ellen began by telling a family story and made it so much more."
Phyllis Opochinsky
High school history teacher, Jewish studies lifelong learner
