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When The World Was Ours: A book about finding hope in the darkest of times
Liz Kessler
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Description for When The World Was Ours: A book about finding hope in the darkest of times
Paperback.
ONE MOMENT CAN CHANGE A LIFE FOREVER.
‘An exceptional read’ The Sunday Times
‘Vital glimmers of hope enlighten this profoundly poignant book’ Guardian
A powerful and heart-breaking novel about three childhood friends living during the Second World War whose fates are closely intertwined, even when their lives take very different courses. Inspired by a true story, this is the perfect read for fans of The Book Thief and Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl.
Vienna, 1936.
Elsa, Leo and Max have always been best friends, a special team of three. Then the Nazis come.
As a growing darkness descends around them, Leo and Elsa run for their lives, taking two very different paths across Europe. And Max, once their closest friend, now becomes the enemy as he is drawn into the Hitler Youth. Will the friends ever find their way back to each other? Will they want to?
Inspired by a true story, WHEN THE WORLD WAS OURS is an extraordinary novel that is as powerful as it is heartbreaking, and shows how the bonds of love, family and friendship allow glimmers of hope to flourish, even in the most hopeless of times.
Three friends. Two sides. One memory.
‘An exceptional read’ The Sunday Times
‘Vital glimmers of hope enlighten this profoundly poignant book’ Guardian
A powerful and heart-breaking novel about three childhood friends living during the Second World War whose fates are closely intertwined, even when their lives take very different courses. Inspired by a true story, this is the perfect read for fans of The Book Thief and Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl.
Vienna, 1936.
Elsa, Leo and Max have always been best friends, a special team of three. Then the Nazis come.
As a growing darkness descends around them, Leo and Elsa run for their lives, taking two very different paths across Europe. And Max, once their closest friend, now becomes the enemy as he is drawn into the Hitler Youth. Will the friends ever find their way back to each other? Will they want to?
Inspired by a true story, WHEN THE WORLD WAS OURS is an extraordinary novel that is as powerful as it is heartbreaking, and shows how the bonds of love, family and friendship allow glimmers of hope to flourish, even in the most hopeless of times.
Three friends. Two sides. One memory.
Product Details
Format
Paperback
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Simon & Schuster Ltd
Condition
New
Number of Pages
320
Place of Publication
London, United Kingdom
ISBN
9781471196812
SKU
9781471196812
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 2 to 4 working days
Ref
99-1
About Liz Kessler
Liz Kessler is the author of twenty-three books for children and young adults. Her books range from Early Readers to books for Young Adults and include the internationally best-selling series about half-mermaid Emily Windsnap. She has an MA in Novel Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University and has been a full-time author for the last twenty years. Her new novel, When the World Was Ours, was inspired by her father's childhood escape from the Nazis just before the second world war. Liz lives with her wife and their dog in rural Cheshire.
Reviews for When The World Was Ours: A book about finding hope in the darkest of times
When The World Was Ours is Liz's masterpiece . . . an instant classic
Anthony McGowan, winner of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal An exceptional read
The Sunday Times, Children's Book of the Week
A wonderful book, half tragedy, but told with such sheer, warm humanity that it leaves you with hope
Hilary McKay
author of The Skylarks' War
I haven't read a Holocaust book for children that's better
Charlotte Eyre
The Bookseller
When The World Was Ours is the most wonderful, terrible, powerful, important book I have read in years and years. It is so good, so real, so unflinching
Cathy Cassidy When The World Was Ours is an exceptionally powerful book based on Liz’s family’s extraordinary escape from Nazi occupied countries . . . a book I hope will be read and discussed by children everywhere
Francesca Simon An absolute masterpiece!
Keren David This is a tour de force, a book about friendship and what happens when hate is institutionalised, but most of all it's a book about love
Catherine Johnson Utterly, utterly gut-churningly brilliant. It's a superb piece of writing. It should win everything going
Tanya Landman This stunning book is going to make you rage, and cry, and yelp with joy, then cry and rage again. A genuine tour de force from Liz Kessler. I couldn’t put it down except to wipe away tears
Joanna Nadin This striking Holocaust story was a real passion project for Liz Kessler and it shows. Begins in Vienna in the 1930s, following the fortunes of three friends over the following years. Inevitable ugly crying at the end
Karen McCombie When The World Was Ours is a gut-wrenching story of friendship torn apart by war. I can’t recommend it highly enough
Anna Wilson An unstoppable read - compassionate, angry and uplifting all at once
Katherine Langrish I just finished When The World Was Ours and I'm in tears. I don't think I've ever read anything so powerful, shocking or moving. Such an important book - it truly deserves to fly
Emma Pass This book is completely engaging and will engross young (and older) readers . . . it will prove to be very important, and widely read and recommended
Linda Newbery The most powerful book about the Holocaust I've ever read . . . it is an utterly stunning, and important, read. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time, and would urge everyone to read it
Kerry Drewery Powerful, heartbreaking, thought-provoking and timely. This story of three friends will be etched in my mind for a very long time. What an incredible novel
Emma Perry Very moved by the new Liz Kessler novel . . . the story and the story behind it. I wish I was a Costa judge next year as well
John McLay Powerful, heart-wrenching
Leila Rasheed A powerful, sombre and moving account
The Financial Times
I read it in one sitting. It is heartbreakingly wonderful; a compelling book threaded through with hope that readers can grasp and take forward with them.
Patrice Lawrence
Anthony McGowan, winner of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal An exceptional read
The Sunday Times, Children's Book of the Week
A wonderful book, half tragedy, but told with such sheer, warm humanity that it leaves you with hope
Hilary McKay
author of The Skylarks' War
I haven't read a Holocaust book for children that's better
Charlotte Eyre
The Bookseller
When The World Was Ours is the most wonderful, terrible, powerful, important book I have read in years and years. It is so good, so real, so unflinching
Cathy Cassidy When The World Was Ours is an exceptionally powerful book based on Liz’s family’s extraordinary escape from Nazi occupied countries . . . a book I hope will be read and discussed by children everywhere
Francesca Simon An absolute masterpiece!
Keren David This is a tour de force, a book about friendship and what happens when hate is institutionalised, but most of all it's a book about love
Catherine Johnson Utterly, utterly gut-churningly brilliant. It's a superb piece of writing. It should win everything going
Tanya Landman This stunning book is going to make you rage, and cry, and yelp with joy, then cry and rage again. A genuine tour de force from Liz Kessler. I couldn’t put it down except to wipe away tears
Joanna Nadin This striking Holocaust story was a real passion project for Liz Kessler and it shows. Begins in Vienna in the 1930s, following the fortunes of three friends over the following years. Inevitable ugly crying at the end
Karen McCombie When The World Was Ours is a gut-wrenching story of friendship torn apart by war. I can’t recommend it highly enough
Anna Wilson An unstoppable read - compassionate, angry and uplifting all at once
Katherine Langrish I just finished When The World Was Ours and I'm in tears. I don't think I've ever read anything so powerful, shocking or moving. Such an important book - it truly deserves to fly
Emma Pass This book is completely engaging and will engross young (and older) readers . . . it will prove to be very important, and widely read and recommended
Linda Newbery The most powerful book about the Holocaust I've ever read . . . it is an utterly stunning, and important, read. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time, and would urge everyone to read it
Kerry Drewery Powerful, heartbreaking, thought-provoking and timely. This story of three friends will be etched in my mind for a very long time. What an incredible novel
Emma Perry Very moved by the new Liz Kessler novel . . . the story and the story behind it. I wish I was a Costa judge next year as well
John McLay Powerful, heart-wrenching
Leila Rasheed A powerful, sombre and moving account
The Financial Times
I read it in one sitting. It is heartbreakingly wonderful; a compelling book threaded through with hope that readers can grasp and take forward with them.
Patrice Lawrence