Customer Reviews
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit - By: Sumption Keith John, 06 Jul 2008 
I absolutley loved it...I couldn't put it down. I'm really anxious to read the next 3in the series. if you like happy, exciting, sad, clever, & historical you'll LOVE it.I highly recommend it!
By the way I'm using my dad's account hence the name.
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6 months in Switzerland, 2 years in Paris and then london. - By: sceptical, 13 Feb 2008 I totaly adore this book! My mum bought this for me when I was nine (just like Anna), & I have totaly read it to pieces.
Max & Anna's father is a famous Jewish writer, but when the Nazis come into power they must leave everything & flee, first to a villagein Switzerland, then to Paris & finaly to London. All the time getting poorer & poorer.
One of the best parts is when she worries about not being able to become an auther because she hasn't had a diffecult enough chidhood!
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit - By: Julia Hartmann, 14 Nov 2007 Content: The book describes the changing life of Anna (9), her brother Max (12) & their parents. They livein Berlinin 1933 & the Nazis are on the verge of taking over.
Firstly they are a normal family, affluent, happy, they had a nanny & a scullery-maid - but the situation converts them into a refugee family. The father is a critical journalist who writes political articles for different magazines & is an adversary of the national socialists which keep an eye on him not just because of his articles but of the fact that he's Jewish. So the family goes to Switzerland just with a few things that they don't arouse suspicion. Anna can't take her pink rabbit with her, it has to stayin Berlin.
In Switzerland the children find new friends & go to school there. The problem is that their father can't find work due to the fact that nobody wants to publish his political texts. For want of money they move to France where they hope against hope to livein better conditions.
The author's intention: The book is about a little girl who can`t say good bye to her friendin Berlin - because nobody is allowed to know that her family travel to Switzerland - she has to leave all the things which mean something to her & she has to accustom to many new things. But she manages it all & doesn't give up when it comes to the crunch. That's what she shows to her parents & also to the reader.
She's just a little person who believesin herself & her family & she's confident that they manage everything. Sometimes her firm conviction seems a bit naive- but, I mean, that depends on her age.
Facts: When Hitler stole pink rabbit" takes place between 1933 & 1935, during the time of Hitler. Fundamentally the book, which was writtenin 1971 & comprises 240 pages, is autobiographical. Judith Kerr, daughter of the famous journalist & detractor Alfred Kerr, describes her own experiences. The story continuesin the books The other way round" (1975) & A small person far away" (1979) that's why it doesn't have a happy ending.
Impression while reading: Basically the book is exciting (family is persecuted) &in some places it is sad (uncle Julius & little dog Pumpel die) but I expected a little bit more from the title. The author just tells us twice about the title pink rabbit". So I think it stands for the good timein Germany.
My opinion: I think the book explains - suitably for children - the life of the refugee families at the time when Hitler took over & ordered to kill Jewish people, & all the consequences & historical events happening at that time. The story describes the destiny of many other families, although many didn't have the chance to go to other countries.
And so the reader,in my opinion especially children, learns that it's not important how you think about religion or where you are from because a person is a person. I think although the book is over 30 years old it's a classic & from my point of view it's still up to date & you can compare this book to the diary of Anne Frank.
Furthermore: In 1974 the book was awarded with the Deutsche Jugendliteraturpreis" as an outstanding children's book". In 1978 it was picturized (in German) under direction of Ilse Hofmann. The first broadcast was on 25th of December 1978, with Martin Benrath & Elisabeth Trissenaar as parents & Ariane Jessulat & Alexander Rosenberg as Anna & Max.
a wonderful read - By: jerseyporter, 02 Jan 2007 I first read this bookin the early 80s when I was about 12 - & then re-read it more times than I can count. The story made such an impact on me & I never forgot it. Now my daughter is 12 & she has just read it for the first time. Along with "The Diary of Anne Frank" & "The Boyin the Striped Pyjamas" this book should be required reading for everyone - whilst "While Hitler Stole the Pink Rabbit" might be classed as a "children's book" it is a child's story told through adult eyes. No one who reads it could be leftin any doubt that the events of which it speaks can be allowed to occur again.
An excellent novel that I could read over and over! - By: Sian Carrington, 07 Aug 2005 I had seen the book 'When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit' advertised before with its eye catching front cover of a little girl looking up. The Modern Classics front cover. I had never considered reading it but when I brought it to read on holiday & I began to read it, to my amazement couldn't leave it. An excellent story setin the 2nd World War about a young German girl of nine who is more concerned about her schoolwork than the talk of Hitler but everything then changes when she & her brother are to flee from Germany to find out that their father is wanted by the Nazis. Written by Judith Kerr who was German herself & had to leave Germanyin 1933 to escape the Nazi's, comes a fantastic novel loved by all who read it. In the story, the young girl Anna, her life is based on Judith's experiences. A great book that derserves to be read more than once!
