Author(s): Kathy Kacer

9-12 Years Middle Readers

Lisa and Sol board the luxury ship St. Louis in Hamburg, Germany on May 13, 1939. They are Jewish, as are almost all of the 937 passengers on board, and although war has not been officially declared in Europe, the Nazis have been persecuting Jews for years. As they set sail for Cuba the atmosphere on the ship is optimistic, led by the German captain Gustave Schroeder, who is determined to see his passengers to safety. But as they learn that Hitler's propaganda has turned the country against them, the mood changes to despair. Denied entry from port after port the captain is forced to return his passengers to Europe and the Holocaust...