Product Description

In March 2000, a suitcase arrived at a children's Holocaust education centre in Tokyo. It belonged to a orphan girl called Hana Brady. Everyone was desperate to discover the story of Hana - Who was she? What had happened to her? This is her true story.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #206429 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Rabbi Lionel Blue (BBC Radio)
"I have been deeply moved……….highly recommended"

Customer Reviews

For both children and adults

Hana's suitcase tells the story of Hana Brady and the suitcase with her name painted on it. One small piece of her life that she took with her on her final journey to the Gas Chambers of Auschwitz. Her story would remain untold if not for a Japanese Curator of a small Holocaust museum in Tokyo who after being sent the case to put on display, was compelled by her child students to try and find out what happened to the little girl who had owned the case originally.
Told in flashbacks, we learn about Hana Brady, her loving hard working parents and her older brother George, a middle class family living in Czechoslovakia who just happened to be Jewish. And because they were Jewish they were targeted by the Nazis, first the father was arrested, then the mother and finally the children were taken, and Hana who was then just 13 years old was killed upon her arrival at Auschwitz.
However her older brother George somehow survived the Holocaust and the determined museum curator tracked him down and George Brady, now a Canadian, was finally able to lay the memory of his little sister to rest.
In 2002 he went to Tokyo and met the curator and the many school children who saw in that simple piece of luggage the very essence of who his sister had been, Hana Brady, schoolgirl, artist, daughter, game player, sister, dreamer granddaughter and finally a victim of the Holocaust.
A moving book for all ages, short and simple, well worth a read.

A captivating book and not just for children
I was given this book by a friend because I am Jewish and she thought I might like it. To be quite honest, I wasn't thrilled to read it as fun reading for me is fiction where I can disappear while reading. But I did as it wasn't very long and I figured if I read a little a day, I could finish it in a few days. I was wrong...I read it in one sitting. I loved the book. I loved the fact that in Japan they are learning about the Holocaust and I loved how determined Ms. Ishioka was to find out more about the Holocaust, Hana in particular, and teach it to Japanese children. This was a very different book than Anne Frank, which is an exceptional book, but it was nice to read something which shows a different way of telling the story. I highly recommend this book.

Very touching
A suitcase belonging to a Hana Brady gets to the children's Holocaust education centre in Tokyo in the year 2000. It immediately propels students and teachers alike to find out more about this mysterious girl. Thanks to their invaluable work, they are able to retrace Hana's story. This book is the result of their search for the truth.

A clear, simple narrative delivers a vivid picture of what happened. It was touching to see the dedication and interest of the children and of Ms. Ishioka to find out as much information as possible with just a name to start with. Well done.

I believe that this book is also suitable to readers aged 12+.