Preview
  • Hana's Suitcase

  • A True Story
  • By: Karen Levine
  • Narrated by: Stephanie Wolfe
  • Length: 2 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (368 ratings)

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Hana's Suitcase

By: Karen Levine
Narrated by: Stephanie Wolfe
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Publisher's summary

In March 2000, a suitcase arrived at a children's Holocaust education center in Tokyo, Japan. On the outside, in white paint, were these words: Hana Brady, May 16, 1931, and Waisenkind - the German word for orphan.

Children who saw the suitcase on display were full of questions. Who was Hana Brady? What happened to her? They wanted Fumiko Ishioka, the center's curator, to find the answers.

In a suspenseful journey, Fumiko searches for clues across Europe and North America. The mystery of the suitcase takes her back through 70 years, to a young Hana and her family, whose happy life in a small Czech town was turned upside down by the invasion of the Nazis

©2007 Karen Levine (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
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Critic reviews

"Skillfully, and with great sensitivity, Levine weaves together the two stories, alternating that of a young life shattered in increments and that of Fumiko Ishioka's relentless search for answers." ( The Globe and Mail)

What listeners say about Hana's Suitcase

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Moving story

A moving story, very well done and very appropriate for young listeners. Hana’s legacy lives on. My only complaint about the presentation is the narrator’s attempt to do accents. That was totally unnecessary and did not contribute anything to the story. For me it was a distraction.

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Beautiful and inspiring

This story is written with such compassion and beauty. The Stephanie Wolfe captured the love, passion, and pain of the this true story so well.

Knowing all that Japans people went through during WWII it was inspiring to see this you woman seeking to understand all that happened to a young girl from Prague. I love that she would not let it go, not for her and not for the next generation that needs to know, remember, and hopefully never live to see it all repeated.

Blessings on Hannah’s family and the families of all those who have been touched by this journey.

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Amazing

What an incredible true story this is! The Japanese museum director is inspiring in her determination to find out who Hana was.

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Gut wrenching

Wow! I have read so many Holocaust memoirs and this does not disappoint . I cried at the end of the “afterward and a few words from the brother

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Important Story to Hear

This is a good way to learn about the tragedies of WWII. Some history, no matter how painful, must be shared again and again.

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Highly recommend for teachers

This is an amazing story connecting across time and the world. Heartbreaking and confronting, the reader views the ultimate evils of man through the eyes of a child. However equally full of hope for future generations of children who will benefit from this story of one little girl. Fantastic resource for earl childhood educators. Could easily be incorporated into curriculum on many subjects. Overall great addition to your library.

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Important and moving story

This story should be shared. If history is to teach us we first must learn some hard and painful truths. This would be a good entry level into understanding the holocaust as it shares the heartbreaking realities without the gruesome details that might be too much for a young person to emotionally handle.

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heart-wrenching

I enjoyed listening to this book even though it seemed to come from an elementary school style since it was about a child in World War II Germany. It was heart-wrenching to learn of the end for so many dear children. 💔

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Surprisingly good!

I couldn’t imagine how a book so short could be worth the read, but this was a great story. Sad, but great!

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Heart-Wrenching Warning

This story is well told and well worth hearing. Today above all. IF THEY CAN DO IT TO A CHILD, THERES NOTHING THEY WONT STOOP TO.

Hate justifies atrocity. Truth and sunlight expose atrocity. But ever be on guard, because hate is too attractive to suppress for long.

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