“Children of the Stars” set in 1942 is the story of Jacob and Moses Stein, two Jewish brothers ages 12 and 8, who cross Nazi-occupied France in the hope of reuniting with their parents. It opens with the boys being caught in a raid and taken to the Vel’d’Hiv velodrome, a repurposed detention camp housing thousands of Jews. They manage to escape and thus begin their life on the run. This is their story.….

This fictional tale highlights the value, courage and decision making of the two children as well as the kindness and humanity amid the perils of the Second World War. Although, the brothers are a figment of the author’s imagination, they represent thousands of children who travel across Europe as refugees during WW11. This is about their journey and the people they meet along the way. Many risked their life to help the boys.

With a simple and poetic style, Mario Escobar leaves small pearls for each chapter that make us reflect on the wonderful and brave people who fight against invaders and help those fleeing by welcoming them at the risk of their own life.

But, this tender and sad story seemed so unreal. The boys are too mature for their ages, they think like adults. Parents abandoning children for a better life in Argentina does not resonate well with me. How can they leave their little ones behind during the Nazi occupation? If so, it must have been heartbreaking for the parents….

Although based on historical facts, this story was unlikely because of the age of the protagonists and the very difficult course they take. This novel reads as if segments of different young lives are played out by these two young boys.

This story is all about hope, heart and faith in humanity.

Children of the Stars by Mario Escobar is a poignant story of Jacob and Moses Stein, two boys left with an aunt while their parents escape Paris. It chronicles their escape from Nazi occupied Paris, and their journey to be reunited with their parents in Argentina. While they have been told to trust no one, repeatedly they must trust others to make this incredible journey. The boys' courage and optimism in the face of almost insurmountable odds is seen throughout the book. The goodness of people who are willing to help these brothers is contrasted with the evil of the Nazi mentality.

While the story is moving, the writing was not the best, thus the tree-star rating. If you like reading WWII historical fiction, you will enjoy the book.

This book was well written and compelling. I found the characters, good and bad, to be believable. The author used the story to point out the choices we make and how they influence what we do with our lives.
I received this book free from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

The author uses the children to show us the power of love over hatred. Its a story of simple people who risked everything to save the lost and doomed orphans of the Nazi cleansing of the Jews. Some lived to tell their stories to those who turned away and wished to forget.

Steins never give up

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a story of two Jewish brothers Jacob and Moses Stein. It is a book of fiction but it is based on. True events and stories of the Jewish in France during the occupation by the German Nazi's.

The brothers are living with their aunt in Paris when they are caught in a roundup by the Nazi's and taken to a large auditorium to be held for shipment to labor camps. The boys escape but as they return home they are rescued by a neighbor that tells them their aunt jumped out a window to her death rather than be captured. Now they must travel thousands of miles across France to find their parents.

The story written is about their journey. The people they meet along the way. Those that help them and the close escapes they have from those that wish to capture them. They meet so many people that risked their lives to help the Jewish boys. such as those at Le-Chambon-sur-Lignon with Pastor Andre and his wife Magda. So many people helped showing that not everyone had hate in their hearts. In this horrible historical time there were compassionate and loving people. The boys were brave and they never gave up trying to find their parents.

This was a great read, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

Thanks to Mario Escobar, Thomas Nelson Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I could not stop crying after I read this book! The heartwarming relationship between Jacob and Moses was so kind to see that it brought tears to my eyes. I have read a lot of Holocaust Historical Fiction and have loved every one of them but this one really does a number on you mostly because it focuses on the relationship between the two brothers and the strong relationship and sense of family. The bond they had to survive this terrible event was so inspiring and really opened my eyes how strong and powerful that can be. This book definitely made me count my blessings and be thankful for the love I have for my family and how that can help me get through anything.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

This is a great book! It's crazy what these children went through to find their
parents! There is so much love between the brothers and the folks that gave
their all to help these children. It's a good story!

Thank you so much Mario Escobar, the Publisher, and NetGalley for giving me
the chance to read and review this book!

CHILDREN OF THE STARS by MARIO ESCOBAR tells the unforgettable story of two Jewish brothers, Jacob and Moses Stein, who, against all odds, travel from the horrors of World War Ii Paris half way around the world to find their parents. It is not only their courage that strikes one but also the incredible courage of those who were willing to help them. The unconditional love of these people provides a strong contrast to the hatred of the Nazi regime. The story is full of unforgettable characters, some of whom are actual historical figures such as Pastor Andre Trocle and his wife Magda who worked with displaced people, both Jew and Gentile, in the village of Le Chambron-sur-Lignon.
The author has an incredible way of describing human emotions, and we are really drawn into Jacob and Moses' physical and emotional journey. It is an inspirational story, both heart breaking and heart warming, and throughout we feel the presence of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as ordinary people reach out to others, risking their lives to help those who have been branded because of their nationality or religion. There is so much truth in this novel. Amongst other things we are reminded that the fight against evil is a spiritual one.
The story is really riveting and I cannot recommend the book highly enough. In fact I will go as far as to say it is one of the best novels I have read this year.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and Mario Escobar for my advanced copy of his new book: Children Of The Stars.

1942, Jacob and Moses Stein, two young Jewish brothers are staying with their Aunt Judith in Paris during the Nazi occupation and are trying to keep a low profile. Eleazar and Jana Stein the boys parents, are German actors they have left the brothers with Judith while they try to find somewhere safe for the whole family to live. On the first morning of summer school holidays, the boys have a early breakfast, decide to leave the shelter of the tiny apartment and visit the synagogue.

The boys have no idea the Nazi's have ordered the local police to round up Jewish citizens and take them to the Velodrome d'Hiver. The boys are spotted leaving the apartment building, they try to get away and are eventually caught.
The conditions inside the Velodrome are terrible, it's over crowded, hot, stuffy, and full of desperate people trying to find their family members who they had been separated from during the chaos of being loaded into buses.

Jacob and Moses manage to escape the Velodrome, they return to their aunts apartment, she has gone missing, while searching the apartment for any clues as to what happened to their aunt, the boys find letters from their parents and they notice the envelopes have a return address it's in the south of France.
The brothers decide to try to find their parents and the boys flight from Paris begins! They travel through France by van, train, truck and they also have to walk through the dangerous French countryside. They need to stay one step ahead of the authorities, stay hidden, keep calm, pass undetected through check points, not slip up, as it's very hard to know who they can trust and they have a few close calls.

Along their journey, they meet members of the French resistance and complete strangers who are willing to help the boys, they provide shelter, food, a hot bath, clean clothes and a safe place for them to hide. They put themselves at risk of being arrested to protect the boys and some do pay the ultimate price for helping them.
The boys eventually make it to the village of Le Chambon-sur-Ligon, here Pastor Andre Trocme finds homes for them, they go to school, Jacob has his first crush on a girl called Anna and life in the village is peaceful for a few months.

But the threat of the Nazi's return, they know Jewish people are being hidden in the small valley and they start looking for them and arrests begin.
The boys are on the run again, they have no choice but to take the risk of trying to get to safety in Spain and eventually try to be reunited with their parents who they hope have made it to South America!

I enjoyed reading Children Of The Stars, its a story about the strong bond between two loving brothers, how families had to make the difficult choices during WW II, parents would do anything to keep their children safe during such a dangerous time in history and about how two boys manage to go on a long crazy journey through war torn Europe, how they try to find their parents who are desperately fleeing the Nazi's and being sent to a concentration camp.

I gave the book four stars, I have read Mario's previous book Auschwitz Lullaby and I loved it.