A shy, young girl recounts the beginning of WWII and the effects it had on her Jewish-Italian family. This is a shorter nonfiction novel that contains some simple illustrations throughout. While it's meant for educating young readers, the stream of consciousness style narration may be difficult for some to follow.

Loved this sweet memoir by a Jewish woman who lived through the WWII Italian Occupation. This has been perfectly adapted for young children who are just beginning to be interested in WWII but need less graphic information. I think everyone should take an hour or two to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, & HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

This one was geared towards children a little bit more than I was expecting, but it was still a fantastic book that I would definitely love to see on school library shelves.

First written as a memoir for adults, Lia Levi adapted for children and added illustrations by Jess Mason. Lia is a Jewish girl in Italy ending up in a Convent to be hiding. Lia, oldest of 3 sisters, simply tells the dangers and joys that happen during the war in Italy with side notes explaining some of the more difficult subjects.

A touching memoir about the experience of a young Jewish girl who grew up in Fascist Italy during WWII. This was translated from Italian and offers the unique perspective of a relatively well-resourced family who was forced to move to various cities and hide their daughters in a convent school during this troubled time in history. It's especially relevant given the conflicts in our world today.

Just a Girl by Lia Levi is the children's adaptation of the author's experience as a Jewish child during the time of Hitler. Lia lives in a city in Italy as the war begins. As the war progresses, Lia's family must move several times to stay safe. The family ends up being separated, with the children living with nuns in a convent in Rome while her father is on the run. She describes the tyranny of Mussolini and the hope for saving from all of the Allies, that she calls the "Americans."

As I was reading this book, I thought of so many ways this book could be used in the classroom. It's very difficult to find historical information that details the injustices of war in a way that is child-friendly for a child in the preteen years. The author does not shy away from sharing some of the injustices of the war, but it is done in language that will not be scary for younger children. This book would be a wonderful source of information for children who do not need to know the deep horrors that are committed during war. My classroom library serves students beginning the third grade through junior high. This book would be accessible for any of these grades.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for allowing me access to this worthwhile story.

When it comes to ratings and recommendations, I am very conflicted about the book. It's a wonderful true tale about a significant time in history, and I'm glad it was published. I found it fascinating. A valuable account of a Jewish family's experiences in Italy under Mussolini, it's told by a woman who actually lived through it as a child. It even includes beautiful photos of the family and the author, in addition to illustrations that look amazing, even in the preliminary state shown in the NetGalley file provided.

However, there were issues with "Just a Girl" that will prevent me from recommending it to others. Basically, it felt like an adult story that someone was trying to present as a Middle Grade, using a narrative style that veers between far too childish and far too advanced for MG readers.

At the very end of the book, in the author's note, I discovered that this story was originally written for adults.

Aha.
That explained everything I was feeling as I read it.

So, in other words: the adaptation was not successful. The material is complex, and children will find it difficult to follow in some places. It really does require more of a grounding in WWII history than the intended readership will have. And yet, when the author attempts to simplify some of the more convoluted events, the tone becomes uncomfortably pedagogical, as if addressing children much younger than the readership.

I liked the material covered in this book so much that I will seek it out in its adult form to read for myself. However, I will not be adding "Just a Girl" to my list for MG readers. This is a pity, as my mother had a similar experience in Italy during the war and I really hoped this would open a window to that world for today's Middle Graders.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

Reading a World War 2 book from the perspective of a child was quite interesting, as opposed to a World War 2 middle grade book about a child. I think this story would be a helpful introduction to the events of World War 2 for younger middle grade readers as it introduces readers to some of the events of World War 2 in an age appropriate way.

I liked the book. It was a little longer than I expected seeing as it’s a children’s book. But I do enjoy reading books about the specific time period. It was an interesting book because mostly you hear about Jewish people in Germany or Poland. I haven’t read many books where the Jewish people were from Italy.

I really enjoyed this book! Reading about the war from a little girl’s perspective was interesting. Light enough for young students to understand yet still powerful for adults who may know more of the historical background. The way the author broke in to talk to the reader made it feel like a conversation. Some parts the translation felt a bit awkward but overall the dialog felt authentic to understand the thoughts of a child during that time.

A fantastic chapter book for young children (either to read themselves or have read to them). In ‘Just a Girl’, Lia Levi describes her and her family’s struggles before and during WWII. She manages to explain difficult concepts like discrimination and allies vs enemies in terms that are accessible to young readers. Illustrations enrich the biography highlighting key events in this little girl’s life. Note from the author details more of the events for a brief overview for parents to pre read or to summarize the text at the end. The perspective of a child on the events that occurred before, during, and after WWII present history in a new light for adult readers as well. The examples of discrimination and messages about it ring true today as they did when Lia’s father shared them with her. We would be wise to learn from these lessons and remember that there are always good people out there who speak out against and oppose hateful rhetoric and actions.

Lia Levi, an Italian Jew who was a young girl during World War II, has adapted her adult memoir for middle schoolers, and the book provides an intimate look at a girl trying to understand the increasing changes and dangers around her as her family struggles to survive. War life for Italian Jews was an emotional roller coaster, and Lia gives us an honest look at her feelings. Eventually, LIa and her sisters hide in a Catholic boarding school, where she cannot even tell her best friend that she is Jewish. Resilient, she manages to find good in the circumstances, co-starring in a school play and comforting a spoiled, scared three-year-old. LIa writes with warmth and wit, and this book gives a good feel for the people and times without being overwhelming. Just a Girl is highly recommended for those interested in or studying the Holocaust in grades 5-8.

This was good. I enjoyed it. Worth the time to read for sure! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was really good. I will definitely recommend it to others.

Levi's adaptation of her memoir for young readers is a masterpiece. Her coming-of-age story growing up in Italy during World War II conveys the hardship and fright of discrimination in such a purposeful manner. The reader will certainly feel the horror of her situation but she does so by also showing its alternative, making the best of what you can.
The theme of young resilience permeates the book. Levi also points out the poison of racism today and why it's important to do what you can to eradicate it. Her appreciation of American soldiers gets a shoutout. This book is truly a learning experience. They will especially like the photographs of her family at the end of her book juxtaposing the heartfelt illustrations. This is such an important addition to Holocaust literature for young readers.

From Italian-Jewish author Lia Levi comes her award-winning memoir, detailing how she came of age in Fascist Italy during World War II. Complete with endearing black-and-white illustrations throughout, a moving author’s note, and family photos.

1938, Italy. Lia is terribly shy with a birdlike, quiet voice. When Mama tells Lia that prime minister Mussolini doesn’t want Jewish children in schools anymore, Lia is happy. No more school! No one will be angry about her small voice. But why is Mussolini singling out Jewish people?

At just six years old, Lia doesn’t know the terms “discrimination” or “anti-Semitism,” but she will live and experience it, as Hitler and Mussolini’s racial laws take more and more from her family and friends. Eventually her parents are forced to send Lia and her sisters to hide at a convent. Unfortunately, there are still math lessons but also a theater with costumes and a piano. Through it all, Lia tries to understand what’s happening and adapt to her new life, all while longing to be “just a girl.”

I adored the format of this book! I love reading historical fiction and Ms. Levi has done a wonderful job of transforming her story into a novel relatable by children. It's hard to imagine these events happening today. Ms. Levi has allowed us to see through her eyes, as a child, what her family endured during that time.

The illustrations by Jess Mason were well-drawn and fit the book perfectly!

I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!

Just A Girl is a memoir by Lia Levi about her childhood as a Jewish girl in Mussolini's Italy during World War II. It follows her family's series of moves to escape the oppressive laws enacted against Jews living in Italy. Levi and her sisters eventually end up living at a Catholic boarding school, hiding their true identities. The story is told through the perspective of Levi as a child with brief interludes of her adult self chiming in to clarify or reassure the reader, which lends a warm, personal touch. This would be a great book for kids grade 3 to 6, especially when learning about autobiographies or WWII. It is marked as middle grade but older middle schoolers may find the writing style too young to relate. Overall I think this is a charming, well-written book and a good story for discussing emotional resilience during traumatic life events.

Lia Levi's autobiographical Just a Girl is a charming story of World War II from a child's perspective. Levi tells the story of her own experiences in Italy during the years before and during the Second World War. As a Jew, Levi experienced the loss of rights and the instability that the war years brought, but as a child, she was insulated from the terror and sense of helplessness that the adults in her life would have felt. When Germans invaded Italy and began arresting Jewish residents, Levi's parents partnered with heroic nuns in a local convent to protect Lia and her two sisters. In childlike prose, Levi tells how the war affected her, her sisters, their parents, and their way of life.

So many historical stories depict the direst and most harrowing times in history, leading many students to see them as grim, depressing, or tragic. In Levi's Just a Girl, she shows a dire and grim period with a child's hope, optimism, and faith. As a result, this story provides an interesting contrast to others stories set in the same period and conditions. Students would benefit from reading Levi's story along with other stories set during the Holocaust to see how different people survived.

While this story is an adaptation of Levi's original story written for adults, it reads very young. Rather than a middle grade story as it is categorized, it would be more appropriate for children younger than the middle grade audience. Levi begins the story as a six-year old, and while she ages as the story progresses, her dialogue, perceptions, and priorities remain very young. The illustrations reinforce the young persona. These characteristics make this a novel better suited to younger children. Middle grade readers may be bored or turned off by the younger narrator, and they will see her insights and observations as childish. The characters do not have the realistic complexity middle grade readers need, nor do they change, grow, or develop as the story progresses. Compared to other stories in the middle grade and even the chapter book market, the characters seem young, static, and even flat without the competing traits and inner conflicts that older children are drawn to. Younger children, on the other hand, will find her a good voice to tell a story to which they can relate. Even more, the gentle descriptions and the safety that Levi enjoyed during the war make this appropriate for very young readers.

Levi's story tells her personal experiences as a Jewish girl in World War II Italy, and it is well-suited for younger readers or listeners. It is a tale of courage, resilience, and kindness that shows the harshness of the WWII years in a gentle and protected way.

"Just a Girl" by Lia Levi is a young readers adaptation of her 1994 memoir of the same title. Accompanying the text are beautiful illustrations by Jess Mason. In each chapter Levi shares her childhood experiences during WWII. As a young girl Levi lived with her parents, sisters, and nanny in Turin, Italy. In 1938, at the age of 6 her life changes dramatically when the leader of Italy, Mussolini, allies himself with Hitler. The first change is that Levi is no longer allowed to go to the Italian schools because her family is Jewish. Then her father is prohibited from working, which causes the family to have to move. Eventually for her own safety Lia is sent to a Catholic boarding school, where nuns have agreed to hide her identity and that of many other Jewish children. This memoir is a very accessible first person account of the events that transpired in Italy, during the late 1930s and early 1940s as seen and remembered by a very young girl. Particularly moving, is the author's letter at the end of the book. Levi acknowledges that despite persecution and difficult circumstances she had a happy childhood, And for the ultimate liberation of her beloved Italy she asks young American readers to "hug their country". I highly recommend this book as a resource for students in upper elementary with an interest in World War II history. It would also make a great addition to a memoir unit.

This book is a beautiful read, and a great resource to teach World War II in school without the focus being on mainly the Holocaust. Will definitely be adding this book to my classroom!

This is such a beautiful but heartbreaking story. Lia is trying to just be a girl and figure out who she is, when the world is turned upside down and everything changes. She likes not having to go to school anymore, but doesn't understand why her family is being singled out and then she is sent away. This is a story that needs to be in every library and students and families alike need to read it and see this experience.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!