My daughter is in 5th grade and chose this book for her reading project. I thought it was quite advantageous for her to choose such a long book but I am so glad she is reading this. I hope it gives her appreciation for the country she lives in and all of the freedoms she (and all of us) are so graciously afforded.
I realized something. So, in Isabel's story, her lito jumps out the boat, and says he was a Cuban policeman that pushed away Jewish people, and when they are naming the ship, he mentions the st. Louis, the name of the ship that Josef was on. So, I think that Isabel's lito was a cuban policemen.
It confirmed in the book, rito isabels grandfather was the policeman who saved Joseph’s father when he jumps in the water. Remember the policeman who save josefs father end kept saying manyana? That’s rito! The book said in the chapter he jumped out if you listen to it.
I am reading this book now, as an 8th I like this book but still I am not emotionally connected to this book, whenever I read a book I feel a sense of connection with the characters but as compared to this book except for Isabel I didn’t felt that heartwarming connection with other characters, but overall the storyline, climax, and the ending were on spot even though I felt sometimes it was going too fast.
I have a test tomorrow even though I did read it I used this to make a list of important events in the story to study, even though this video is 4 years old it still holds up great 👍
I’m so mad because I was supposed to read this over the summer and forget. I loved the book so much but I didn’t have the time I needed to finish it since I have to take the test tomorrow. I wish I would have gotten to read it but I simply couldn’t.
Here are some (1 from each person for each section) Man vs. Man * Mahmoud’s family vs. Serbian robbing them at gunpoint * Isabel’s father vs. the Cuban police officers * Josef vs. Schiendick (a nazi) Man vs. Self * Lito (Isabel’s grandfather) suffering from guilt of turning the Jews away from Cuba * Josef’s father vs. his fear of going back to a concentration camp.. tries to drown himself * Mahmoud vs. his guilt of getting his mother to give up Hana (his little sister) Man vs. Nature * Isabel’s group vs. the storm and sharks * Mahmoud vs. long trek to Germany * Josef’s father and Lito vs. sharks and water (drowning) Man vs. Society * Isabel and her family vs. communism and Fidel Castro’s leadership * Josef and his family vs. nazis and racism * Mahmoud and his family vs. racism from countries surrounding Syria. They see Syrians as invisible or pests. Man vs. Machine/Man Made Things * Isabel’s group vs. the ship that almost crushes them * Josef vs. the ship moving away from Cuba where his father was (possibly) * Mahmoud vs. raft like vehicle that breaks or car that cannot be driven (possibly) This is a year late so if this couldn’t help you, I hope it helps anyone else who reads it! God bless!
I just finished this book in march and I love it. But I’m traumatized after when Ivan’s death,the sacrifice of Josef and the exchange of the baby Hana bishara.
