Any well-written book that introduces the subject of the Holocaust is, by virtue of its subject, worthwhile and valuable. This is a well-written book about the Holocaust. Therefore it is worthwhile and valuable.

Yet coming from Jerry Spinelli, it is still somewhat disappointing. This is an author who is known for highly original and stylized fiction that packs an emotional wallop. But this straightforward novel keeps the reader at a certain emotional distance, and provides no historical context, either in the story or in any author's notes or even references. Children reading it, who do not already know about the Holocaust, will not find it very informative. While the story moves right along, keeping the reader turning the pages, at the end readers are likely to feel unenlightened, and even unmoved.

Perhaps Spinelli was trying to protect his readers a bit. If so, he has been too successful.

From the Book
Some people died from sickness, some from hunger. There wasn't much I could do about the sickness, but hunger, that was where I came in. Feeding my family -- and as much as possible Doctor Korczak's orphans -- was what the world had made me for. All the parts -- the stealing, the speed, the size, the rash stupidity -- came together to make me the perfect smuggler.