I Will Protect You

 The illuminating and deeply moving true story of twin sisters who  survived Nazi experimentation, against all odds, during the Holocaust.

Eva  and her identical twin sister, Miriam, had a mostly happy childhood.  Theirs was the only Jewish family in their small village in the  Transylvanian mountains, but they didn't think much of it until  antisemitism reared its ugly head in their school. Then, in 1944,  ten-year-old Eva and her family were deported to Auschwitz. At its  gates, Eva and Miriam were separated from their parents and other  siblings, selected as subjects for Dr. Mengele's infamous medical  experiments.

During the course of the war, Mengele would experiment on 3,000 twins. Only 160 would survive–including Eva and Miriam.

With her friend Danica Davidson, Eva reveals how two young girls were  able to survive the unimaginable cruelty of the Nazi regime, while also  eventually finding healing and the capacity to forgive. Spare and  poignant, I Will Protect You is a vital memoir of survival, loss, and forgiveness.

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PRAISE

CHILDREN'S FAVORITES AWARD WINNER (CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL)

TEACHER FAVORITES AWARD WINNER (CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL)

A NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL STUDIES AND CHILDREN’S BOOK COUNCIL "NOTABLE SOCIAL STUDIES TITLE"

A SHELF AWARENESS BEST BOOK OF THE WEEK 

A MIGHTY GIRL'S SUMMER 2022 READING LIST PICK

A WORLD WAR II MAGAZINE NEW AND NOTEWORTHY PICK

A MISSOURI DOGWOOD TOP TWENTY TITLE

“Few Holocaust survivors have had Eva Mozes Kor’s impact. Together with Danica Davidson, the story of this young girl is narrated in a manner that I would not have thought possible, faithful to the history and yet accessible to young readers. Read this work and meet a person you will never forget with a story that is worth telling and retelling.” –Michael Berenbaum, award-winning author; former Director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Holocaust Research Institute

"I Will Protect You is a well-written memoir, a gripping story of  prejudice, hatred, horror and forgiveness.  It belongs on every shelf of  books for young readers on the Nazi Holocaust and of books attacking  racism. "  -- David A. Adler, author of The Number On My Grandfather's Arm, We Remember The Holocaust and many other books

"How can we best teach our children about the world? This extraordinary story of a Holocaust survivor (one of the infamous Mengele twins), shows both the astounding history that lay the groundwork for the rise and fall of Nazi Germany, as well as being a deeply personal (and page-turning) story of one very brave and determined young Jewish girl caught in its midst. What better way to ensure that our children really are protected from something like this ever happening again—we can protect them with knowledge, understanding, determination, and hope." -- Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You

“I Will Protect You is one of the best Holocaust memoirs I have ever read (and I have read many). The fact that twin sisters Eva and Miriam survived Dr. Mengele’s cruel and barbaric experiments is nothing short of miraculous. Eva’s fierce determination to live and to ensure her sister’s survival moved me deeply. Her strength, courage, resourcefulness, and intelligence are profound. This book illuminates the human spirit and proves that even in the very worst circumstances, kindness can be found. I am a better person for having read this book.”  — Lesléa Newman, author Gittel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story

 “This riveting eyewitness  account of the Nazi horrors, written in a way that a sympathetic young  reader can understand, is needed now more than ever, in our present age  of growing violence, intolerance and irrational hatred of the Other.” -- David Small,  #1 New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist of Stitches

"Danica  Davidson has taken Eva Mozes Kor’s story and woven it into a  straightforward yet harrowing account of astonishing courage in the face  of unspeakable depravity.  An important and powerful contribution to  the field of Holocaust literature for children." -- Yona Zeldis McDonough, author of The Bicycle Spy and The Doll with the Yellow Star.

“The Holocaust seen through the eyes of a ten-year-old girl and her twin sister. Harrowing but ultimately redemptive, I Will Protect You is a story of irrational hope and courage.” - Mark V Long, New York Times bestselling author The Silence of Our Friends

"An illuminating look at the horrors of medical experimentation during the Holocaust. This emotional and captivating story of loss and hope is perfect for a younger audience that wishes to learn about the realities faced by twin children in concentration camps.” -- Andrew Aydin, New York Times bestselling co-author of March with John Lewis

"Highly recommended" -- A Mighty Girl 

"'Your mind is like a garden. Plant flowers  so weeds can’t grow,' read the embroidered message in the childhood  kitchen of identical twins Eva and Miriam Mozes. Even after the Mozes  family was imprisoned in Auschwitz, forced to leave the embroidery and  most of their other possessions behind, fierce and determined Eva  carried this piece of her mama’s wisdom with her. Through the horrifying  tribulations of the Holocaust, she held on to her desire for life and  the strength of her love for her family, refusing to let the weeds of  despair take root in her mind. Although unflinching in its treatment of  the disturbing realities of the period, this work also emphasizes  humanity’s prevailing capacity for goodness and hope in the face of  cruelty. Davidson, who worked with Kor to get her story down in print as  well as doing additional research, situates Kor’s life within a broader  historical scope, detailing the social and political contexts that  allowed the Nazi Party to gain power. Readers will be left not only with  an understanding of the events of the Holocaust, but with insight into  the long history of antisemitism and the dangers of dehumanizing  language, propaganda, and unquestioning nationalism. Bright and  compelling, Eva invites young readers to plant flowers of knowledge,  love, and acceptance in their own minds. 

 Moving and informative; a powerful resource for Holocaust education." -- Kirkus Reviews    

"In a powerful telling, the late Eva Mozes Kor (1934–2019) and Davidson provide as much history lesson as personal recollection and call for human rights. The book opens in 1941, as seven-year-old Eva and her identical twin Miriam (d. 1993), members of the only Jewish family in a Romanian village, encounter anti-Jewish ideas in media as well as experience cruelty from previously friendly classmates. Eva’s nature as a leader willing to speak her mind is quickly established as she presses her resigned parents: “It’s not safe to stay here.” Following the family’s deportation to Auschwitz, where she and Miriam become part of Josef Mengele’s experimentations on identical twins, the girls’ horrific experiences—intense reading for the target audience—are interspersed with contextualizing background on topics such as anti-Semitism, conspiracy theories and propaganda, genocide, and WWII. Eva’s “unending desire for survival,” her vow to protect Miriam, and “luck” bring the sisters through the war and to Israel in 1950; final chapters trace Eva’s subsequent years as a human rights activist and Holocaust educator in Indiana. Unflinching in its first-person telling, the narrative is carried by its narrator’s passionate conviction, per an afterword, that “memories will provide the necessary fuel to light the way to hope.” -- Publishers Weekly 

"In 1944 10-year-old identical twins Eva and  Miriam, along with their Jewish family, were taken by cattle car to the  Nazi death camp Auschwitz. There the two girls were separated from their  family by the notorious Dr. Josef Mengele, who was fascinated by twins  and wished to conduct experiments on them. Indeed, one of those  experiments left Eva deathly ill. Taken to the camp hospital to die, she  managed to survive despite the monstrous Mengele’s laughing assertion  that she had only two weeks to live. Her survival was due in large part  to her stubborn, indomitable will, even though, as she states, “We twins  were his property now.” Her reports of life in the camp are sobering and compelling,  and after Auschwitz’s liberation, Kor charts the subsequent years of  her life, including an adulthood dedicated to sharing her story. An  afterword by Davidson adds a modern perspective on the Holocaust and  antisemitism in the U.S., as well as insight into her collaborative  writing process with Kor, who died in 2019. A compelling story of survival." - Booklist

"Davidson interviewed Eva, and Eva's clear voice provides an edifying lesson most welcome among Holocaust narratives. Davidson relates young Eva's experiences at Auschwitz with pragmatic and accessible prose that neither shies away from nor sensationalizes the horrors she suffered...  A powerful testimony to survival and forgiveness, Eva's story should find quick purchase among collections of witness literature." -- Shelf Awareness

" When I finished, I had to sit back, wipe the tears from my eyes and  exhale. This book is so important for Jews and non-Jews alike. It needs  to be stocked and shared in every public (and Jewish) upper elementary  and middle school library. It is only through the stories of the actual  Holocaust survivors that we can know the unbelievable, but true,  dreadfulness of the time. Yet, timeless books like this not only remind  us of its horror but also teach young people and adults about hope,  survival, respect and love.

There is no question that this honest  memoir should be considered a strong contender for the Sydney Taylor  Book Award. This book fits all criteria. It would be great to read aloud  with young people, but it is also so well written and age appropriate  that it can be checked out to be read silently. I look forward to  purchasing it and sharing it widely with students and faculty." -- Sydney Taylor Schmooze Blog

"This book for middle grade readers is a powerful and chilling firsthand account of survival from the brutal Auschwitz concentration camp during WWII...While there are many adult books written by Holocaust survivors, few are written for children... Spare and well written, this book should be part of every classroom discussion about the Holocaust." -- Darlene Beck-Jacobson, author of Wishes, Dares & How to Stand Up to a Bully

"This is an important book that deserves wide readership and should be in  every middle-grade classroom and library. The writing is quite  wonderful and the story is incredibly compelling." -- Rosi Hollinbeck, book blogger 

PUBLICITY

ABC 7 (Los Angeles) -- "Author Pens New Children's Book to Teach Kids About Antisemitism and the Holocaust"

LiveNOW from FOX -- "Author Danica Davidson joined LiveNOW from FOX to explain the day's  significance and the importance of educating the younger generations  about the Holocaust." 

Yahoo Entertainment -- "Sturgis author Danica Davidson to sign copies of 'I Will Protect You'"

WXYZ (ABC Detroit) -- “I Will Protect You” is a sensitive way for parents to teach children about the Holocaust

Fox59 (Indianapolis) "Holocaust Remembrance Day"

WOODTV (NBC West Michigan) -- ‘I Will Protect You’: New kids book tells Auschwitz survivor’s story

WSBT (CBS South Bend) --Children's Book Author Reflects on Holocaust Remembrance Day

WNEM (CBS Northeastern Michigan) -- "Michigan Author Teaching Children About the Holocaust"

Publishers Weekly -- "Authors Bring Holocaust Story to Young Readers"

Times of Israel -- "Gap in children's Holocaust literature filled by memoir of former 'Mengele Twin'" 

WWMT (CBS) --"Sturgis woman tells story of Auschwitz survivor through kids book about the Holocaust"

Fox17 --"New children's book teaches history while telling story of Holocaust survivor"

WMUK (NPR) --"Art Beat: Surviving Auschwitz" 

WGVU Morning Show (NPR) -- "I Will Protect You"

WGVU (NPR) --"Holocaust Remembrance Day"

WTHI-TV -- "New children's book shares the story of local Holocaust survivor Eva Kor"

WRTV (ABC) -- "Children's book tells the story of Eva Kor and the Holocaust" 

WISH-TV (CW) --"Auschwitz survivor Eva Kor’s story educates children"

WILX (NBC) -- "Recognizing Holocaust Remembrance Day" 

ABC57 -- "Local Author Speaks on Holocaust Remembrance Day" 

Up North Live -- "Michigan Author Educates Kids About Holocaust, Antisemitism in I Will Protect You Book"

9 and 10 News --"Good Day Northern Michigan"

9 and 10 News --  "This children’s book can aid tough conversations around Holocaust Remembrance Day"

Jewish Journal --“'I Will Protect You,' a New Children’s Book About Twins Who Survived Mengele’s Experiments

Cynsations -- "Danica Davidson on Writing a Holocaust Survivor’s Memoir"

Teen Librarian Toolbox -- "How I WILL PROTECT YOU Fills a Gap in Holocaust Education" 

Fuse #8 -- "How Do You Even Write a Book for Kids About the Holocaust Anymore? An Interview with Danica Davidson"

Pragmatic Mom -- "Children's Nonfiction Holocaust Books for Holocaust Remembrance Day"

MLive --"‘I Will Protect You’ shares story of Auschwitz survival through a child’s 

eyes"

Tablet -- "A Survivor's Forgiveness" 

Reading With Your Kids -- "A True Story of Twins Who Survived Auschwitz" 

Lilith -- "Surviving Mengele, Telling Their Story" 

Western Herald -- "WMU Holocaust speech spurs the creation of children’s book" 

Writers' Rumpus -- "Our Approach to Telling Eva Kor's True Holocaust Story to Kids"

WOW - Women on Writing "Perseverance and Strength: How Author Danica Davidson Worked with Holocaust Survivor, Eva Mozes Kor, to Publish Her Story" (Scroll down to read)

The Whole Megillah -- "Author’s Notebook | I Will Protect You by Eva Mozes Kor with Danica Davidson" 

Judaica in the Spotlight -- "Meet the Author: Danica Davidson" 

PR from the Heart -- "Children's Books Spotlight - Danica Davidson/I Will Protect You"          

Darlene Beck-Jacobson -- "Danica Davidson Presents: I WILL PROTECT YOU: A Powerful Holocaust Survival Story for MG Readers." 

Further Reading      

No one book can capture something as massive as the Holocaust. I encourage people who have read I Will Protect You to read other books on the subject as well, and to check out education places like the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Below is a list of further reading suggestions for children's and YA books about the Holocaust and antisemitism in general.

We Remember the Holocaust by David Adler (9 and up)

Adler interviews many different survivors from the Holocaust, going into great detail for young readers. Adler respects his readers and doesn’t sugarcoat the facts. This was one of the most influential early Holocaust books I read in elementary school. Includes many photos, including a few graphic ones. Adler has written other books about the Holocaust for young readers I recommend as well. 

We Are Witnesses: Five Diaries of Teens Who Died in the Holocaust edited by Jacob Boas (11 and up)

This has excerpts of diaries from real Jewish teenagers, none of whom survived: Anne Frank, David Rubinowicz, Yitzhak Rudashevski, Moshe Flinker, and Éva Heyman. People can also seek out the diaries as individual books instead of the snippets we have here (just note that the spelling of names might be different).

The Plot: The Secret Story of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion by Will Eisner (YA +)

This accessible and detailed graphic novel goes into the history of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a faked document claiming that Jews want to control the world. The Nazis used it, and antisemites today still use it.

Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (YA+)

Probably the most famous of Holocaust literature for young readers. Anne kept this diary while hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam. It’s an eyewitness account of someone before she was taken by the Nazis and killed.  

The Diary of Peter Ginz by Peter Ginz (12 and up)

Ginz was a young writer with a great imagination who was murdered in Auschwitz at 16. This book contains his writings before then. Had he survived, he probably would have become a professional author. 

Yossel April 19, 1943 by Joe Kubert (YA and up)

Legendary comic creators Joe Kubert tells a fictionalized but very gripping graphic novel story about the real-life Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. In 1943, Jews kept in the Warsaw Ghetto held a major revolt against the Nazis. 

Rutka’s Notebook by Rutka Laskier (12 and up)

Rutka was a teen girl murdered in the Holocaust. Here is her diary before she was taken, which includes passages on her daily life as well as her understanding of the growing atrocities around her. 

The Hidden Children by Howard Greenfeld (10 and up)

Stories of children who survived the Holocaust by going into hiding before the Nazis could find them. This is similar to The Hidden Child, but instead of concentrating on the author’s story, it divides the book into stories of different children who hid. 

Journey to America by Sonia Levitin (8 and up)

This book is fiction, but it’s based on author Sonia Levitin’s real life when she escaped Nazi Germany. So while all the details might not have happened, it gives an accurate overview based on her memories. I read it in elementary school and it left a strong impression. 

Hidden Child by Isaac Millman (10 and up)

Millman recounts his story of hiding in order to survive the Holocaust. He was the only person in his immediate family to make it through. Illustrations and photographs help bring the story to life.  

Hannah Senesh: Her Life and Diary by Hannah Senesh (14 and up)

Senesh was a young Jewish woman who escaped Europe, only to return later as a resistance fighter. She was captured, tortured, and executed by the Nazis at 23, but she would not give them the information they wanted from her. This book includes her diary and other early writings. 

Lonek’s Journey by Dorit Bader Whiteman (10 and up)

Lonekyand his family fled the Nazis only to end up in a Russian gulag. The entire family survived the Holocaust, which is very rare, but what they had to go through in the meantime is almost unimaginable.