Catherine's War

Catherine's War is a survival story told in graphic novel format.  Taking place at the Sevres Children's Home outside of Paris, the main character, Rachel Cohen, discovers a passion for photography. She has not heard from her parents in months and does not worry about Hitler's war. With her camera she captures in image everything she loves. When the German Army closes in on Paris, Rachel has to change her name and go into hiding. As Catherine Colin, Rachel has to say goodbye to all of her friends and leave Sevres for safety elsewhere. With her camera, though, she bears witness to her own journey, including the countless people who helped her and other hidden children during WWII. The story is based upon the author's mother who was a hidden child during the war.

I loved this book. While the subject matter is sobering, it is light reading because the story is told through the eyes of a child. Children have a way of just being children during tough times. The seriousness of the times, though, is reflected in dialogue among the adult characters. I enjoyed reading about Catherine's self education on how to take a great photograph. The reader learns about photographic methods in the fun, easy style of a graphic novel. Having read a few photography books in my day, I can honestly say that Catherine's War would have been a better introduction to the craft than the some of the beginner books that I read.

The history of the hidden children during WWII is not well known. This book is my first introduction to their story and I am glad that I read the book. This is an important part of history that every person should know about but when read in a graphic novel format it is easy to understand.

5 out of 5 stars.