The Journey That Saved Curious George : The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey - Hardcover

Louise Borden is the highly regarded author of many books, including Good Luck, Mrs. K!, Sleds on Boston Common, Good-bye, Charles Lindbergh and The Little Ships: The Heroic Rescue at Dunkirk in WW II, published by Margaret McElderry Books, and The Journey That Saved Curious George, Across the Blue Pacific, and His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg, published by HMH. She lives with her husband, Pete, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has three grown children. Her website can be found at www.louiseborden.com.

Allan Drummond is the illustrator of many children’s books, including The Journey that Saved Curious George. He studied illustration at the Royal College of Art in London and has lived and worked in France and the USA.

www.allandrummond.com.

Grade 4-8–This beautifully designed volume is a must-have for children's literature buffs. The book is divided into two parts: the first gives background on the couple's childhoods and early life together; the second half is devoted to their dramatic escape from World War II-torn Europe. Husband and wife were both Jewish, born in Hamburg. After serving in the German army during World War I, Hans sailed to Brazil, where he wore a big hat and sailed down the Amazon. Margaret, an old family friend, joined him in 1935, and they soon married. Their honeymoon in Paris lasted four years. It was here that they began writing children's books about a curious little monkey named Fifi. By May of 1940 it was clear they must flee. So begins the second part. Tirelessly cycling by day, they boarded train after train as the Nazis occupied Paris, finally sailing to Rio. From there, it was on to New York, and within a year, Curious George was published. An afterword describes the balance of their lives. Borden spent years going through personal papers, notebooks, and photographs, and contacted people who knew the Reys. As a result, the book is richly detailed. Drummond's charming watercolors appear throughout, some full page, and many sharing or framing a page of text. In addition, abundant primary-source documents and photos along with original art combine to complete this attractive package. An appealing choice for biography assignments and units on World War II or refugees.–Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools
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