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    Children of the Stars
    Children of the Stars
    Children of the Stars
    Audiobook10 hours

    Children of the Stars

    Written by Mario Escobar

    Narrated by Zach Hoffman

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    From international bestselling author Mario Escobar comes a story of escape, sacrifice, and hope amid the perils of the Second World War. 

    August 1942. Jacob and Moses Stein, two young Jewish brothers, are staying with their aunt in Paris amid the Nazi occupation. The boys’ parents, well-known German playwrights, have left the brothers in their aunt’s care until they can find safe harbor for their family. But before the Steins can reunite, a great and terrifying roundup occurs. The French gendarmes, under Nazi order, arrest the boys and take them to the Vélodrome d’Hiver—a massive, bleak structure in Paris where thousands of France’s Jews are being forcibly detained. 

    Jacob and Moses know they must flee in order to survive, but they only have a set of letters sent from the South of France to guide them to their parents. Danger lurks around every corner as the boys, with nothing but each other, trek across the occupied country. Along their remarkable journey, they meet strangers and brave souls who put themselves at risk to protect the children—some of whom pay the ultimate price for helping these young refugees of war. 

    This inspiring novel, now available for the first time in English, demonstrates the power of family and the endurance of the human spirit—even through the darkest moments of human history. 

    • World War II historical fiction inspired by true events
    • Book length: 94,000 words
    • Includes a historical timeline, and notes from the author 

    “A poignant telling of the tragedies of war and the sacrificing kindness of others seen through the innocent eyes of children.” —J’nell Ciesielski, bestselling author of The Socialite and Beauty Among Ruins

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThomas Nelson
    Release dateFeb 25, 2020
    ISBN9780785232995
    Author

    Mario Escobar

    Mario Escobar, novelista, historiador y colaborador habitual de National Geographic Historia, ha dedicado su vida a la investigación de los grandes conflictos humanos. Sus libros han sido traducidos a más de doce idiomas, convirtiéndose en bestsellers en países como los Estados Unidos, Brasil, China, Rusia, Italia, México, Argentina y Japón. Es el autor más vendido en formato digital en español en Amazon.

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    Reviews for Children of the Stars

    4/5

    44 ratings8 reviews

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    • 2/5
      The narrator needs to learn how to pronounce words properly! That makes a big difference to a story.
      Dour was pronounced as doer,
      Cicada was pronounced as chicada, should be si- key-duh, and a few more.
      After 2 hours of listening, I gave up.

    • 5/5
      Beautifully written...and translated!!... This historical novel takes you right along with Jacob and Moses as they try to find their parents through one incredible nightmare experience after another --- saved continually by the goodness of strangers. The descriptions are all to real in these trying political times of 2020---to see what can happen when authoritarian rule becomes how you live. Frightening...to see the comparisons, to say the least. Yes, as another reviewer has noted, it is a treasure of a book.
    • 4/5
      This is an extraordinary novel. The story features two young brothers, Jacob and Moses Stein, as they search for their parents in 1942.The brothers’ parents left them in the care of their aunt about a year ago while they went looking for a safe place to move their family. The boys’ parents are somewhere, maybe in France, looking for a safe place for their family to wait out the war, as they were German playwrights and Jewish. One day, the French law enforcement begins rounding up all of the local Jews, and they are transported to Velodrome d’Hiver for detainment. The boys are also captured but soon realize that the only way to reunite with their parents is if they escape and try to find them on their own. So that’s what they do.I can’t really remember reading a WWII story quite like this one. The perspectives of the young boys is quite different than that of the leads in most of the other wartime stories. Moses is just 8 years old, and his brother Jacob is only a few years older. For the boys to have the fortitude and grit to make such a huge decision-to escape and look for their mom and dad-is tremendous. They’re so brave. And their ability to persevere along the way then things get really hard for them is astounding. They’re also just children, so I love that I was able to see their vulnerability and their exhaustion throughout this story. I felt so deeply for them because they just don’t fully understand all that is happening around them.The boys come across people on their journey that are kind and willing to help, but they also cross paths with some Nazi sympathizers and people that treat them as less-than because they are Jewish. They are encouraged by the people that are risking their own lives to help move them toward their parents, and they are aware that getting caught probably means the worst for them.Mario Escobar writes beautifully. There are some beautiful turns-of-phrase in here and quite a few sentences and paragraphs that I want to make sure to remember. Readers that enjoy WWII novels will likely enjoy this one, and I also think that teens and some younger readers can pick it up and enjoy it. It’s a hopeful story, which is not always the case with stories about WWII-era novels.I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, Thomas Nelson Books!
    • 5/5
      Every generation nurses the hope that the world will begin anew - Moses’ father, at the train station.The author has written the most incredible story of survival during times when going with the flow would have been so much easier. It’s 1941 and young Jacob Stein and little brother Moses are left with a relative as the parents seek a way to escape war-torn Paris and hopefully the continent. Unexpectedly their world turns upside down, and the boys are left to survive on their own. What follows is the almost unbelievable story of perseverance against all odds. I must admit, it was impossible to set this novel aside until I knew what the end result would be. Even though it is a fictional story, this testament to those who held out against tyranny and oppression is one not t0 be missed. Hope, courage and sacrifice were found in the least likely places and in the most unassuming people. It renewed my faith in mankind to read of such bold resistance to the evil around them. This digital copy was received through NetGalley with no expectation of a positive review. However, it certainly made me consider my reaction, if tyranny was on my doorstep...
    • 4/5
      Jewish brothers Jacob and Moses Stein have been staying with their aunt in Paris, while their parents search for a safe place to live. Yet, a detainment in the Vélodrome d’Hiver proves the city is no longer safe. They determine to find their parents before it is too late, and a dangerous journey through France—and beyond—brings them encounters and experiences they never expected.Mario Escobar’s Children of the Stars is a WWII story about family, hope, and perseverance, full of both harrowing and heartfelt moments. It is a touching story, but at times, the author bogs down the narrative with more “telling” than “showing,” leaving me feeling slightly bored. Still, it is an interesting piece of historical fiction, and fans of the genre could enjoy it.I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
    • 4/5
      I read a lot of WWII fiction and it is amazing how many different stories there are from that time period. This is a different look at the war in France seen by two young Jewish boys who are trying to get away from the people who want them dead while they try to find their parents. There was a juxtaposition between good and evil/light and dark and the pervading question of which side was going to ultimately win.Paris 1941. The parents of 11 year old Jacob and 8 year old Moses have left Paris to try to find a safe place for the family leaving them in the care of an aunt. The French gendarmes, under Nazi order, arrest the boys and take them to the Vélodrome d’Hiver—a massive, bleak structure in Paris where thousands of France’s Jews are being forcibly detained. The boys know that they must escape if they have any hope of finding their parents but all they have is one letter with their parents address to guide them. Their journey out of France is fraught with danger and they are often close to being detained again. Along their journey, they meet strangers and brave souls who put themselves at risk to protect the them—some of whom are punished for trying to help them.This well written novel is about one of the most dark times in the history of the world. What was amazing were all of the people who were willing to risk their lives to help these boys. Even in the dark, there was light to guide their way. It's a story of family and love and a story of helping people who need help no matter how dangerous it is. I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy WWII historical fiction to get a different view of the war through the eyes of children.Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
    • 4/5
      This story takes place in Europe during the Holocaust, and the horrific time of hate. The author has us focus on the lives of two young boys, left with their aunt in France. The hope the parents had when they left their boys didn’t turn into reality, and things go wrong very fast.The courage these youngsters show as they try to flee France and go to Spain to find their folks, and we walk in their shoes as this horrible journey begins and ends as they span continents.As a parent I would have had a hard time leaving my children, sometimes hard decisions are made, but are they the right ones?I did love the title and made a connection between the horrible yellow stars and the vastness of God’s universe and the night sky fun of stars.Don’t miss the author’s notes at the end, yes, these are fictional characters, but there were real children that had this happen to them!I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.
    • 5/5
      This book is the first I've read by Mario Escobar and I was truly impressed. The story was very riveting and completely held my attention. I knew the story was about Jewish Children during WWII but that was the extent before reading this.The story revolves around two young boys. Both were very well depicted and you felt like you knew them. There were several other characters in the book that you got to know to some degree. You never felt like you didn't know enough about them but you didn't feel overwhelmed with useless information either. The story flowed very well and kept me wanting more. It is a clean story, no sexual content, and no foul words. The editing was also well done. I give this book a 5 out of 5 star rating and would recommend this to my friends.