Book Review: Lily Renee, Escape Artist by T. Robbins et al.

Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer written by Trinia Robbins and illustrated by Anne Timmons and Mo Oh

Lily Renee Wilhelm was an upper-middle class teen in 1930 Austria. Just as she was coming of age, the Nazis marched in and began, among other things, persecuting Jews. Lily was Jewish so she began to suffer. A way out came with the Kindertransport, a program whereby British families could sponsor a child. The program lasted until England and Germany went to war. Fortunately, Lily was able to leave just at the end of the program. Her adoptive British family was okay but not great. Then word came that Lily's parents had escaped to New York. Lily moved again and settled into the city. She held various jobs, working as a comic-book artist until 1949. She married, had children, and wrote books and plays.

The story goes quickly but is full of lots of information. Lily's life is dramatic if not action-packed. The book chronicles history as it affected Lily, giving insight into Word War II and how difficult it is to live life on the run from trouble. The art is attractive and gives a good sense of the times and the situations Lily faced.

Recommended.