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Eleanor H. Ayer
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Parallel Journeys Kindle Edition

by Eleanor H. Ayer (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 395 ratings
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She was a young German Jew. He was an ardent member of the Hitler Youth. This is the story of their parallel journey through World War II.

Helen Waterford and Alfons Heck were born just a few miles from each other in the German Rhineland. But their lives took radically different courses: Helen’s to the Auschwitz concentration camp; Alfons to a high rank in the Hitler Youth.

While Helen was hiding in Amsterdam, Alfons was a fanatic believer in Hitler’s “master race.” While she was crammed in a cattle car bound for the death camp Auschwitz, he was a teenage commander of frontline troops, ready to fight and die for the glory of Hitler and the Fatherland. This book tells both of their stories, side-by-side, in an overwhelming account of the nightmare that was World War II. The riveting stories of these two remarkable people must stand as a powerful lesson to us all.
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  1. Reading age
    10 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    260 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    5 - 7
  5. Lexile measure
    1050L
  6. Publisher
    Aladdin
  7. Publication date
    June 28, 2011
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  12. ISBN-13
    978-0689832369
  13. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ayer juxtaposes the stories of two WWII youths, one a German Jew and the other a Hitler Youth, excerpted from their published memoirs. "Weak execution undermines the premise of the volume," said PW. Ages 10-up. (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up?This is a book to make your blood run cold. Through Ayer's narrative and excerpts from Heck's memoirs, A Child of Hitler and The Burden of Hitler's Legacy, readers learn how Alfons changed from a loving, wholesome boy to a "Nazi devil" (even the Germans called the elite Hitler Youth by that name). It is frightening to see how easily young people can be swayed, and readers learn just how it happened. Alternating chapters reveal Helen Waterford's story through excerpts from her book, Commitment to the Dead, and Ayer's background material. Fleeing with her fiancee to Amsterdam after Kristallnacht, Helen was again caught in the Nazi noose and struggled to survive. As her plight grew more desperate, Alfons rose higher and higher in the Hitler Youth. Eventually, when he and his ragged corps faced annihilation by the Russians, he realized how Hitler had sacrificed his "children." When Alfons and Helen met in the U.S. 40 years after the war, they found that they shared a common purpose: to help young people understand that peace and compassion are possible between individuals, and on a larger scale as well. Their first-person accounts are interwoven with Ayer's words so seamlessly that readers are unaware of the intrusion of a third person. She is an excellent biographer, capturing nuances of her subjects' characters and personality traits. A fascinating work.?Marcia W. Posner, Holocaust Memorial and Educational Center of Nassau County, Glen Cove, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004V3WS8O
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Aladdin; Reprint edition (June 28, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 28, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2714 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 260 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 395 ratings

About the author

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Eleanor H. Ayer

Eleanor H. Ayer

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

She was born Eleanor Ann Hubbard, but to her friends, families, neighbors, and everyone lucky enough to know her, she went by, “Ellie.”

Ellie came into the world on September 6, 1947, and was raised in Rutland, VT. Her mother was an elementary school teacher in a one-room school house, instilling in her a love for books from a very young age.

Ellie worked her way through Syracuse University with degrees in Childhood Education and Journalism by selling term papers. She charged by the grade level the student wanted.

While working as a ski instructor at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, she met John Ayer, the man would become her husband and father of their two sons, Madison and William. They moved to Colorado to start their own publishing company, where Ellie authored over 50 books. Her career focused on:

- Young Adult non-fiction, with the majority being about the holocaust.

- Several biographies including Charles Dickens, Margaret Burke White, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

- Several in a series of self-help books for teens.

- Numerous travel guidebooks for Colorado, Arizona, and California.

- Won the Christopher Award and ALA Best Book for Young Adults for her book, “Parallel Journeys” in 1995.

In addition to her many books, Ellie also:

- Volunteered at several schools throughout Colorado.

- Took three consecutive teams to the National Geographic Geography Bee finals

- Volunteered at local libraries.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
395 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

RJohn
5.0 out of 5 stars An important book
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2015
Verified Purchase
Excellent and important book. The story follows the journey of 2 very different Germans during WW2, a Jewish girl, and an aryan boy who grows up to become a Nazi soldier. The history and viewpoints were very insightful, and I learned some things about the war that I did not know. It is difficult to comprehend the suffering that was endured by the Jews of that time, but it is also enlightening to see that the German people suffered as well; albeit not to the degree that those who were sent to concentration camps/death camps....which not only included Jews, but Germans, Jehovah's Witnesses, gypsies and many elderly/handicapped people. I found it hard to read when the suffering was described, but I also found it impossible to put down. Well done. All students need to read this book. May we NEVER forget the horrors from WW2.
3 people found this helpful
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Teresa
5.0 out of 5 stars School book
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2024
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Book came quickly
Is being used for 6th grade language arts class
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melissa
5.0 out of 5 stars must read
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2013
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The only WW2 book I ever read was " diary of anne frank".... which is great for the point of view that it was, but this storyline is incredible...reading side by side the lives of a boy and girl caught up in all that.... I really liked getting a chance to be exposed to the boy's tale of growing up under the Nazi influence, I would normally of never read a book if it was just about him and Nazi youth etc, not my interest...I was more interested in the girls story of life in prison camps, but when they are put together it makes for a page turning read...I just cannot get over how she went from prison camps to American junior high school ! She is an amazing person to function normally in society... and the boy...I sympathize with him, that's all he was taught....
2 people found this helpful
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vshatfield
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read. I would suggest a reading requirement for middle school students
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2020
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I would like to think that this horrible time is never forgotten so we will not repeat it. I fear it is already being left out of our history being taught today. Should be a required read for middle school and or high school with open discussion on how they interpret it and how it made them feel.
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Dave Rice
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best histories for kids and for me in years!
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2017
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An excellent way for my 8 year old to gain insight into WWII in Europe. Anne Frank is the standard, but this takes the subject to the next level by enabling empathy and understanding of both sides of this terrible time through the eyes of children she could relate with. This book is truly a gift for anyone that would like to prepare their children with an understanding of what human beings are capable of doing to each other and how the terrible governments can evolve without being challenged.
4 people found this helpful
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PirateScribe
5.0 out of 5 stars A Read Rich in Information About a Difficult Time
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2016
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This is a good first read for people trying to wrap their minds around the Holocaust and WWII in the European theater. It follows the separate journeys of a Hitler Youth and a newlywed Jewish woman. The author ties the two journeys together with historical narration that helps the reader understand the events. At the end of the book, both the erstwhile Hitler Youth and the Jewish woman meet and work to educate the world about Hitler and his enactment of the Final Solution. The information covered in this book lays a foundation for WWII and the Holocaust.
2 people found this helpful
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Le Big Dog
3.0 out of 5 stars Purchased for class use.
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2015
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Required reading for my daughters English class, since she is able to make notes in margin or underline/highlight her personal copy we are satisfied with the purchase. No idea about quality of the writing.
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Baries1
5.0 out of 5 stars Such an Eye opener...must read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2014
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I bought this to read along with my son (he has comprehension problems) I am so glad I got the chance to read it. What an amazing and informative book! For the first time since high school, I felt like WOW!! I've learned so much and made me, a mom of a Freshman, want to do some extra research to go deeper into the Holocaust. Such an eye opener...and a reflection...read this book...please please please..u won't regret it!!!
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Motherof3boys
5.0 out of 5 stars Great entertainment and very eye-opening.
Reviewed in Canada on February 1, 2021
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Great entertainment and very eye-opening.
I bought this book for my father for Christmas. He had it read within a week and enjoyed it. He found he was feeling a little frustrated after realizing a lot that happened however he enjoyed every bit of it
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Myriam
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in India on October 13, 2017
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very interseting
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Puddleglum
5.0 out of 5 stars Parallel Journeys
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 8, 2010
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This is, of course, a children's book, which I bought hoping my grandchildren will read. As such I think it is excellent, giving a clear picture of what it was really like during the war years from two very different perspectives. There are many books that show the horrors of this era from the perspective of the Jews or other persecuted groups - and it is important that we never forget these horrors. But it is also valuable, particularly for our young people, to look at the life of a young Hitler Youth boy, and understand just how easy it was for him to be totally brainwashed into idolising Hitler and equally blinded to the evil he was involved in.
I consider this book to be valuable reading for an adult too. Naturally it is easy reading, but it is also clear and precise, and leaves you feeling you have seen at least a little into the minds of the very real people involved in this shameful period of history, and opens the way for you to look more deeply at these issues if you so desire.
2 people found this helpful
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2222222
1.0 out of 5 stars not for adults
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 10, 2009
Verified Purchase
dont buy this book unless you are 12 years old. sadly this book was on sale in the adult section. it is a child's book, should be in the children's or educational/schools section. i read the first page only, the style is not to an adults taste.
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