A heartbreaking yet powerful memoir of a girl who survived the Holocausts. We see the world through the eyes of a child as she goes through her childhood with us.

Becoming Janet is a powerful memoir that chronicles the harrowing journey of a young Jewish girl named Gustawa Singer during the Holocaust. Applefield, now Janet, recounts her experiences in Nazi-occupied Poland, where she was forced to live a hidden life under a new identity.

The book's strength lies in its unflinching portrayal of Gustawa's childhood. We see the world through the eyes of a young girl, experiencing the constant fear and uncertainty of hiding in plain sight. Applefield doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of war, but her narrative is surprisingly devoid of bitterness. Instead, it pulsates with a quiet resilience that underscores Gustawa's remarkable will to survive.

One of the most captivating aspects of the story is the constant shifting of identities. Gustawa sheds her true self, becoming Janet, a Catholic girl, a transformation that blurs the lines between reality and performance. This constant reinvention adds a layer of psychological tension, making the reader acutely aware of the fragility of Gustawa's fabricated life.

Becoming Janet is more than just a survival story. It's a testament to the kindness of strangers. While the book portrays the horrors of war, it also sheds light on the bravery of those who risked their lives to protect a young girl. These moments of compassion offer a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness.

The book is not without its drawbacks. Some readers might find the writing style a bit straightforward at times. However, this simplicity allows the raw power of Gustawa's story to shine through.

Overall, Becoming Janet is a must-read for anyone interested in the Holocaust or stories of resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity. It's a harrowing yet inspiring account that serves as a powerful reminder of the human spirit's capacity for courage and survival.

"Becoming Janet" by Janet Singer Applefield is a memoir of the author's experience as a child survivor of the Holocaust. Growing up in a small town in Poland surrounded by her extended family, the book opens with vignettes from the few years of idyllic happiness before Hitler's invasion in 1939 when she was just 4 years old. The book goes on to chronicle her experiences through the duration of the war including how her parents made the difficult decision to leave her in the care of a Polish nanny while they split up to try to ensure at least one parent would survive to find her after the war. Her fair complexion allowed her to pass convincingly as non-Jewish, and there were a number of different families that cared for her over the years while she kept her true identity a secret. After the war ended she was placed in an orphanage for Jewish children that was frequently attacked and forced to change locations. Eventually her father was miraculously reunited with her and found a way to immigrate to America and begin a new chapter of their lives together.

The story of her wartime experiences are bookended by a first and last chapter describing her experience giving talks to students at middle/high schools. Since this is an expanded version of the author's school presentation, it is suitable reading for older middle schoolers or high school age teens, as well as worthwhile reading for any adult audience. I read the whole book in one day because I found the story so gripping and powerfully told.

As the years run out on having living Holocaust survivors, it is so important that their stories are recorded for future generations in books like this for future generations to read and learn from. Now more than ever it is critical that the insidious lies of anti-semitism are exposed and dismantled.

*DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC of this book from Cypress House/Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) through NetGalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*

This is a superbly written firsthand account of the Holocaust as experienced by a child.

I appreciated that the author wrote her experiences in a way that made sense with regards to the age she was at the time she experienced them. It's common to look about on our life and allow our adult knowledge color our experiences - Janet didn't do that. It adds to the confusion/terror that the Holocaust brought upon her.

It's a book I'll have my daughter read soon.

(Thanks NetGalley for the ARC and thank you, Janet, for sharing your life with us.)

The author writes about the horrors of the Holocaust in a matter-of-fact style that is engaging and easy to read. Students will be caught up in this autobiography of a Holocaust survivor while learning about a different aspect of the Holocaust - one that takes place outside the concentration camps but is no less horrifying.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

As a Jew, I read a lot of Holocaust non-fiction. Every experience is different and it’s important to me to learn what happened to my people and to hear their stories. I really loved this story b/c there were more happy moments than sad. These Righteous Gentiles knew the risk they were taking by hiding a Jewish child in plain sight, but they risked it anyways, b/c they knew what evil awaited the Jewish people and were determined to fight back. The kindhearted people that helped hide her during the war were so loving and gentle, just absolutely the purest souls. Those who weren’t kind, well… maybe they took their own anger and frustration out on a small child, which was wrong, but people don’t always act right. It’s heartbreaking to see how many people in her family don’t come back after the war, but you’re grateful she doesn’t lose everyone, like some people did. This is a tender and touching book told from a child’s perspective and it’s absolutely worth reading.

Excellent book! This is one Holocaust story that kept me captivated from beginning to end that I read it in one day. I highly recommend this book for everyone, especially in these times when anti-semitism is so prevalent among a newer generation. We should all be ashamed if the lessons that can and should be learned from Janet Applefield’s autobiography should ever be repeated. I highly recommend this book for everyone!

A vitally important piece of literature that not only goes in depth into the story of one girls survival but also the crucial importance of witness testimony and the necessity of future generations to listen and absorb what is and has been shared. Time witnesses are precious and the work Janet Singer Applefield does is important both within and outside of the book.

What I really enjoyed was that this was written in a way that was very accessible and easy, never bloated or condescending. The horrors are obviously hard to read about but the way it’s written is captivating. The story is well structured and the part where she includes questions at the end is clever.

I really appreciate the amount of time that had gone into to making it clear that just because the war ended it did not mean antisemitism ended. The stories after the war speaks of immeasurable tragedy and pain - and I think that can easily be lost sight of in normal education about WW2 and the holocaust.

Applefield is skilled at telling her story, writing in a way that allows the reader to comprehend fully what happened and at showing how instability affects the body and mind.

Becoming Janet starts with a name. Stays with another. And ends on a third. A book I would absolutely recommend to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Reading about children who have survived the Holocaust is difficult and this book is no different. But the message is so important.
While I enjoyed this book over, the writing seemed choppy to me. Some parts flowed but others felt too stilted.

"Becoming Janet: Finding Myself in the Holocaust" is one of the most breathtaking books I've read in years.

It follows Gustawa, who is a small child in Poland at the outbreak of WWII. She manages to survive with her Jewish family until her parents have to do the unthinkable- send her away while they are forced into Jewish ghettos and worse. Gustawa the goes through many changes- and identities- through the duration and aftermath of WWII.

I've read many Holocaust memorial books, but none like this. Janet's story is unlike any I have ever heard and chronicles her time hiding under a new identity from the powers that want her dead. I really wasn't aware of the specific challenges Janet faced, but the way in which she tells her story is captivating. I couldn't put her story down and it has stayed with me even after reading. Images as simple as the importance of a torn up teddy bear and an old handkerchief mean the world to a little girl, and to see the journey of those items amongst the backdrop of pure hate is a mesmerizing lesson on life. It is an essential read for anyone wanting to understand the Holocaust from a different perspective.

The atrocities that happened before, during, and after WWII are the most devastating events humans have ever seen and done. Janet's story is essential to understanding how that happened and to ensure that none of it will ever happen again. Janet's story is powerful, relatable, and will absolutely make a lasting impact on your life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. #BECOMINGJANET #NetGalley

What a wonderful book…
True story of a Holocaust survivor from Poland. The woman who would become Janet was born into a loving, doting family. Everything changed for her and her family when Adolph Hitler invaded Poland and unleashed his plans to eliminate Jews. This child was bumped around to different people from the age of seven in an attempt to save her, but not everyone had her best interests at heart. Her own adult cousin was downright evil, in fact. Through everything, “Janet” survived, mainly by keeping her head down and being a good girl, as her mother had taught her. Now in her eighties, this brave , resilient lady visits schools to deliver her message about the terrible damage that hate can cause, to young people. She has assembled her story into book form now, and I think it needs to be in all classrooms, everywhere.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

I am a big reader of WWII history and was excited to get this one.
I found it just ok, though, because it felt very rushed and not fleshed out story-wise.
I think it would have been better if there were more details. It kind of felt like a bullet point timeline, if I am honest. The opportunity is there for such a rich storytelling experience!!!!!
Also I don't know if this is just because it was an ARC but my Kindle only showed captions of pictures and not the pictures themselves which was kind of a bummer.

We must never forget the Holocaust, and how it came to happen. This memoir will stay with me. And on behalf of all those who perished, and those who are left to carry the memories of their loved ones, may all their memories be a blessing.

A deeply moving, yet uplifting story of the little girl who was hidden from the Nazis during the war and how she moved to America with her father, who fortunately survived the concentration camps. She decided to change her name when she arrived in the US, so she fitted in better. Her choice of Jeanette became Janet.

gripping and eye-opening account of the holocaust. i find it so special that she keeps her dads name alive and recalls his accounts of this time so perfectly.

Becoming Janet

Gustawa Singer survived the Jewish Holocaust in Poland during WWII because she had green eyes and blonde hair. She had “a good look”’ a non-Jewish look. She was attached to other families under different names, and managed to slip undetected from one location to another until the war was over. How she survived the war, came to the U.S. and started a new life makes interesting reading.

Okay, this book was amazing. I loved hearing the author's story, which had so much emotion and was so enthralling. I loved seeing how everything played out in the end. I'm so glad the author decided to share her history, because I think everyone who hears or reads it will be better for it.

Janet Singer Applefield's story is a tale of resilience against adversities: growing up Jewish in pre-WWII Poland, she didn't know that her life and the life of her family would be upended by the events to come. Janet's parents leave her to the care of their relatives, having the reassurance that her looks will protect her in plain sight. She is in fact blond with fair skin, physical traits prised by the Nazi regime. By a mix of favourable odds and the bravery and generosity of neighbours and strangers, Janet will survive the horrible tragedy that rocked Europe.

Written with such an empathetic and gentle voice, which doesn't diminish the brutality of the events, it is no surprise that Janet Singer Applefield is an educator who shares her Holocaust testimony in schools. This is how we find her at the very beginning of Becoming Janet: ready to speak to the next generation. Because to prevent history from repeating itself, we must never forget.

Spanning from her earliest memories with her family just before the outbreak of war in Europe to the aftermath of WWII and her new future, Applefield shades light on a topic that is not often discussed: the loved ones left behind.

Moving from the care of different relatives and strangers, Janet will forget what stability and safety felt like. Once her ordeal will be over and she is reunited with her dad, she will need time to heal from the trauma of the war.

Even when the traumatic events seem to be over, life is far from returning to normal. Just because the occupation of her country has ended, hatred has not disappeared. She will be constantly faced with a sense of insecurity and alienation in a country that stripped her of everything she had.

My Thoughts

Even though the story of this young and brave survivor may seem purely traumatic, there are uplifting moments that give us a sense of hope and faith in humankind. The entire book revolves around brave people who made courageous choices: no matter how dangerous and life-threatening choosing the right thing to do might be, it can make all the difference. It did for Janet, and many others. Applefield brings her experience to young people not just to give voice to those who don't have one, but also to let the next generation know that they have a choice: stand up to discrimination and injustice, or be complicit.

Something else that I found particularly interesting in this book is the description of life for Jewish people after WWII: just because the war is over, hatred will not stop overnight. This sad reality is apparent, but it's also rarely discussed. Of the few testimony that I read, not many delve into the details of how life changed, especially for those who continued to be persecuted just for their "diversity", and the remnants of the Nazi agenda.

In line with the book's goals and origins, at the end of it, readers will find questions designed to stimulate reflection and discussion, whether individually or in a classroom setting.

I started reading this book in the evening and could not put it down until I reached the last page. It's that kind of book. Janet has storytelling down to a tee and it very artfully flows. So high points for readability and story.

But what a story this is. I've read books about the Holocaust and books from Holocaust survivors. This is a crucial genre because their stories simply can't be forgotten and are relevant to our current world. Janet practically casts a spell on her audience with this one and her story is so unusual. It gives us an entirely different point of view and even for those of us who are well read on the Holocaust, it brings up some new and different perspectives--that of a child who was hidden and passed around for her own safety, but not necessarily in a caring way. The reader can imagine the fear and the puzzlement she must have had. This is a story that children could potentially relate to in different ways and it is a story that should find its way into many many classrooms much as Janet herself has. One has to greatly admire what she has achieved in her life. It could have been so very different.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I want to see it on on the shelf in every school library.

I rarely read biographies, and I’m usually hesitant about Holocaust stories, but this one attracted me on the Netgalley pages because of the cover, and also because it was in the Teens and YA category. Janet Singer Applefield is an Holocaust survivor who made it her mission to tell her childhood story to kids in Massachussetts schools, in order to let them understand the realities behind what is taught to them in history textbooks. She arrived in the US in 1947 at age 12, but her story is nothing short of a miracle.

She was born Gustawa Singer in a well-to-do Jewish family in a small town of Poland. The invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany destroyed the happiness of her childhood. The life of the family became more and more difficult until her parents took in 1942 the most heart-wrenching decision: they decided to split ways to get more chances at survival and to give their daughter away to strangers so that she would hide under a new identity. A pretty blond girl, she took the Christian name of Krystyna and was passed from stranger to stranger. She suffered loss after loss, and nearly lost herself in the years of hardships. Janet Applefield does not conceal how her experience showed the best and worst in people she met in those years. Relatives were not the ones who were the most humane, and at times random strangers saved her life.

I devoured the book in two days. Janet’s memories are told in a very straightforward way. The most shocking parts were perhaps the renewed hatred and antisemitism and attacks she faced after the end of the war from the hands of Polish people. Even if the Holocaust was over, her hardships were not. No wonder that she emigrated as soon as she could. Even as she has very clear messages to give to the newer generations in terms of choosing courage and tolerance and human decency, I felt that it was not heavy-handed because she shows in concrete terms what those values meant in a terrible context. I hope that the book will find its way into the hands of many teens and young adults.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book for review consideration.