Jordana's first review of "The Devil's Arithmetic"

The "Devil Arithmetic" is a fictional Holocaust novel written by Jane Yolen. It is about Hannah, a twelve year old jewish girl who is unsatisfied with her religion. She would much rather celebrate ester than passover, and does not understand her Holocaust surviving relatives. At her families cedar, when Hannah opens the door for Elisha the profet, she is time traveled to a jewish home in 1942. There she meets Gilt and Shmuel, brother and sister who know her as Chaya, and believe her to be there ill orphaned niece, who moved in with them from a far away town. Hanna who is in shock goes a long with it, sure that she would wake up. The next day Shmuel is getting married, so Hannah and her new family walk through the wood to the wetting at the town synagogue. As she walks she meets girls her own age and tell them about twenty first century New York, where she live as Hannah. As she talks to her new friend, Hannah realizes that she is lossing herself in Chaya. When they get to the synagogue there are big black cars waiting for them and Hannah realizes that they are Nazis, and that she is going to be taken away.

My mother read this book to me when I was in second grade, so I had the idea to re-read it to get a different perspective on it. I was saddened to find that it was not as I remembered, it is a relatively easy read, and the begging is down right annoying. Push through the begging though and it gets a lot better. I you have never read a Holocaust book before this would be a great book to star with. I am yet to get to the gory parts of the novel so wish me luck.