Lily Renée, Escape Artist
From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
In 1938, Lily Renée Wilheim is a 14-year-old Jewish girl living in Vienna. Her days are filled with art and ballet. Then the Nazis march into Austria, and Lily's life is shattered overnight. Suddenly, her own country is no longer safe for her or her family. To survive, Lily leaves her parents behind and travels alone to England.
Escaping the Nazis is only the start of Lily's journey. She must escape many more times—from servitude, hardship, and danger. Will she find a way to have her own sort of revenge on the Nazis? Follow the story of a brave girl who becomes an artist of heroes and a true pioneer in comic books.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Renowned comics historian Robbins pens this biography of Lily Rene , an artist who was one of only a few women to work in the comic book industry in the 1940s. Raised in a wealthy Jewish family in Vienna, Rene escaped to England from Nazi-occupied Austria when she was 14 years old. Most of the book recounts Rene 's time in England as she's turned into an unpaid servant by her host family, works as a nanny and nurse's assistant, and endures the blitz. When she is finally able to join her parents in the United States, she uses her drawing skills to find work, eventually landing in comics and drawing pulp comics featuring bold, beautiful heroines. The story is told in a less than dramatic fashion, however. More space is given to Rene attempting to mop a kitchen floor than finding shelter during the blitz and being witness to its aftermath, for example. Characters' expressions and body language are kept simple. Extras include a German glossary, a brief history of the time in which Rene 's story takes place, explanations of period details, and photographs of Rene and her family, which provide needed real-world texture. Ages 9 12.
