Most Popular Books by Sonia Levitin

Marcus and his classmates learn about the terrible problem of slavery in present-day Sudan and raise money to help buy the freedom of some of the slaves. Alternate chapters tell the stories of the slaves.

A sixteen-year-old boy living in 2407 collides with the past when he finds himself in Strasbourg in 1348 confronting the anti-Semitism that sweeps through Europe during the Black Plague.

A summer in paradise. That''s all Marne wants. That''s all she can think of when she asks her parents permission to spend the summer in Hawaii with Aunt Carole and her family. But Marne quickly realizes her visit isn''t going to be just about learning to surf and morning runs along the beach, despite the cute surfer boy she keeps bumping into. For one thing, Aunt Carole isn''t even Aunt Carole anymore—she''s Aunt Chaya, married to a Chasidic rabbi and deeply rooted in her religious community. Nothing could be more foreign to Marne, and fitting into this new culture—and house full of kids—is a challenge. But as she settles into her newfound family''s daily routine, she begins to think about spirituality, identity, and finding a place in the world in a way she never has before. This rich novel is a window into a different life and gets to the very heart of faith, identity, and family ties.

Fifteen-year-old Desta belongs to a small, isolated mountain community of Ethiopian Jews. She and her brother and sister leave their aunt and uncle and set out on the long and dangerous trip to freedom -- an airlift from the Sudan to Israel, the Promised Land. They travel barefoot, facing hunger, thirst and bandits. "Vivid and compelling...Levitin''s tour de force is sensitively written." BOOKLIST. An ALA 1987 Best Book for Young Adults.

A beautifully repackaged 50th anniversary edition of Sonia Levitin’s powerful classic story about a young Jewish girl forced to flee her home, winner of the National Jewish Book Award. In 1938, Lisa Platt and her family know something dangerous is happening in Germany. Lately, there have been more and more restrictions for Jews: yellow stars they have to wear, schools they cannot attend, things they are forbidden to do. When their neighbors are arrested for petty reasons, the Platts realize they have to escape. Forbidden to bring money or possessions out of the country, Lisa’s father secretly leaves for America, planning to work until he can send for them. But when conditions in Germany worsen, Lisa, her mother, and her sisters flee to Switzerland to wait, surviving on what little they have in a continent hurtling toward war. Inspired by Sonia Levitin’s own experience of fleeing Germany as a child, this moving novel chronicles one family’s bravery in the face of aggression and apathy.

Escaping from Hitler''s Germany, a prosperous Jewish family lives in a New York City tenement until Papa decides to move the family to California. Sequel to Journey to America..

Annie''s Promises is Sonia Levitin''s unforgettable work of historical fiction. As a young refugee from Nazi Germany, Annie Platt seizes the opportunity to attend Quaker Pines, a camp for people of many different backgrounds. The conclusion to Levitin''s series about the Platt family, German Jewish refugees, is a "solidly crafted novel." (Publisher''s Weekly)

Laurel Wang knows that the ghost of her beloved great-grandfather lives in the oak tree outside her house. But now her grandparents are arriving from China, and the family must move to a bigger place, leaving the protective spirit behind. Twelve-year-old Jonathan and his family are moving into Laurel''s house -- and he''s not too happy either. He''s living with a stepfather he can''t stand and a dog he didn''t choose; now he has to say goodbye to his old neighborhood and his wonderful Uncle Jake. But moving blues soon give way to angry ghosts, fortune cookies that predict the future, and a very scary accident, as the two teenagers with very different backgrounds join together to investigate a mystery and in the process discover something remarkable about each other.

Each paperback in this series features a trio of fictional stories highlighting a moment in American history. Troubled Times contains three stories focusing on the Great Depression. In The Lucky Star a girl helps her sister and other children learn to read when their school is closed. Rudy Rides the Rails features a boy living the hobo life. In Junk Man''s Daughter, a family struggles after moving to the United States.

After winning an ordinary dish at a local carnival, a thirteen-year-old is catapulted into a terrifying world of psychic phenomena where she discovers some shocking truths about her own past.

Casssidy Keaton earns good grades, has lots of friends and a good home life. But having spent two weeks at summer camp, she begins her junior year a little bored -- and a little restless. Ken Farquar had "fallen" for Cassidy at camp. Still, he''s not sure he really fits in with her crowd -- and he''s not sure he wants to anyway. Right now, all he knows is that he wants to be with Cassidy. But one moonlit night, everything in their lives changes. While partying with their friends, Cassidy and Ken stumble upon a dead body. Suddenly, they are faced with the toughest decision of their lives. Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery.

Leni describes her senior year of high school during which things at home, at school, and in her personal life happen with heightened intensity.

Even before they immigrate to America, Hanna and her family dream of the new life they will have there. "You will see, Hanna," Papa said. "There are streets of gold." But when they arrive, they find life very different from what they had imagined. Their apartment is small and Hanna and her brothers must sleep on a mattress on the floor. Mama spends her days knitting shawls and sweaters to sell on the streets but no one stops to buy. And Papa can find no work. Hanna looks everywhere for the gold Papa promised them but it is not to be found. What will happen to their dream of a new, better life in America? One day a seemingly insignificant find on a slushy street leads to an opportunity for a brighter future. And like many others before them, Hanna and her family realize that through small steps and hard work they can make their American dream come true.

Amanda travels by stagecoach with her four siblings and her mother from Missouri to California to join her father.

Having once had his heart broken, Jack keeps it in a bucket safe from harm until one day a young maiden asks him to solve a riddle which teaches him the true meaning of love.

In 1860, fourteen-year-old Clem Fontayne learns from fellow travelers about important topics of the day, including the Mormon migration, slavery, and the Pony express, as he journeys from Missouri to California in search of his father.

Describes the events in Cynthia''s life as she tries to prove she can provide a good home for the school''s pet rat.

Jacov, a slow boy, is given the special honor of "blowing the shofar (ram''s horn)" on the Jewish high holy days.

Kangaroo learns the proper way to behave on the first day of school.