"This rich story reminds us that America can be at its best as a melting pot. A page-turner for all the right reasons." —VINCE VAWTER, Newbery Honor–winning author of Paperboy

In this gripping and poignant companion to Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner Black Radishes, Gustave faces racism and anti-Semitism in New York City during World War II, but ultimately finds friendship and hope.

After escaping the Germans in Nazi-occupied France, Gustave and his family have made it to America at last. But life is not easy in New York. Gustave’s clothes are all wrong, he can barely speak English, and he is worried about his best friend, Marcel, who is in danger back in France. Then there is September Rose, the most interesting girl in school, who doesn’t seem to want to be friends with him. Gustave is starting to notice that not everyone in America is treated equally, and his new country isn’t everything he’d expected. But he isn’t giving up.

Julia Ward Howe Honor Award
Sydney Taylor Notable Book
Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year
Junior Library Guild Selection

"I love everything about this poignant story, especially the gorgeous prose, which brings to life such an important slice of American history in a way I haven't seen before. Simply put, this heartfelt book is a masterpiece."-SHANA BURG, author of A Thousand Never Evers and Laugh with the Moon

“The everyday details of the story guide readers, allowing them to enjoy following Gustave’s entry into the United States and his growth toward appreciating all that’s ahead for him in his new home. . . . Strong historical content, rich descriptions, and smart subtleties about the links between history and current events.”—School Library Journal

“Readers may gradually start to think of the characters as close friends. . . . The conflict might feel like it's happening to people the readers have always known. A sweet book that readers will find sneaks up on them.”—Kirkus Reviews

"Well paced with fully realized characters, this provides a textured look at race, refugees, war, and the process of creating a new life."--Booklist

Praise for Black Radishes

A Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winner
A Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year
An Instructor Magazine Best Kids’ Book, Historical Fiction
A Massachusetts Book Award Must-Read Book

“An empowering, suspenseful story of a unique young boy with cunning, patience, and courage.”—Francisco X. Stork, author of Marcelo in the Real World

“A fascinating, deftly gripping tale that reminds readers, young or old, of events we must never forget.”—Zilpha Keatley Snyder, three-time Newbery Honor winner and author of The Egypt Game

Susan Lynn Meyer