North to Freedom Paperback – 1 Mar 1990

I must have been about 10 years old when I first read North to Freedom, and perhaps 12 years old the 20th time I read it. I am 41 now, and the profound impression this book has left on me has caused me to seek it once again, this time as a gift to my son. What is it about this book that has gripped my imagination for 30 years? There were many facets of this book which were intriguing to me. One of these was the ambiguity of who "they", the bad guys, were. Chalk it up to my young age, but I at times thought the book was an indictment of Nazi Germany, and later thought perhaps it was about life behind the Iron Curtain. The ambiguity told the lesson that evil was evil, regardless the political justification. The book also was attractive as a great adventure. Most preadolescent boys, perhaps, fantasize of having to make it on their own, facing enormous odds, relying on cunning and stealth and courage to protect oneself from the evil "grownups". There was also a romantic interlude in this book, and the prepubescent boy who isn't at least thinking about girls is rare indeed. The interlude climaxed in a brief kiss, which to preadolescent like myself was, at that time, sheer exhiliration. While we boys could not, of course, read a romance novel, an adventure novel such as this was quite acceptable. Then, there was the intensely happy ending, most of which was left to the reader's imagination because it was so abrupt. Young boys still need a happy ending, and this one was spectacularly anticlimactic. I hope my son shares the joy and ponders the triumph over evil so eloquently presented in this book.

My brothers and I came home from elementary school every day for lunch and mum would read to us. I think she must have read I Am David (former title of this book) at least twice as it is still clear in my memory. I wasn't just listening to the story, I was there with David as he travelled, conquered fears, hid, and struggled his way to Denmark. My life consisted of getting through my mornings in order to rush home and keep going with the story. From my safe and warm home in Vancouver, BC, I learned a little bit about compassion, bravery, and determination from this story. Beautifully written. My sons are 9 and 6 and I think not yet ready for this story, but I am ordering it anyway to reread it from an adult perspective. Can't wait!

I read this book for the first time when I was in my teens, in 1980, and have read it many times and loved it ever since. I think this is a book everyone should read, adults and children alike. It can teach you so much about life and about what is really important in that life. David's experiences and struggles are so much more than most of us ever will have to deal with, but his mature, naive, yet extremely wise ways of dealing with things are lessons we could all do well to learn. Read this book. You won't be sorry.

It starts when David, a young teen-ager escapes from a prison camp. He sneaks aboard a ship bound for Italy, and an Italian sailor givers him some bread and water. He starts of on a big advendure to find his mother in Denmark. He earns money from tourists so he can buy bread. He stays with people for a little while, the he leaves. I think it can have happy parts, and very sad parts. I really enjoed the book.

A very beautiful though serious book. David's quest for freedom and his humility in the face of the world where he assumes that he is unimportant and no one cares for him are truly touching. I cried when I read this book. Thankfully, it has a happy ending. Not for very young children, though, because sometimes it is complex and sad/scary, though the author has treated her subject with delicacy.