Vienna, 1938. Two boys, one Jewish, one not, fend for themselves after their parents are taken away by the Nazis. Emil and Karl, best friends, are brave and loyal in a world of persecution and cruelty. The Holocaust has recently been rediscovered by children's authors as a new generation of young people, growing up at an ever greater distance from the reality, risks losing a sense of its horror. But Yankev Glatshteyn's Emil and Karl is an exceptional novel, not just for its raw and compassionate portrayal of what was suffered by the Jews in Austria, but for its historical accuracy. Written in 1940 in Yiddish, this heart-wrenching story of two nine-year-old friends caught up in the earliest tremors of anti-Semitic hatred in Vienna is all the more shocking because its author had no idea of what was still to come. Despite the casual violence done to their families - Karl's parents were socialists and Emil is Jewish - the boys find moments of kindness, courage and hope along their painful journey. Emil & Karl is a moving story of friendship and survival in a time of hate. It will resonate with readers of all ages.

"Like The Diary of Anne Frank, Emil & Karl will stir adults as well as the book's intended audience... a touch of hope to move readers beyond fear." - New York Times Review.

"A stark and brutal portrayal of the darkest hour in human history. Emil & Karl is a must-read." - Matthew Reilly.

"A prophetic and beautifully crafted tale about the power of trust, courage and friendship in dark times." - Arnold Zable