Maw Books

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Passage to Freedom, The Sugihara Story by Ken Mochizuki and illustrated by Dom Lee is not only a wonderful book but it’s based on a wonderful true story that I’m going to say is safe to believe that many people don’t know.  As we learn from the author interview that I conducted with Ken Mochizuki (which will be linked as soon as it goes up), Ken was inspired to write this particular story when he heard the statement, “I didn’t know the Japanese did anything good during World War II.”

Passage to Freedom is a story that illustrates that there were Japanese who did heroic things during World War II.  Told from the point of view of five-year-old Hiroki Sugihara, the eldest son of the Japanese consul to Lithuania, Hiroki and his family were friends to all.  Although Japanese, they were invited to celebrate Hanukkah with their Jewish neighbors.  One early morning in July, Hiroki’s life changes forever when hundreds of people began to crowd around the gate of their front house.

Although young, Hiroki recognized the fear in their eyes and their haggard dress.  As Jews from Poland escaping Nazi soldiers, they had all come to see his father and ask if he would give them visas to be able to officially travel to Japan and from there to another country and ultimately freedom.  There were hundreds of refugees and Hiroki’s father could only issue a few and thus would need permission from his superiors in Japan.  When Japan refused, he asked again and when they refused a second time he said, “I have to do something.  I may have to disobey my government, but if I don’t, I will be disobeying God.”

He spoke to the crowd which continually grew larger and made his decision with these words, “I will issue visas to each and every one of you to the last.  So, please be patient.”  For an entire month, there was a line of Polish Jews at their door.  From early morning to late at night, he issued more than three hundred visas.  When the Germans approached and the Soviets ordered his father to leave, they stayed in a hotel and still continued to write visas.  When it was time for the family to leave, refugee’s slept at the train station in hopes of receiving a visa before he left.  It is said that as the train pulled away, refugees ran alongside the train with Hiroki’s father handing permission papers out the window.  He was that dedicated to saving as many lives as he could.

Hiroki Sughihara wrote the afterword and I found it fascinating.  In 1985, his father received the “Rightous Among Nations” Award from the famous Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem.  He was the first and only Asian to have been given the honor.  In 1992, six years after his death, a monument to his father was dedicated in his birthplace on a hill known as the Hill of Humanity.  He also heard from many “Sugihara survivors” who still had and treasured their visas that saved their lives.

Dom Lee’s monochromatic wax paintings, in which he scratches out the images are wonderful.  It is a style that I have not seen before, but man, it works.  As far as the text goes, the only thing I would be critical about is that I couldn’t find what Hiroki’s father’s name was anywhere.  I wonder how this piece of information is missing?  Or maybe I just missed it somewhere?  Because the story is told from Hiroki’s point of view as a five-year-old I didn’t even notice this until I was writing this review.

I loved discovering this hero of World War II.  I’d highly recommend Passage to Freedom:  The Sugihara Story for all those who would like to newly discover or revisit this amazing story about a man who’s compassion for others is inspiring.

In addition to Passage to Freedom, Ken Mochizuki is also the author of the picture books Be Water, My Friend:  The Early Years of Bruce Lee,  Baseball Saved Us, Heroes, and the young adult novel Beacon Hill Boys.  Ken Mochizuki joins us today in an amazing author interview (I’m biased, I think all of my interviews are amazing, but in this case, it really is amazing!).  Do go read it.  That is after you read my other reviews of his books that will be posted today as well.

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