Leon Leyson, the main character of the book, started his story in a small village in Poland. Life was easy and joyful for Leyson, with summer days playing in the river with friends; however, at eight, Leon and his family moved to Krakow. The move was an experience for Leon in the beginning, but when the war began, life became stressful for him and his family. Then the Germans invaded Poland, Leyson's father decided that it would be safe to leave his wife and children in Krakow. A short time later, Leon's father was arrested and held in a local prison for several weeks, resulting with the family famished and in debt. The remaining Jews were transferred to a closed off ghetto at the edge of the city. The ghetto was so crowded that there were
