This book gently draws us into the life of Thea Woolf and into the world of this Jewish nurse who lived and worked in Alexandria, Egypt during World War II. She was born in Germany and trained to be a nurse there. She then served as a nurse in the Jewish hospital in Alexandria for many years. Being in Egypt before and during the war years not only saved her life but also thrust her into a leading role of helping Jewish refugees who came to or through Egypt in their attempt to escape the holocaust.

She relates several stories of people who took part in this fight to save so many lives. These stories are both tragic and uplifting. We discover that Muslims as well as Jews worked together for this cause, that for these caring people human life was more important to them than any religious differences.

... The first half of the story was rich with descriptions of the party and the battle, and took 31 pages to deliver. But I was so disappointed with the cursory and quick ending of the story - Maria's adventure in the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy - which only merited 16 pages. It seemed imbalanced. ...

This is truly a beautiful book. The illustrations are remarkable, and it's as good as the movie. The illustrations really capture your attention, and you feel as if you are there with Maria.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a beautiful edition of The Nutcracker.