Although Marek feels sympathy for the Jews he sees inside the Warsaw Ghetto when he accompanies his stepfather on smuggling trips through the sewer, he joins his friends in mugging a Jewish man on the street. When his mother discovers his share of the take, she confides that Marek's father was Jewish. Marek is compelled to find Pan Jozek, the man he mugged, and to attempt to help him in his escape from the area. Marek, Pan Jozek, and Marek's stepfather become involved in one day of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Based on actual events, Marek's story is consistently told from the boy's perspective and is full of action and intrigue while offering a strong moral edge. Co-winner, 1991 CCBC Batchelder Discussion. (Age 13 and older)

The true story of a teenager's experiences in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II, as he discovers his own heritage and finds himself caught up in the war through underground dealings.