Rosanne Tolin’s middle grade novel FREEDOM’S GAME (Reycraft Books, 2024) follows Ziggy and Elka, two Jewish children hidden in a French orphanage during WWII. Separated from their families and fearful but hopeful about the future, they become fast friends. Ziggy and Elka must be on guard, especially with a teacher they are not sure they can trust. Inspired by true events, FREEDOM’S GAME is an engaging, emotive story with essential themes of hope, strength, and the power of friendship.
Welcome, Rosanne!
Your novel, FREEDOM’S GAME, is about two Jewish kids who find refuge in France during WWII and is based on actual events. How did you balance historical events with your fictional narrative?
The fictional narrative is really a vehicle to drive the true, historical account. Because FREEDOM’S GAME is a book for middle grade readers, telling it through the lens of an adult wasn’t an option. Children are a big part of the story—since the novel takes place in an orphanage where refugee children reside—therefore, they were organically present already! Originally, the story was told solely through Elka’s POV, but speaking of balance, I felt adding Ziggy as a second POV (and equally integral part of the story) was a great way to show the push and pull between who to trust…and who not to. From there, the significant events were all based on real ones, and the plot revealed itself.
The main characters in your story, Elka and Ziggy, have a lot of agency over their survival. Why did you choose to tell their story this way?
As I mentioned prior, my two main protagonists—with pretty opposite personalities—help steady each other. When Elka is feeling anxious, Ziggy calms her nerves. Likewise, when Ziggy is skeptical, Elka’s cheerful outlook helps boost his own. In this way, they both manage to deal with their difficult circumstances. If they didn’t take some matters into their own hands, like discerning who to trust, life would be way more unbearable.
I think their sleuthing is believable, in part, because their parents aren’t around to stop them from sneaking about. Giving them this kind of agency over their fate makes them relatable to readers. Middle grade kids are thinking critically about their own place in the world; a book like FREEDOM’S GAME shows them they should never give up. There’s always hope, even in the darkest of times.
Can you tell me a bit about your research process? What sparked your interest in Georges Loinger, who is featured in the story?
I did do a great deal of research to get the story right, especially since it’s based on Georges’ real-life circumstances. Historical accuracy is one thing, but I also love going down all the rabbit holes and finding unique details that make a story come to life. You might not be aware of it when you’re reading a book, especially if the author is an especially good writer—but it’s tiny things that make a novel truly sing.
Before writing a first draft, I scoured hundreds of pages of books and hours of Holocaust documentaries, particularly about refugee children living in chateaus in France during the war. I also watched several taped interviews and corresponded with incredible resources like the United States Holocaust Museum and the Library of Congress. I even got in touch with one of my college English professors from way back. I wanted to know what children during WWII—in particular, those hiding in the chateaus—might have known (or not known) about concentration camps. Since he heads up the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism at Indiana University, he was an especially good source for that kind of information. Once I felt the true events were in place that would propel the plot of the novel—and that I could authentically reflect the world inside and outside of the orphanage—I could concentrate on the little stuff. That was a lot of fun. I took poetic license with some details, but everything I wrote is rooted in real life.
For instance, I Googled things like, “What kind of candy would a young child have eaten in Germany in 1936?” The answer I found was “Riesen Candies”. So those became Ziggy’s favorite sweet treats. That is, apart from his mother’s homemade confections.
Are there any interesting anecdotes you learned about that didn’t make it into the book?
Not really, because those things that didn’t make it into the novel itself, are further explored in my Author’s Note. That’s where I really lay out how closely the novel’s scenes and characters match factual events and people.
What do you hope your readers take away from Elka and Ziggy and their story?
I want readers to know how courageous they truly are. God willing, they won’t ever find themselves in circumstances remotely like Elka’s and Ziggy’s, but they’re still capable of more than they might realize. Bravery doesn’t always mean surviving big, drastic situations prevalent during wartime. It can mean everyday strength and empowerment: standing up to hate, for instance. Right now, that’s more critical than ever!
If children learn to love and understand those who look or act different from themselves—or have a difference in beliefs, or customs, or language—the world would be a more peaceful, prosperous place for everyone. I sincerely hope FREEDOM’S GAME shares that underlying message with a wide swath of kids.
Covers are so important for novels. What were your thoughts when you first saw Vali Mintzi’s cover art?
It was love at first sight. I always knew there’d be a soccer ball on the cover, and I adore how Vali depicts its movement, all the way to the back of the book jacket. The illustration of Elka and Ziggy is so accessible without being overly abstract—this is just how I picture them! Her use of paper cut art for their figures is especially unique.
Over time, the cover changed quite a lot. Initially, the grass was deep green, and the background was solid white. The gold and blue cover didn’t come to be, until the last minute. Those are marketing decisions, and I’m happy with how it really pops.
I’m grateful to have had such a talented artist to work with, to make my characters come to life!
Thank you, Rosanne!
Rosanne Tolin was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and is the author of More Than Marmalade: Michael Bond and The Story Of Paddington Bear. An experienced and respected journalist, her work has focused primarily on children’s publications. She was the creator of an ALA-notable website for kids, the managing editor of a children’s magazine, and a Hoosier State Press Award-winning features writer. Rosanne lives in Chesterton, Indiana, with her husband. When not working, she can be found hiking with her dogs in the Indiana Dunes or Colorado’s Tenmile Range.