When The World Was Ours

A book about finding hope in the darkest of times

By: Liz Kessler

Narrated by: Tom Lawrence, Willow Nash

ONE MOMENT CAN CHANGE A LIFE FOREVER.

‘An exceptional read’ The Sunday Times
‘Vital glimmers of hope enlighten this profoundly poignant book’ Guardian

A powerful and heart-breaking novel about three childhood friends living during the Second World War whose fates are closely intertwined, even when their lives take very different courses. Inspired by a true story, this is the perfect read for fans of The Book Thief and Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl.

Vienna, 1936.

Elsa, Leo and Max have always been best friends, a special team of three. Then the Nazis come.

As a growing darkness descends around them, Leo and Elsa run for their lives, taking two very different paths across Europe. And Max, once their closest friend, now becomes the enemy as he is drawn into the Hitler Youth. Will the friends ever find their way back to each other? Will they want to?

Inspired by a true story, WHEN THE WORLD WAS OURS is an extraordinary novel that is as powerful as it is heartbreaking, and shows how the bonds of love, family and friendship allow glimmers of hope to flourish, even in the most hopeless of times.

Three friends. Two sides. One memory.

Critic reviews

When The World Was Ours is Liz's masterpiece . . . an instant classic (Anthony McGowan, winner of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal)

A wonderful book, half tragedy, but told with such sheer, warm humanity that it leaves you with hope (Hilary McKay)

I haven't read a Holocaust book for children that's better (Charlotte Eyre)

When The World Was Ours is the most wonderful, terrible, powerful, important book I have read in years and years. It is so good, so real, so unflinching (Cathy Cassidy)

When The World Was Ours is an exceptionally powerful book based on Liz’s family’s extraordinary escape from Nazi occupied countries . . . a book I hope will be read and discussed by children everywhere (Francesca Simon)

An absolute masterpiece! (Keren David)

This is a tour de force, a book about friendship and what happens when hate is institutionalised, but most of all it's a book about love (Catherine Johnson)

Utterly, utterly gut-churningly brilliant. It's a superb piece of writing. It should win everything going (Tanya Landman)

This stunning book is going to make you rage, and cry, and yelp with joy, then cry and rage again. A genuine tour de force from Liz Kessler. I couldn’t put it down except to wipe away tears (Joanna Nadin)

This striking Holocaust story was a real passion project for Liz Kessler and it shows. Begins in Vienna in the 1930s, following the fortunes of three friends over the following years. Inevitable ugly crying at the end (Karen McCombie)

When The World Was Ours is a gut-wrenching story of friendship torn apart by war. I can’t recommend it highly enough (Anna Wilson)

An unstoppable read - compassionate, angry and uplifting all at once (Katherine Langrish)

I just finished When The World Was Ours and I'm in tears. I don't think I've ever read anything so powerful, shocking or moving. Such an important book - it truly deserves to fly (Emma Pass)

This book is completely engaging and will engross young (and older) readers . . . it will prove to be very important, and widely read and recommended (Linda Newbery)

The most powerful book about the Holocaust I've ever read . . . it is an utterly stunning, and important, read. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time, and would urge everyone to read it (Kerry Drewery)

Powerful, heartbreaking, thought-provoking and timely. This story of three friends will be etched in my mind for a very long time. What an incredible novel (Emma Perry)

Very moved by the new Liz Kessler novel . . . the story and the story behind it. I wish I was a Costa judge next year as well (John McLay)

Powerful, heart-wrenching (Leila Rasheed)

An exceptional read

A powerful, sombre and moving account

I read it in one sitting. It is heartbreakingly wonderful; a compelling book threaded through with hope that readers can grasp and take forward with them. (Patrice Lawrence)

Excellent

My 12 year old son read the book and loved it. He would read every moment possible. He kept telling me about the story and how good it was. It captured him. I knew I wanted to read it. We had a long road trip for the Thanksgiving and decided to download the book. What a great story. WWII & the Holocaust have always intrigued me. To hear the story about these 3 young friends just makes you wonder more about the paths that so many others had to go through. How many friends became enemies or were made to turn against one another.
The language is appropriate, & I did not have to worry about what was being read.
I highly recommend this book.

You won't want to stop listening.

An excellent story, flawlessly performed. I couldn't stop listening! You'll feel like you are there.