Good Books For Children and Teenagers To Read

File: The Seer and The Sword.jpg (36KB, 308x474px) Image search: [Google]

36KB, 308x474px

Hey /lit/, I need some help. I like to read to my children before I they and I go to bed. Recently, I've been reading books from my childhood growing up that I've enjoyed (pic related). However, there was one book that I immensely enjoyed that I forgot the name of. To me, it felt like it portrayed hope in a bleak world perfectly. I remember some things about it, but I can't remember the title. I was hoping you guys can help me remember it and/or recommended your personal favorites growing up. Thank you for your time.

What I remember from about this particular book:

>Pretty sure it was based off a true story.
>Set in the Holocaust.
>MC separates from his mother during the winter when trying to escape via train.
>Flees to the Middle East on his own (I think, Idk for sure and where exactly).
>Survives for a while.
>Joins a band of kids/teenagers that work together to survive.
>Band enjoys riding trains and I think they act like the world is theirs?
>Leader is a male teenager who becomes a mentor for the MC, firm but kind and compassionate.
>Leader has a close female friend that acts sorta like a big caring sister to the MC.
>Heavily implied female was raped and impregnated by sinister chef for scraps of food.
>It's implied Leader killed the chef for revenge and fled with female.
>MC's life goes on: occasionally thinks about them (imagines them riding trains enjoying the world) and at this point has developed into a kindly realistic surviving vagrant.
>Eventually reunites with his family after traveling the world for a while.
>Epilogue states he tried to live a normal life again with his family, but he has severe wanderlust and occasionally goes on minor journeys because school is too boring for him.
>In the beginning of the book, he had a childish fear of growing up short (especially with the circumstances trying to survive the Holocaust) but in the epilogue the book ends (I think) with it stating he grew up into a tall man.