Ellen M. Shapiro's The Secret Buttons, brought to life by Caterina Baldi's illustrations, follows 12-year-old Anni and her little sister Rosie as they flee Nazi-occupied Vienna in 1939. Armed with nothing but forged papers, whispered instructions from their mother, and a fierce promise to protect each other, the girls embark on a journey that will test their courage and shape their futures.
Baldi's black-and-white art does more than decorate the pages; it captures the frantic energy of the train station, the breathless tension of border checks, the sisters' secret code charts, and the delicate crocheted buttons hiding precious diamonds.
Baldi also includes Anton Grajek's camp sketches, sharing them honestly without overwhelming the reader. These images transform sweeping historical events into intimate moments, inviting readers—especially the young—to see the world through Anni and Rosie's eyes.
The story bursts open in a storm of fear and hope: packed train platforms, a frantic dash onto a moving train, and two sisters forced to summon courage beyond their years.
Shapiro weaves together the sharp sting of terror with the gentle comforts of childhood—Anni gripping her thermos and knitting, fighting back tears.
Baldi's drawing of the overcrowded carriage lets readers feel the suffocating anxiety closing in. The border inspection scene, where Anni must outwit the officials to protect their forged visas, is a pulse-racing moment, with the illustrations highlighting just how vulnerable and exposed the girls are under watchful eyes.
Arriving in Tuppington, the sisters face a new world of challenges. Their familiar Vienna apartment is lost, replaced by a country house where they are labeled as "domestic workers."
Shapiro paints the daily injustices they endure: restless nights in strange beds, stilted English lessons from a disinterested teenager, and neighbors whose curiosity sometimes curdles into suspicion.
Baldi's illustrations—painted-over street signs, chamber pots, the red-doored cottage—capture these changes with honesty and respect for young readers. Shapiro reminds us that even in safety, being far from home means stumbling, facing unfairness, and slowly learning how to belong.
As the war drags on, the novel transforms into a tale of survival and small comforts.
One unforgettable thread is the sisters' secret postal code, where garden and knitting words become a lifeline, slipping messages past censors to reach their mother. Everyday skills become quiet acts of rebellion.
Baldi's crisp drawings of the code chart invite readers to decode and connect. The girls' ingenuity shines when Anni tucks diamonds inside crocheted button covers, turning simple crafts into clever hiding places. The step-by-step button illustrations keep the story rooted in creativity, making the sisters' courage feel both extraordinary and true.
Anton Grajek's arrival changes the story's tone. As a survivor, his art quietly reveals the pain and hardship he has faced. His sketches of camps and numbered arms are difficult to witness, but Shapiro handles them with care, never sensationalizing.
Baldi's bold, simple images help young readers grasp the horror without overwhelming them. This approach makes the danger tangible and infuses the story with deep emotion. The novel honors Anton by using his art to build understanding and connection rather than simply to shock.
The book balances its weighty moments with warmth: preparing for Passover, forging friendships in the village, and crafting a wedding dress from parachute silk.
These scenes fill the story with hope and humanity. Baldi's illustrations of shared meals and sewing circles reveal how, even in the darkest times, community and creativity can draw people together.
The ending is satisfying without feeling too tidy. Anni and Rosie cross the Atlantic, reunite with their parents, and begin a new chapter in Brooklyn. Their transformation from frightened refugees to self-assured young women feels truly earned.
The final image—a circle of knitters—beautifully weaves together the book's themes of memory, skill, and the quiet power of caring acts in difficult times.
Some side stories remain in the background, and a few minor characters are only sketched, but this choice keeps the spotlight on Anni and Rosie.
Ultimately, The Secret Buttons is a moving and approachable wartime tale. Rooted in real history, it brims with emotion and quiet creativity.
Caterina Baldi's illustrations enrich the story, helping readers of any age imagine the risks, resourcefulness, and courage that propel the sisters onward. This is a book worth sharing.
The book closes with a glossary and acknowledgements that provide essential historical context, grounding the fiction in real events and personal inspiration.
The dictionary defines key terms like Ostmark (Nazi Germany's renaming of Austria), Judenrein (Nazi term for "free of Jews"), Kindertransport (rescue operation for Jewish children), Domestic Worker Visas (a real U.K. program exploited for escape), Luftwaffe (German air force), Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers), Anderson shelter (backyard bomb shelters), and stricken-klatsch (Vienna knitting circle), alongside explanations of coded language, forged documents, and camp tattoos.
A timeline of key moments traces events from the 1938 Anschluss to the 1941 U.S. arrival, while the bibliography lists sources like refugee memoirs and wartime pamphlets.
The acknowledgements reveal the story's roots in Shapiro's mother's memories of fleeing Vienna at age 12 with her sister, crediting family anecdotes, Holocaust historians, and illustrator Caterina Baldi for authenticity.
Follow Here To Read Norm's Interview With Ellen Shapiro