Sylvia Zipper is a 14 year old Jewish girl living in Poland during the Holocaust. She hides from the Nazis with her large family in the attic of generous Mrs. Simon, however the small cramped space is too much for Sylvia. With her older sister Cassie in tow, Sylvia sneaks out into the woods to simply be able to breathe in fresh air. Sylvia manages to hide from the Nazis in the bushes, but she sees her older sister get dragged away in front if her eyes, and there's nothing she can do about it. Fearing for her safety, Sylvia's mom sends her off to live in America. This is the story of Sylvia Zipper, the diary of a Holocaust survivor.