*The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue by Elizabeth Brown

The World Entire tells the little-known story of the Portuguese diplomat who rescued almost 30,000 refugees during World War II.

*The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue by Elizabeth Brown, illustrated by Melissa Castrillon. Chronicle, 2025. 68 pages.

• Reading Level: Picture books, ages 8-10
• Recommended For: Ages 4-12

Aristides de Sousa Mendes was born to privilege; he owned a large estate in his native Portugal where he lived a comfortable life with his wife and their many children (a total of 14). A large part of every year he spent in Bordeaux, France, where he served his country as a diplomat, mainly reviewing and granting visas. Life was delightful until the late 1930s, when disturbing reports began coming out of Germany. Too soon, the disturbance was more than a report. As Hitler’s army rolled over Poland, Belgium, and the Netherlands and pushed into France, refugees began pressing against the borders, desperate to escape to neutral territory.

Aristides’ government was not interested in receiving refugees. But while wandering the streets of Bordeaux a sense of responsibility grew on him, especially after befriending a rabbi who told him what the Nazis were doing to Jews. Aristides offered visas to the man’s family, but the rabbi shook his head. “There are many others who need your help.” After wrestling with the matter for three days, Aristides made up his mind: he would sign visas to anyone who asked him, whether they had passports or not.

It’s estimated that Sousa Mendes rescued upwards of 30,000 people from the Nazis, and it cost him his job, his estate, and his freedom when he was finally stopped and sentenced to prison. He is one of the “righteous gentiles” honored by Israel for heroic efforts to save the Jews, and his story is worth knowing. But the presentation is outstanding; the style of this picture book harkens back to classic illustrators of the Burton and Gág era, with symbolic representations sharing space with realism. The text is suited to children as young as five or six, though they may need some historical background to appreciate the setting.

Considerations: None

Bottom Line: A beautiful appreciation of a quiet and unassuming World War II hero.

Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader

• Reviews: For other true stories of righteous Gentiles, see Nicky & Vera, The Hiding Place Graphic Novel, and Hidden Hope.
• Review: The Faithful Spy also uses symbolic representation to tell a dramatic story related to World War II.
• Reflection: Which version of The Diary of Anne Frank is the best?

You can purchase The World Entire from Amazon.