Wunschkind portrays Liesel Appel's themes in simple language. Themes of love, betrayal and deception are played out in a narrative especially designed to engage "tweens" and adolescent girls, but still offering mature readers a glimpse of the pain the author experienced, when her idealized view of life in Germany in the mid-twentieth century were destroyed. Wumschkind clearly captures the vulnerability and eagerness of a young girl, caught in th realization of one of history's most grievous eras.