Corrie’s memoir of life in the Netherlands during the Nazi occupation is both inspiring and harrowing; the faith and hope shared by Corrie, her sister Betsie, and her father Casper, permeate the pages and touch even the tragedies with triumph.
At the time I read The Wheel on the School I had no idea I’d ever have the chance to visit Holland, but reading it tripled my enjoyment of that day, and I derived so much pleasure seeing the storks and the their babies in the nest and the welcome the Dutch still gave to them as seen by the intentionality of having wheel-shaped tripods near their houses. Now I always think back to this experience when I think of the power of stories to connect us to their settings, especially when we have the opportunity to travel and see the landscapes for ourselves.