The actual story of a little Jewish girl named Hana Brady and a Japanese teacher named Fumiko Ishioka is told in Karen Levine’s book Hana’s Suitcase. The narrative starts when a brown suitcase from Auschwitz is sent to Fumiko, who works at the Tokyo Holocaust Education Resource Center.

Hana’s name, birthdate, and the phrase “Waisenkind,” which translates to “orphan” in German, are written on the luggage. Fumiko decides to learn Hana’s tale because she wants to know who she was.

Hana was born in Czechoslovakia’s Nove Mesto in 1931. She shared a happy home with her older brother, George, and parents, Karel and Marketa. They had a typical existence, having fun and enjoying games. However, the Brady family’s life altered when the Nazis took control.

They had to deal with horrible anti-Semitic policies, and Hana’s father was sent to a concentration camp in 1941.

George and Hana were taken from their mother and sent to the Terezin ghetto shortly after. Despite the difficult circumstances, Hana sought solace in a children’s home where she participated in activities and met friends.

Unfortunately, Hana’s adventure did not stop there; at the age of eleven, she was murdered at Auschwitz after being transferred there.

Fumiko learns about Hana’s life and comes to understand the significance of telling these tales to Japanese youngsters. She shares Hana’s story with students in schools, teaching them the value of empathy and remembering the past.

The novel tells us about the anguish of loss and the need of remembering the Holocaust victims via Hana’s luggage. It serves as a potent reminder of historical lessons by demonstrating how one person’s tale may bridge cultural divides and foster compassion.