Three Jewish teenage students escape from Poland in 1940 before the German occupation is complete. Although reluctant to go, they leave their families behind, anticipating returning to them after the war. This novel focuses on their lives from the moment of their departure from Poland through the time spent in Shanghai, and the uncertainty of where they will be after the war. The main characters endure fear and suffer hardship in their struggle to reach Shanghai. In Shanghai, they become part of the over 20,000 Jews who have sought refuge from the war raging in Europe. With the Japanese occupation and control of Shanghai, the students, as well as the Chinese, suffer intolerable living conditions throughout the war. Memories of family and home help these Jewish students survive. Little do they know that these memories will be all that remains of their life from pre-war Europe. This is the story of the journey of the three students and what will become their future memories.