"Janet Singer Applefield’s book, Becoming Janet: Finding Myself in the Holocaust is an incredible story that is more compelling than any fiction.  I stayed up all night to read it. But it is more than just a story of one young child’s experience of the horrors of the Holocaust. It also exemplifies both humanity’s cruelty and kindness and challenges us all to choose between the two."

“Before she became Janet, she was a child named Gustawa. A happy pampered little girl that lived in a small Polish town surrounded by the mountains. The Holocaust destroyed her family and put an abrupt end to her childhood idyll. Of the hundreds of Jewish children playing around the streets of the town before the war, she was the only child to return after the war. This book is a beautifully and movingly written story of her incredible rescue. It is also -  or, perhaps, above all -  a story about how, and to what extent, other people's decisions, fueled by hatred, lack of empathy and fear or, on the contrary, inspired by boundless love, compassion and courage, can alter the fate of another or shape their ultimate identity.”

"How does an innocent child, who at an early age learned that survival meant being  “…as invisible as possible…,” find the courage and commitment to speak for those who no longer can? Beautifully written, Becoming Janet, was an emotional book to read. At regular intervals, I had to step away to weep for this child who would lose so much. Her story, however,  is not only one of loss and survival but also one of experiencing both happiness and sorrow at the same time. When she and her father are joyfully reunited with her uncle on the docks of New York she also acknowledges, “All those who should have been standing beside us gripped our hearts tightly”.  In sharing her story, Janet reminds us that in a world that is still divided, our choices have the power to change the lives of others. We can choose kindness, we can choose courage, and we can choose empathy – just as those who played a part in her survival did."

“Filled with heartbreaking and intimate detail, its horrors devastatingly remembered and powerfully told, Becoming Janet: Finding Myself in the Holocaust takes your breath away on virtually every page. Readers will be captivated by the unimaginably brave little girl at its center…as the story Janet Applefield courageously tells in this memoir has never seemed more timely and important.”

“Janet Singer Applefield has authored a captivating, detailed chronology of her harrowing experiences between 1939-1945 in Nazi-occupied Poland… edifying and terrifying; heart-warming and heart-breaking. Her story is one of the triumph of the human spirit displayed against a backdrop of unfathomable hatred and evil—not only by the German invaders, but also by her Polish “friends” and neighbors who were often actively complicit in the objective of making Europe "Judenfrei" (free of Jews). Through her book, Janet will be able to reach many more thousands of people, especially young people, with the message she has spent much of her adult life delivering in local school visits:  that we all have a choice to make, and by choosing to speak out against prejudice, injustice, or bullying, we can make a difference in the world. Becoming Janet is a must-read.”

"A remarkable memoir by a Holocaust survivor. As a Jewish child, Janet Singer Applefield was secretly immersed in the world of Polish Catholicism, only to rediscover Judaism after the war. Her story is well worth reading if only to encounter this extraordinary survivor's courage, decency, and inner strength.”

"I have experienced Janet powerfully telling her story to students and others through her work at Facing History and Ourselves.  It felt like Janet was telling her story to me personally and reaching to touch the heart and mind and while telling it. One can hear in Janet's narrative - a call to center one's moral compass and remember not only the atrocities and trauma of the Holocaust but to consider other choices individuals made - for courage, compassion, kindness and resilience. ...This book is a gift to young people and educators for years to come- so they might carry this story and its lessons and take them to heart."

“Janet Applefield’s deeply personal story Becoming Janet is told with detailed text and beautiful photographs, serving as a testament to the Holocaust and a legacy for all time, leaving the reader both horrified and hopeful at what humanity is capable of. Lessons abound in Applefield’s book, from her insights that Your name is your identity to Indifference is never the right choice, to explaining that character-building is what you choose to do when no one is watching. The study guide at the end of the book makes this a precious and practical resource for educators and parents to use to teach about the Holocaust.”

"How does a Jewish child, just four years old when the Nazis invaded Poland, come to be one of the fortunate few who survived the Holocaust? Janet’s story of resiliency, adaptation, and the kindness of strangers will inspire and challenge you. It is a valuable contribution to our collective memory and to our understanding of the Holocaust and the ordinary people who did extraordinary things to survive."

"This is not a typical Holocaust book but a real page-turner. Janet Singer Applefield vividly and shockingly offers her life story of extreme suffering and endurance, which took her from Nowy Targ, Poland to New Jersey, USA. It’s a vivid and shocking portrayal of man’s inhumanity to man, woman and child. The world really does need to know this story.”

"Janet Applefield's firsthand account of surviving the Holocaust as a child is a compelling story of loss but also one of incredible survival. Janet’s story is a deeply moving and immersive experience that resonated both with high school staff and students. The power of her storytelling served as a stark reminder of the atrocities fueled by hatred during the Holocaust. In doing so, she not only focused on such a dark chapter in human history but also inspired reflection on the importance of empathy, tolerance, and the collective responsibility to prevent such horrors from happening again."

"Janet's story is one of perseverance and determination in the face of unspeakable horrors. Her life offers valuable lessons to future generations in their struggle against violence and hatred. As I think about what she experienced from such a young age and how she has navigated each obstacle, I am continuously amazed by her resilience and strength.”

“An extraordinary Holocaust testimony. Janet Singer Applefield weaves together her two identities during the years of Nazi occupation and the Holocaust to tell a story of loss and resilience. She writes with emotional honesty about the complexities of hiding in plain daylight in a world of hatred, violence and war.”

"What an incredible presentation!  Thank you so much, Janet, for sharing your living piece of history with us.  Your story is important for all of us to know so that we will speak up when faced with intolerance, indifference and hate.  Silence is never the answer."

“With the help of her personal, painful past she shows us how to survive, how to keep hope and how to love despite fear, hate, rejection and uncertainty… Please read this book to make yourself a better person and the world a better place for everyone."

"Becoming Janet gives us a moving and compelling experience of the Holocaust from the point of view of a child.  Heart-breaking and hope filled at the same time, this book is an important reminder of the power of hate and the greater force of love and kindness in our world.  Janet Applefield has blessed us with a valuable resource for learners of all ages.”

"Even though I had heard parts of Gustawa’s/Krysia’s/Janet’s story before, nothing prepared me for what I experienced reading this book. Like Jonah in the belly of the whale, I spent three days and three nights reading and re-reading about particular events in Dzidzia’s life, shaking with fear and crying with her, clenching onto Misiu in  the darkness of her small, cold bedroom in the wooden cottage in Myślenice. A compelling account of Holocaust survival written by an experienced educator and story teller, who nevertheless managed to keep her original child’s perspective throughout her work. A must read for a multigenerational audience.”

"Becoming Janet gives us a moving and compelling experience of the Holocaust from the point of view of a child.  Heart-breaking and hope filled at the same time, this book is an important reminder of the power of hate and the greater force of love and kindness in our world.  Janet Applefield has blessed us with a valuable resource for learners of all ages.”