For the grandmother that wanted to play chess with her granddaughter, author Jenny Andrus wrote Elsa’s Chessboard. She was a child who did not have interest in an “old dusty game,” but now she is giving us a peek at the woman who would change chess in ways unexpected.
Based on the life of Elsa Konstandt Weisz, we go from Vienna to San Francisco as a young Jewish woman flees WWII and makes a new home in the United States, all the while keeping her beloved chess set near. The story is familiar, but there are enough twists and turns to keep things interesting and fresh. It is a nice love letter to the woman and the times. And illustrator Julie Downing gives life to the story with colorful illustrations that are quaint and clever, bringing a classical, of the time, look to things.
It is a nice book, a cozy book. There is no real WOW factor, because even the events that lead up to Elsa’s family leaving Europe are done in a calm manner. You know the issues, the dangers, but it is well written and presented. Part non-fiction and part fiction, Andrus’ story is timeless and clever.
It will make a nice one-on-one read, good for women’s history, chess history, and general history. It is a look at events that we know, but are also not the traditional survival story. Best for at least ages five and up, it can be adapted for multiple ages. I read via an online reader copy, but it is currently available.