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Ask students to share what they know or remember about Curious George. You may want to read one of the books, such as the original Curious George, Curious George Rides a Bike, or Curious George Gets a Medal.

Have students pay attention to the illustrations. Return to the illustrations after students have read The Journey That Saved Curious George. Have them note what the Reys took from their own lives and put in their Curious George books, such as Hans Rey’s pipe, their love of animals and zoos in particular, their life among palm trees in Brazil, and their departure from Europe on an ocean liner. See the Curious George website for more information.

The story of Curious George was born during a turbulent time in history. Research some of the themes of World War II. Help students understand that it was called a world war because so many countries fought in it; the battlefields stretched across Europe, North Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. The Reys were two of the millions of Europeans whose lives were affected by the conflict, especially because they were Jewish. An explanation of the danger faced by Jews in Europe will help students understand why quick escape was so important.

Louise Borden started her research for this book with a question: How did the Reys escape from Paris? Remind students that successful research means asking one question after another. It is like finding the pieces to a puzzle.

1. What are the descriptive words Borden uses to give readers the flavor of Hamburg, Germany, the Reys’ birthplace? How are Hamburg and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, similar and different?
   
   
2. Look at the items on pages 22 and 23. If you wanted to write a story about the Reys and Curious George, what information could you gather from these primary sources?  
   
   
3. Look at a map of France. In which direction did the Reys travel when they left Paris? Why might it have been too dangerous to stay in France?
   
   
4. What do we learn about the "largest motorized evacuation in history" from the Reys’ journey? What were the hardships of the trip?

Cited Resources: Book guide for The Journey That Saved Curious George was used with permission of Houghton Mifflin Books For Children.