If this one is sort of hard to place. I think I would put it in the middle school realm. It is the story of a young girl who wakes in in the night andIf this one is sort of hard to place. I think I would put it in the middle school realm. It is the story of a young girl who wakes in in the night and finds her grandmother sitting along, upset. When she encourages her grandmother to share her feelings, she is surprised by the story she hears. Her grandmother begins telling the truth of her childhood, how she grew up in the middle of the disappearances of the Jews from Europe. Her own parents taken, she was forced to live with a neighbor, and then someone new, moved around for her safety.
This is all told in a sort of oddly comforting cartoon style, but it’s told very well. This might be a good discussion starter for kids who are just beginning to open their eyes and discover the truth of the Holocaust. ...more
Intriguing premise: What if the Axis Powers had won WWII? This YA book is set approximately 80 years after the end of WWII, and a string of descendantIntriguing premise: What if the Axis Powers had won WWII? This YA book is set approximately 80 years after the end of WWII, and a string of descendants of Adolf Hitler has been ruling most of Europe and North America since that time. Conditions for the average worker are meager and desperate. There is a strong rebel presence, but their work is extremely dangerous and needs more support.
Teenager Zara, who lost her mother to the Germans, misses the fighting spark she used to see in her Uncle Red, who also works for the rebel alliance. Now he just seems afraid and so intent on protecting Zara he won’t do anything that might attract attention.
When Zara discovers she is an anomaly--one born with supernatural power—she is drawn into working with the rebel alliance. Their goal: kill the Fuhrer and regain their country. The unusual attention she is receiving from the son of a high-ranking NAZI official is causing her confusion, though. She is attracted to Bastian, who says he wants to fight alongside the rebels, but she cannot decide whether he is worthy of trust.
There’s a lot of action in the story, a lot of adventure, and quite a lot of violence as well. I was relieved that the romance aspect was downplayed for most of the story, and what is there is very innocent. Teenagers who are into dystopia may really like this one, and it seems a clear candidate for a series. ...more
A view of life as a Jew inside the walls of a concentration camp, a first-person narrative by survivor Elie Wiesel. The hate and injustice here are paA view of life as a Jew inside the walls of a concentration camp, a first-person narrative by survivor Elie Wiesel. The hate and injustice here are palpable and powerful, and once again I was left asking, How could this happen? How did the world not know what was going on??
In his Nobel Acceptance speech, Wiesel had this to say: ...the world did know and remained silent. And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. I found those words to be more powerful than any in Night, which was the first Holocaust account I've read that I felt was utterly devoid of hope. It was painfully raw and truthful, but I felt no hope from Wiesel, only a drive to survive. This did not make me enjoy the book less but appreciate his experience more. I feel certain it is absolutely, 100% the way he felt in Buna and Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Hopeless.
And I thought to myself, how easy it would be to emerge from that hell-on-earth and be consumed with anger forever, to let fury be your driving passion for all your days. So many were turned from human being to a sort of animalistic, "survival-is-my-only-instinct" existence. Yet, it seems Wiesel was able to overcome that nearly-insurmountable suffering and lead a life of peace. To me, that is the work of GOD.
I cannot imagine experiencing a concentration camp even for one hour, much less for years. I cannot understand how the Nazis were allowed to carry out such a vile and vulgar plan. "The Final Solution". How arrogant. Such hubris and utter disregard for humanity. It is beyond my comprehension.
And then I think of Stalin. And Idi Amin. And Pol Pot. And I wonder if the world will ever learn.
Sometimes Rajchman switches tense in the middle of sentences (or perhaps it was the person who translated the text from Yiddish). The writing doesn't Sometimes Rajchman switches tense in the middle of sentences (or perhaps it was the person who translated the text from Yiddish). The writing doesn't always flow. He sometimes repeats himself. But that's not the point.
This is a primary-source, first-person, true narrative of what life was like inside the death camp Treblinka, one of the most horrific of all the Nazi camps during World War II. Thousands of people arrived at Treblinka nearly every day, but there were no barracks for prisoners at Treblinka. There were no barracks because upon arrival the prisoners took a path like this: unload from the train > give up all your valuables > undress completely > have your hair cut off > enter the gas chamber > die. Those who protested or tried to run were shot. No one lived through Treblinka. The Nazis tried to erase entirely every trace those human beings were ever there at all, down to the tiniest bit of bone. (Yes, "no one lived" is a generalization. 67 prisoners survived their time at Treblinka. Sixty-seven. Out of nearly 900,000. To us, that's practically no one. To those 67, it is the world.)
That's it. Those prisoners who survived the initials gassings were used for forced labor (for cutting hair, pulling out gold teeth from dead bodies, carrying gassed victims to pits, covering the bodies, and then later, digging up every bit of body and carrying everything to the ovens) and were almost always murdered after a few days or weeks so personal connections could not be formed.
Chil Rajchman's story is amazing because he survived Treblinka. Why did he survive? He believes it was so he could tell the true story of the horror that was Treblinka. So it doesn't matter if the mechanics are off. It doesn't matter if the narrative is occasionally repetitive. All that matters is that he told his story of what went on behind Treblinka's barbed-wire fences, that we have it written down to read today. His story is repugnant, stomach-churning, vile truth. And we can never forget what happened there....more
In the months and years after the end of World War II, many people in Germany struggled to meet their families' needs. Shoes were a necessity and yet,In the months and years after the end of World War II, many people in Germany struggled to meet their families' needs. Shoes were a necessity and yet, a luxury, as many people simply could not afford them. This book tells the amazing true story of an American family and their friends who supplied the needed shoes to over one thousand people in Germany.
It began when the American family sent wool socks, sweaters, a coat, and food to a family in Germany who were friends of theirs, the Kramers. The Kramers were so grateful they asked for no more help for them, but for others. They sent the names of 10 families who desperately needed shoes, and included tracings of each family member's feet. The American family and their friends scoured sales, gathered unclaimed shoes at repair shops, and even gave up their own shoes to fit every tracing, and mailed them back. They included hand-knit socks, needles, tough thread, leather pieces for future repairs, and even a doll to a young girl whose home had been bombed.
I found this simple book to be breathtaking. The watercolors have such a beauty to them, especially those of snow scenes, that I found myself wanting to be there in the snow-covered farmyard, beside the glowing fireplace, being a part of such an amazing effort.
Even more amazing, though, are the end papers that include photographs and scans of actual letters, photos, and tracings the author found in her grandmother's attic, as explained in the author's note. These images are the ones I wanted to pore over, looking at every detail, knowing it was 100% authentic.
Fantastic book about the race between the United States, Germany, and the Soviet Union to build the world's first atomic bomb. It's got spies, sabotagFantastic book about the race between the United States, Germany, and the Soviet Union to build the world's first atomic bomb. It's got spies, sabotage, and science that even younger readers can understand (I think I actually have a grasp of the basics--very basics--of how the atomic and hydrogen bombs work).
Readers learn about the scientists who conceived and built the bomb, the men who were sent by the Soviets to steal the plans, and the American who actually approached them with an offer to hand over information. It's really fascinating and I believe adults would enjoy it just as much as middle- and high-school readers. I am not, as a general rule, a non-fiction kind of reader, but this book kept me eagerly reading from the first page all the way until the last (it ends with quite an intriguing quote)....more
In the midst of the inhumanity and horrors of the Third Reich, Irena Sendler risked her life to save those of Polish children. She smuggled them out oIn the midst of the inhumanity and horrors of the Third Reich, Irena Sendler risked her life to save those of Polish children. She smuggled them out of the country and into Catholic homes in coffins, body bags, under the floorboards of a truck, even tiny ones in a toolbox. She created lists containing each child's birth name alongside his or her "new", Catholic name, then buried the lists, safely encased in glass jars, under a friend's apple tree. Over the course of the war, she saved over 2500 children.
Irena Sendler and the Children of the Warsaw Ghetto documents Irena's courageous efforts in picture book format. Last year Marcia Vaughn came out with another picture book about Irena Sendler, Irena's Jars of Secrets, and it is outstanding, as well. I think I like Rubin's illustrations here better than those in Vaughn's book, though. Either book is an excellent choice, though, so just pick one and read it. Just read it. They are both truly fascinating and wonderful tributes to Sendler's kindness, compassion, and courage in the face of unbelievable cruelty and hatred. ...more
Leon Leyson was the youngest person on Oskar Schindler's list. This is his story.
Each time I read about the Holocaust I am shocked again at the inhumLeon Leyson was the youngest person on Oskar Schindler's list. This is his story.
Each time I read about the Holocaust I am shocked again at the inhumanity, cruelty, and pure evil of the Nazi regime. This biographical narrative reinforced everything I've read.
Over and over Leyson emphasizes that much of his survival depended not on any intelligence or cleverness he possessed, but "luck". One example: he gashed his leg on a rock one day and went to the infirmary. It was bandaged, and he left. Just moments after, camp commandant Amon Goeth walked in and shot every single prisoner in the building, just because he wanted to.
It's no small wonder that Leon and both his parents, one brother, and a sister all survived the horrors of the Third Reich. Schindler undoubtedly saved their lives. Middle school classrooms that study the Holocaust will want to add this first-person narrative to their reading list. ...more
I grew up knowing Hitler killed 6 million Jews. I couldn't (can't) really wrap my mind around the idea of someone attempting to exterminate an entire I grew up knowing Hitler killed 6 million Jews. I couldn't (can't) really wrap my mind around the idea of someone attempting to exterminate an entire race of people, or why anyone would go along with such an evil, horrific plan. I thought the Third Reich was the epitome of evil. And then I met Josef Stalin.
I had no idea that while Hitler was killing Jews, Stalin was killing 20 million of his own people. TWENTY MILLION. I still can't fathom it. Why wasn't I taught about Stalin when I was growing up? Why had I never heard about what he did to the people of the Baltic states?
After reading Sepetys' book, I understand. The world was unaware, and according to the author's note, the people who survived Stalin's gulags knew that if they spoke about their experiences they would either be deported back to a prison camp or executed. So those who were brave enough to write their stories would hide them, put them in glass jars and bury them in the yard with the hope that one day, someone would find the jars, read their stories, and know the truth. That blows me away.
That is what Ruta Sepetys has given us in this book: a buried treasure.
Based on interviews she did with the few survivors of Stalin's prison labor camps who would speak about what they lived, and her own Lithuanian grandparents' experiences, Sepetys has given us a vividly realistic fictional portrayal of life in the dictator's gulags.
It is 1941. Teenager Lina Vilkas feels safe in her comfortable home in Lithuania, but she has noticed that her mother has been sewing silver and jewelry pieces into the lining of her winter coat. Lina watches but does not ask why. She knows her mother is preparing for something, she's just not sure what. When Stalin's guards come for her family in the middle of the night, Lina knows. This one night changes their lives forever.
Lina, her mother, and her younger brother are packed into a crowded train car and taken away to a labor camp. Her father, who was taken from his job at the university, is on a different train, one full of men. They are separated, possibly forever. In the few moments when Lina is not being forced to work harvesting beets or digging holes, or trying to avoid the lusty stares of the camp commander, she draws to keep her sanity as she and her family struggle day to day to stay alive.
Each situation in which Lina finds herself is based upon true events survivors shared with Sepetys.
The truth is, I could talk about this book for hours, and I have been recommending it to everyone I talk to. I just cannot get over what Stalin did, just because he wanted to, because he could. Every student should read this book, whether in middle school, high school, or just "students of life", simply because this history is something we need to know. We need to know. Sepetys begs as much in her closing note. The truth of what Stalin did to the people of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia is truly inconceivable. It is an ugly truth, but one that must be shared so the world will be ready to stop the next Stalin....more
Raoul Wallenberg, who grew up in Sweden, traveled the world as a teenager, and learned to speak multiple languages fluently, was also a hero of great Raoul Wallenberg, who grew up in Sweden, traveled the world as a teenager, and learned to speak multiple languages fluently, was also a hero of great magnitude. He used his influence to secure the safety of tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust by issuing schutzpasses (passports) and boldly lobbying government officials for their freedom before he was captured by the Russians in 1947. Although his true fate remains unknown and his name is by no means a household word, there are at least three memorials to his bravery around the world today.
This is a well-produced biography of a man who was completely unknown to me. The narrative is straightforward and easy to follow, and the abundance of photos and illustrations breaks up the text regularly and so helps to keep readers interested. This is a nice addition to middle school and high school Holocaust collections....more
I'm beginning to realize that there is no end of amazing stories of courage that came out of the Holocaust. I have read so many in the last few years,I'm beginning to realize that there is no end of amazing stories of courage that came out of the Holocaust. I have read so many in the last few years, all of them horrifying in their own way, and still I am never prepared for what I read.
Irena Sendler was a Polish Catholic living during the rise of Hitler and the Third Reich. At the outbreak of the war, Irena obtained permission to treat tuberculosis in the ghetto. She used this pass to give aid to those suffering in the ghettos but soon realized that supplying food and medicine was not enough; she must get the children out of Poland and to safety.
Before she could save the children, though, she had to convince their parents to give them away. I cannot imagine the anguish of trying to decide whether to keep your child with you and try to protect her yourself or send her away, quite possibly forever. They would ask, Can you guarantee they will live? and Irena could only guarantee they would die if they stayed. Smuggling the children in ambulances, potato sacks, coffins, body bags--any way she could possibly find, and with the help of a dog trained to bark to cover the children's cries--Irena saved as many as she could, placing them in new homes and giving them new names. She took extra care to write down the new names of all the children alongside their real names, hoping they could be reunited with their families after the war. She placed the lists in jars and buried them under a friend's apple tree.
Over the course of the war, Irena and her team saved the lives of over 2500 children, at great risk. Irena herself was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to death. Only a last-minute bribe from friends saved her life. Irena escaped to safety and continued her work. After the war ended, she dug up the jars and did her best to reunite families. Sadly, the vast majority of the parents had been killed in concentration camps.
If you are interested in the Holocaust, read this book. If you are studying the Holocaust in your classroom, read this book. If you are a thinking, caring human being, read this book. It is beautiful and horrible and full of pain and hope. In the midst of atrocities beyond my comprehension, man's absolute inhumanity and cruelty toward man, for no other reason than pure, dark, hatred, there was a light. There was a hope. There was Irena.
For her, it was not enough to save children from possible torture and certain death. That she took the time to document the names of all the children is what just floors me. This woman risked her life again and again and again, for someone else. For love. Greater love has no man than this.
And yet, Irena never saw herself as a hero: I could have done more, she said. This regret will follow me to my death.
Irena Sendler was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Over 200 letters from all over the world were written in support of Irena. At the time, she was being cared for by a woman who was smuggled out of Poland at the age of 6 months. Irena had carried her out in a tool box. Wow.
Irena was not awarded the Nobel. Al Gore received the prize. (And on an extremely personal note, I have to say: what an absolute travesty.)
Irena passed away in 2008 at the age of 98. What a blessing she was to the people of Poland and to this world. ...more
Interesting story of an extraordinarily long-lived albatross scientists call Wisdom. The repeated refrain of "somehow, Wisdom survived" got a little oInteresting story of an extraordinarily long-lived albatross scientists call Wisdom. The repeated refrain of "somehow, Wisdom survived" got a little old. Of course, I understand that that's really all the author could say, since scientists have no idea how the bird managed to survive dangers and for so long.
Not sure where it would fit into the curriculum, but if you know an elementary kid who really loves birds and science, hand 'em this....more
Sasha wants nothing more than to be a member of the Young Soviet Pioneers. Sasha's father works for Stalin's State Security--secret police--and Sasha Sasha wants nothing more than to be a member of the Young Soviet Pioneers. Sasha's father works for Stalin's State Security--secret police--and Sasha wants to be just like him. Stalin himself pinned the order of the Red Banner on his Sasha's father's chest and called him "an iron broom purging the vermin from our midst." If only Sasha understood exactly what that statement meant, and who was counted as "vermin".
Sasha's is the voice of innocent, blind loyalty. Throughout the book he makes statements that reveal his belief in the benevolence of Communism in the face of blatant contradiction. People aren't afraid of his father, they are "respectful". That boy, Four Eyes, who didn't do anything wrong, is being dragged away by the Secret Police, but that's okay because, "he'll get to see his parents" (who have been imprisoned as "enemies of the people"). After his father took his mother to the hospital, where she died, Sasha's Aunt Larisa said his father looked "guilty, not sad", and Sasha thinks there must have been a funeral and wonders why his father didn't take him. Probably because "he blamed himself for not being able to save my mom. He's not even a doctor, but he's that responsible."
In only two short days Sasha's world is turned upside-down. He learns more about Stalin's tyrannical regime than he wants to know. By the end of this brief novel, he is still denying much of the truth, but he has a new and painful understanding of what it means to be a Communist.
Breaking Stalin's Nose is brief, but powerful. It's written in a way children can understand. Will they comprehend the magnitude of Communism? Absolutely not. I don't even think I can comprehend that. But it's a start.
Here's the problem, though: I think this book's shelf appeal to children is virtually non-existent. I can't think of a single child who would read the jacket flap and want to read this. They have no idea who Stalin was or what a Communist is. As far as I know, they don't learn about it in school, either. I didn't.
However, the truth of this message is an invaluable one for us, for our children, and for their children. There will be some courageous educators who will be inspired to work this book into their curriculum. Historical background instruction is a prerequisite, but the potential for intense classroom discussion is immeasurable.
Outside of the classroom, in the home, is where this book can have the most power, though. Parents, get this book and read it with your children. Talk to them about Sasha's life. Tell them what you know about Communism, and if you feel you don't know enough, learn about it together. Our children must know this saga in history so they will not allow it to be repeated. ...more
Very well-written novel for students based on the true story of a boy who dared to fight against the Third Reich. It's written in such a way that kidsVery well-written novel for students based on the true story of a boy who dared to fight against the Third Reich. It's written in such a way that kids get a sense of the atrocities committed by the Nazis while not being overwhelmed by historical facts that can sometimes be confusing for them.
This would be an outstanding choice for classroom studies. Our children know the name Adolf Hitler but not much more. They need to understand the truth of what happened in Nazi Germany, and this a terrific tool to begin that discussion....more
Fantastic for leading into a unit on the Holocaust, for just about any grade level. (As a matter of fact, I know some politicians who could benefit frFantastic for leading into a unit on the Holocaust, for just about any grade level. (As a matter of fact, I know some politicians who could benefit from reading this one, but....)...more
I grew up knowing something about Corrie ten Boom because we had a Hiding Place comic book. I think I probably read it at least a dozen times when I wI grew up knowing something about Corrie ten Boom because we had a Hiding Place comic book. I think I probably read it at least a dozen times when I was a kid. It fascinated and horrified me simultaneously.
Reading this account, I felt the same way; fascinated to read a first-hand account of Nazi atrocities, and horrified to read a first-hand account of Nazi atrocities. I cannot fathom how a group of people can simply "decide" that another group of people is inferior, has no value, and should be exterminated. Boggles my mind.
Corrie and Betsie ten Boom were incredibly strong women of amazing, steadfast faith. I can't even begin to imagine living through the abuse they survived, and I don't believe I could have come through with the grace, compassion, and faithful obedience of the ten Booms. Absolutely amazing women. I was just thinking how I wish I could have known this incredible lady, when I realized, one day I will....more
Patricia Reilly Giff really is a master at painting a realistic historical background, and taking readers back in time a few years. My mother would haPatricia Reilly Giff really is a master at painting a realistic historical background, and taking readers back in time a few years. My mother would have been only slightly older than Meggie during World War II, so I was able to envision what parts of her childhood were like.
They may not be flashy, but historical fiction titles by Patricia Reilly Giff are trustworthy, heartfelt, and solid....more
Hmm. Nope. Just didn't work for me. Didn't feel like poetry at all. I read a lot of children's literature, including quite a bit of non-fiction, and tHmm. Nope. Just didn't work for me. Didn't feel like poetry at all. I read a lot of children's literature, including quite a bit of non-fiction, and to me, this read exactly like a give-it-a-quick-once-over, non-fiction, easy reader on the Holocaust. Thought it all the way through. There was nothing lyrical about the prose. Maybe 3 times in the entire book did I think, "Well, that was kind of a nice line."
I agree with the previous poster, Chelsea, who said, "just because you hit return in the middle of your sentences and occasionally call the hills blue, that doesn't make it poetry". Sadly, she's exactly right on this one, as far as my opinion goes....more
Stink. Here I was thinking this was an amazing true story of Holocaust survival, and I was as awed as the next person over the details. But... while tStink. Here I was thinking this was an amazing true story of Holocaust survival, and I was as awed as the next person over the details. But... while the boy in the story was, in fact, imprisoned during the Holocaust, there was not a girl who delivered apples to him and became his wife years later after being reunited on a blind date in New York City. Turns out it was a complete fabrication. And now, I'm bummed.
So, gotta give it one star, since the only reason the book exists is because it was supposed to be a personal narrative of a true event. If that's not the case, then all the power of the story is gone for me. (Wouldn't it have been nice, though?)...more
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