Anne Frank – by Anne Frank – edited by Otto H. Frank and Mirjam Pressler (biography)
Anne Frank is an autobiography about a thirteen-year-old girl who wrote in her diary in hiding during the Holocaust. On June 12, 1942, Anne Frank started writing in her diary. Anne and her family hid in the Annex (the attic of an office building) with another family in Amsterdam. The families that were in hiding had to be very quiet so that the Nazis wouldn’t figure out that they were hiding upstairs. The Annex’s door was covered with a bookcase to disguise the opening. Miep Gies and Mr.Kraler, two Dutch friends of the Franks, helped them hide. In the two years that Anne was hiding, she wrote in her diary. She wrote about her love for Bep and what life was like being in the Annex. The Annex was a small attic with two stories. There was a kitchen, three bathrooms and separate places to sleep. It was hard to live in the Annex because it was small and the families had to be quiet the whole time. It was also scary to live in the Annex because Anne and her family and the other family always heard gun fire. I enjoyed the book very much. I found it interesting to read about what life was like for Anne. I would rate this book three stars.
by Max.F
Anne Frank; Diary of a Young Girl (Autobiography) Anne Frank lived during the time of the Holocaust. She was living near Amsterdam in the beginning of the war but one year on her thirteenth birthday her mom and dad told her that they were going into hiding. They were going to hide in Anne’s father’s office in Amsterdam. They were able to hide there because Anne’s dad had a worker who was not Jewish, and was able to bring them food and necessities for living. On that birthday, Anne received many great birthday presents, but the one that stood out the most was her diary. She decided to name it Kitty. She faced the challenges of living in a small apartment while being around people she was mad at, like her mother, father, and a family named the Van Daans. She also had to live while looking out her window and feeling guilty that she wasn’t being sent off to a concentration camp. I would give this book three out of five stars because it had a couple of parts where it wasn’t very interesting, but other than that it was a very good book. I thought the book really taught me about the history of the Holocaust, and I really enjoyed it. By Yonah H.
Anne Frank, Her Life in Words and Pictures, by Menno Metselaar and Ruud van der Rol Reviewed by Sophia H
At 263 Prinsengracht, Amsterdam, in a hidden annex of an office building, behind a movable bookcase and up the stairs, there are a few Jewish families. One family’s name is Frank. Anne Frank, age 13, is the youngest child in her family. She lives with her father, Otto, mother, Edith, and older sister, Margot. They are hiding from the Nazis, trying to keep themselves alive, with the secret help of Otto’s colleagues. Anne lives a perfectly normal life until1940, seven years after Hitler comes into power, when suddenly Jews are restricted from doing almost anything. Going to shows, being at a friend’s house after a certain time, shopping at grocery stores not meant for Jews are just a few examples. The pictures in this book help the reader visualize every event in Anne’s life that she wrote down in her diary. I could see how small the area was in which she hid. I could see the look on people’s faces when they were on their way to be killed in gas chambers. The pictures tell just as much of a story as the words. I give this book a 5 out of 5. After finishing it, I couldn’t stop thinking about how horribly treated so many people were. Anne Frank is just one out of six million other people who died during this horrible time. The layout of this book was perfect for the story so that I was able to find out tons of information about Anne both through pictures and words. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in reading about Anne Frank’s life.
The Diary Of Anne Frank, by Anne Frank (Autobiography) In her diary, Anne Frank was a young girl who was going through some tough times. She, her sister Margo, her mother Added, her father Atto, Hairmon Van Daan, Augusto Van Daan, Peter Van Daan and Albert Dusso all go into hiding in an annex behind a book shelf in her dad’s work building because of the Holocaust. Victor Cugler, Yohanes Clineman and a few other people help them get food and things that they need while inside the annex. Anne finds herself becoming friends with Peter Van Daan. They get so close they can tell each other anything even though he is a boy and she is a girl. Eventually they start liking each other even more than friends and they find themselves loving each other. Anne was very smart and her writing was very descriptive. It let me have a full picture in my head of what was going on in the story. She wrote about her feelings and her likes and dislikes of living in the Annex. She wrote about what happened and it was so detailed. Anne used words that went perfectly with the scene of the story she was telling or what she was saying. I thought about how Anne would feel if she knew that her diary was published because it is pretty personal, but then I saw that she wrote that when she would be allowed to leave the annex she would write a book called The Secret Annex and her diary would be the base of the book; but her diary still did have some things in it that she didn’t want to share with the world. This book is so amazing and I almost cried! By Alice S.
The Diary of a Young Girl: Anne Frank, by Anne Frank, typed by Otto Frank (autobiography)
This loving story of a young girl named Anne Frank took place in the year 1942, in Amsterdam, Holland. Anne was thirteen when she began writing in her diary. I have always loved Holocaust stories, but Anne Frank's was much different from those I've read as well as heard about. During a part of the Holocaust, Anne, her family, and some friends were hiding in an annex--a small building connected to a larger one--of her father's business, for a little over two years. What surprised me was that Anne had written in her diary practically every day so you really got to know her and her life, which is probably why I like this book so much. With every entry Anne wrote, you end up looking for personal information about her and feel sympathy because of the conditions she lived in and her isolation, even if she was far luckier than many people who were in the Holocaust. Anne further astonished me because in her writing, she was very honest and even all the extremely embarrassing moments and thoughts she had were written down. I also love this book because it is about a girl who is around my age, so I could understand how lonely she must have felt, and her viewpoints on many things. This was an amazing and interesting book. I would suggest it for any age, especially for kids around thirteen!
Alexandria G.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne Reviewed by Jeremy S. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne, is an excellent historical fiction novel. It takes you through the Holocaust from the perspective of a naïve nine-year-old German boy named Bruno. All he knew was that his father was a man to watch and that the "Fury" had big things in mind for him. In truth, he didn’t really know what this meant. He didn’t know who or what the "Fury" was. It was really the "Fuhrer", who was Adolf Hitler. Bruno just knew that his father was very important. One day, when Bruno came home from school, he was surprised to find Maria, the family maid, emptying all his belongings from his wardrobe into four wooden crates. His mother explained to him that his father’s job would require him, his sister Gretel, his mother and father to move away from their home in Berlin for the foreseeable future. Gretel thought the foreseeable future would probably be three weeks, but they actually ended up staying there for a couple of years. Bruno was devastated. He had to say goodbye to his three life-long best friends, Karl, Martin, and Daniel. To Bruno’s dismay, the new house, Out-With, was not very nice. It only had three floors in comparison to the five floors that the house in Berlin had. There were no other children except for the ones in the striped pajamas that Bruno could see from his bedroom window. They were on the other side of a fence. Bruno thought that he could do some exploring outside, in the area near the fence, although his mother and father had told him that there would be no exploring at Out-With with no exceptions and that he wasn’t allowed anywhere near the fence. He went anyway as he was afraid that he might go mad from boredom at Out-With. The walk along the fence was very long, but just at the moment that Bruno wanted to turn back he noticed a dot. The dot became a speck, the speck became a blob, the blob became a figure, and finally the figure became a boy--a boy that changed life as Bruno knew it at Out-With. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas gives readers an open-minded look at the Holocaust. It teaches readers that fences like the one at the heart of this story still exist today and will most likely never fully disappear, and that terrible things like the Holocaust can happen, even in this day and age. The book teaches readers that hatred does exist in our world and that it can never, not ever be ignored. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was an exquisite book that deserves five out of five stars.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne
Bruno was nine years old when he had to move houses to live in Aushvitz. The reason why his family had to move was because his father got a promotion but he had to be in Auschvitz to have it. As Bruno was looking out of the window in the new house, he noticed something very peculiar: An ongoing barbed wired fence. With these people on the other side who wore gray striped pajamas and gray caps on their heads. Every day he would look at these people on the other side not knowing who they were until one day when he decided that he would walk along the fence to explore, which was one of his very good hobbies. As he was walking along the fence, he saw a boy about his age sitting right next to the fence, on the other side. He went up to him and started to talk to him. In fact the boy was the exact same age as him, or that’s what the boy said. Anyways the boy said that he didn’t know why he was on the other side or why anyone was. When Bruno noticed a yellow star on the pajamas and asked what it was, the boy, whose name was Shmuel, said that all of the people on the other side wore those but he didn’t know why. Shmuel said that all of the other people on the other side are Jews but he didn’t know anything else. Even though Bruno wasn’t sure that he was supposed to be with Shmuel, he wanted to be his friend anyways and so did Shmuel. Read this book to find out what happens next.
Alec C.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne
This fictional story is about a young Nazi boy who comes upon a fence - a fence that nobody should have to come upon. This book begins in Berlin during World War II, when a nine-year-old boy named Bruno has to move far away from his home to a place called Out-With because his father’s job has been transferred. Bruno must leave behind his friends, his grandparents, his house and the streets of Berlin. When Bruno and his family arrive in Out-With they automatically do not like it. It is very different from what they are used to. For months, Bruno is lonely and has nothing to do and nobody to play with. He loves exploring the area around him, so one day he goes outside of his house. There is a beautiful garden, trees and a bench to relax on but then he comes upon something not so beautiful. This something is a fence and behind it is forest, but he can see little huts in the distance. The people in these huts are Jewish and they are dressed in striped pajamas and striped caps. One afternoon when Bruno is looking beyond the fence, he sees a young boy with a sad look on his face. These two boys become close friends by telling each other their life stories, meeting at the fence every day and realizing they have the same birthday which makes them realize they have a lot in common. Bruno, as a German boy, comes to realize that these sad people also have feelings just like he does.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 because some parts were interesting and I wanted to pick the book back up and keep reading, but some parts were boring at times and basic. What makes this book special is that it is not predictable. You would never guess what happens in the end or after each chapter. I really liked this book and would recommend it to people because even though it isn't true I'm sure something like it happened to somebody who had to go through the Holocaust. This book tells you that even in sad times things can get better. It is crystal clear that Bruno’s childhood was changed, but wasn’t damaged, despite the fact that he was living at the border of a death camp.
Julia N.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne The Boy In the Striped Pajamas is about two very different boys who form a great friendship during the Holocaust. It tells the story of a boy, nine-year-old Bruno, who moves from Berlin to Poland because of his father’s job. After arriving at the new house, Bruno notices a huge fence, and on the other side are many people in striped pajamas (Jews in a concentration camp). He is extremely confused and even asks his sister Gretel about it. One day during tutoring, he sneaks off to explore the fence and meets a Jewish boy named Shmuel. Bruno and Shmuel become friends. Bruno is told not to talk to people in striped pajamas. Still Bruno chooses to meet with the boy every day and slides food under the fence for him. One day Shmuel doesn’t come back. Still, every day Bruno goes to the fence. He doesn’t know what to think; the only thing he can think is that something happened to Shmuel. Tayla M
Clara's Story, by Joan Grossman Reviewed by Allison G.
Have you ever been in a position where one step could change your life? Clara has. Clara's Story, by Joan Adess Grossman, is a true story about Clara Isaacman, and how she survived the Holocaust. This story takes place in Romania during the time of World War II.
Clara's family moved from Romania to Belgium during the war. Her family experienced many failed escape plans. One of the plans took them to their family's favorite summer place. They were going to leave Belgium by boat, but there were bombs dangerously close. So their family started to go to a building that had a bomb shelter sign, but her mom said, " No this way." The second they reached their destination, the building was gone, demolished by a bomb. While trying to find shelter, a bomb half a block away fell, and injured Clara's back. They headed back to their house by bus. A Nazi soldier was on the bus and, he was singing the Nazi song. When they finally got home, luckily, their house was okay. That night their neighborhood was rounded up, but the Nazis allowed them to stay because they were from Belgium.
Clara's family realized they had to go into hiding if they wanted to live. When in hiding, they had to go from one place to another. Some places were nice, and some where horrible. Clara met lots of people and became friendly with some of them while they moved from place to place.
Clara went through many scary situations. One of the scariest experiences Clara and her family had was when they ran out of money to pay for food. One of Clara's siblings was sent to get hidden diamonds in their abandoned house. When their dad could not trade them for money, he killed himself and their mom was traumatized, and would not eat or sleep. After Clara's mom recovered the family decided to change houses. This was only one of the horrific experiences Clara and her family went through.
I give this book four and a half stars out of five because it is a real story that is very suspenseful and keeps you interested. It also is written in a way where I can feel like I am standing right next to Clara, even though this story is unbelievable and seems impossible to live through. This book is special to me because my grandma Joan Adess Grossman wrote this biography, and interviewed Clara when my mom was a young girl.
The Devil’s Arithmetic, By Jane Yolen (176pages)
This story is about a girl named Hannah who hates going to her family Passover seder, but this time the service is different. Hannah is told to open the door for Elijah. The second Hannah opens the door she is taken back in time to a Polish village in the year 1942. Hannah is a Jewish girl with black hair and braces. Chaya was the best friend of Hannah’s Aunt Eva when they were in the concentration camps. When Hannah gets transported back in time, she becomes Chaya. Chaya’s parents had died from a horrible illness. Chaya was also very sick but she recovered and was being taken care of by a woman named Gital and her brother Shmuel.
The story takes place in three different places in April during Passover. They include an apartment in the Bronx in modern times owned by Hannah’s grandparents, a small Polish village in 1942, and concentration camps. I really liked reading this book. It has adventure and history which I try and look for in a book, and it was interesting to read. On a scale of 1-5, I would rate this book a four because it is well written, and a very good book.
By Ruthie. S
The Devil’s Arithmetic By Jane Yolen Reviewed by Sammi B. The Devil’s Arithmetic is about a girl named Hannah, who lives inNew Rochelle,New York, in our own time. Hannah is a Jewish twelve-year old girl who goes to a regular school and has regular friends just like you and me. The story begins on the first night of Passover, at her grandparents’ apartment. Hannah is not looking forward to a Passover with her grandfather because he bores her with stories about the Holocaust. At the end of the Seder, Hannah’s grandfather lets her open the door for Elijah the Prophet. Once Hannah opens the door she is sucked back into the past toPoland in the year 1942.
Hannah wakes up to a woman named Gitl calling her Chaya. Hannah is confused and scared so Gitl explains to her that Hannah’s parents had just died from the influenza and that Hannah had almost died. Gitl also told Hannah that she is her aunt and that Gitl’s brother Shmuel was getting married. Hannah assumed that her family was trying to prank her so she went along with it. Everyone from Shmuel and Gitl’s shtetl and Shmuel’s fiancé Fayge’s shtetl came together in a forest and had a parade that marched back to Fayge’s shtetl to the synagogue where Fayge and Shmuel would be married. When the parade of people got to the synagogue they saw many trucks filled with Nazis parked in front of the synagogue. Hannah had studied about the Nazis in history class at her school and she knew that they were actually going to take everyone to a concentration camp so she tried to warn the people to run away. Even though she begged the rabbi not to let the Nazis take them to “resettlement facilities”, the rabbi allowed the Nazis to take the people there. After the horrible four-day ride in an overcrowded box truck, they got to the concentration camp. There they were told that people would be ‘chosen’ to be killed weekly. Read The Devil’s Arithmetic to see who will be chosen or won’t, and whether Hannah will be able to return to her own time.
Out of five stars I would give The Devil’s Arithmetic four stars because the book wasn’t as well written as it could have been, but there was a good plot.
Good Night Maman, by Norma Fox Mazer Reviewed by Devora S. This book is about a girl named Karin Levi during the Holocaust. It is about her, her brother Marc, and her mother Maman, when they are running away from the Germans and finding refuge in different places. In the middle of the book, Maman falls ill and is unable to continue traveling, so Karin and Marc must continue alone on their journey to America. The book takes place in the 1940’s. The timeframe is two years as Karin is ten at the beginning and twelve in the end. The first part of the book takes place in many locations in Europe, including France, and Italy. The second part takes place in America. Marc is two years older than Karin but without Maman he sometimes acts much older than that. Along the journey, Karin meets people that help even though she is a Jew. She makes many friends along the way, of all different ages. Some have gone through what she did and some of them haven’t but they are her friends nonetheless. I think the book deserves four stars because the story was amazing and it was written with such emotion so that the reader could feel Karin’s pain and always want to read more. The reason I have not given it five stars is because I feel that although it was an amazing book, it could have been longer.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowery Review by : Elliott W
This book is about a Christian family trying to help a Jewish family escape from Demark to Sweden. The story takes place in Denmark in the city of Copenhagen. The time period is during the Holocaust when the Nazis were occupying Denmark. They also occupied other countries, however Sweden was not among them. There are a few main characters in this book. Ellen is worried that she is in deep trouble because is Jewish. Annemarie is Ellen’s best friend and is Christian. She is happy that she can be with her friend, but sad that she has to hide her. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of Annemarie and Kirsti. Mr. and Mrs. Rosen are the parents of Ellen. Kirsti is Annemarie's sister who is a little rude. During the war, Sweden was a neutral country. Many Danish Jews hid there during the war, which was key to their escape from the Nazis. Uncle Hendrik helped make it possible to get the Rosens out of Denmark. I would give this book a rating of 4 because some parts I did not find interesting, such as the girly interactions.
Maybe You Will Survive, by Aron Goldfarb Reviewed by Ava G. Aron Goldfarb, Ava Gutierrez’s grandfather, was a normal 15-year-old boy – well, if you count being a Jew during the Holocaust normal. He had a stuck-in-the-past Rabbi as a dad, and he lost his mother to cancer when he was very young. One of his brothers just ran away. How much worse could it get? A LOT WORSE! Aron Goldfarb lived in a small town called Bialobrzegi, Poland. He was born in 1923, and he had four brothers and two sisters. However, not all of them survived. This story is about Aron’s fight for life or death while he and his brothers hid and ran from the merciless Nazis. While reading this book, I learned many important things. I learned about the horrific deaths caused by the cruelty of the Nazis. For example, an innocent Jewish girl was shot to death because she was hiding a jacket she made from an old sack under her clothes. I also learned how my grandfather and his older brother Abe survived with luck and quick thinking. One example of this was when Nazi soldiers caught Abe sneaking away food. He quickly came up with a story that saved him. He told the soldiers he was a farmer heading home and it was still an hour before curfew. Luckily none of the soldiers had a watch on them so they bought his story. I loved this book! I rate it an amazing five stars. The story was fascinating and intriguing. You never knew what would happen next, who would die, and the risk the Goldfarbs would take. I recommend this book to everyone who loves history and has a taste for danger.
Night, by Elie Wiesel (Non-fiction and Holocaust Literature)
Night is a true story about a teenager and his father who went through the concentration camps together. They got separated from the girls in the family. They went to many different camps together, including Buna and Auschwitz. The teenager, Elie Wiesel’s goal was to stick with his father for the entire time that they stayed in the camps. And so they always met after showers and went everywhere together. One day the Jews had to run a long way from one end of the camp to the other. Many people dropped down and died during that miserable march. Elie and his father just barely made it without dying, but Elie’s father became very sick. He could barely walk. He thought that he was going to die sometime very soon, whether it was in the barracks or whether he was shot by the SS, who were the Germans. Elie was very worried about his father and himself. Will he be able to keep his father alive? Read the book to find out.
By Alec C.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
This story takes place in Denmark, during World War II and the Holocaust. Ten-year-old Annemarie is protecting her best friend, Ellen, who is Jewish. Ellen could be killed if found by the Nazis, so Annemarie and her family do everything in their power to protect her. When the Danish Resistance offers to take Ellen and 7,000 other Jews to Sweden, Annemarie is asked to perform a dangerous task to help smuggle her friend out of the country. Before they even know whether a boat to safety exists, Ellen needs a place to hide. Annemarie, her younger sister Kirsti and her parents try their hardest to keep Ellen safe. It is a tough time for everyone. There are food shortages, Nazis on every street, and windows are required to be dark in the evening. To protect Ellen, Annemarie and her family “adopt” her. Even that is hard because the Nazis come to check people’s homes, and Annemarie’s dark-haired family can’t explain Ellen’s blond hair. Or can they? Find out by reading this amazing, hair-raising, fingernail-biting book. I give it five out of five stars and recommend it for those who enjoy European history or thrilling novels that keep you on the edge of your chair.
By Samantha D.
Before they even know whether a boat to safety exists, Ellen needs a place to hide. Annemarie, her younger sister Kirsti and her parents try their hardest to keep Ellen safe. It is a tough time for everyone. There are food shortages, Nazis on every street, and windows are required to be dark in the evening. To protect Ellen, Annemarie and her family “adopt” her. Even that is hard because the Nazis come to check people’s homes, and Annemarie’s dark-haired family can’t explain Ellen’s blond hair. Or can they? Find out by reading this amazing, hair-raising, fingernail-biting book. I give it five out of five stars and recommend it for those who enjoy European history or thrilling novels that keep you on the edge of your chair.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
This book takes place during the Holocaust, which was a very hard time for the Jews. The main characters are Annemarie and Ellen, who are best friends. Annemarie, who is not Jewish, is protecting Ellen who is Jewish. The Germans were trying to kill all the Jews and this is why Ellen had to stay with Annemarie. The story takes place at Annemarie’s house and at her uncle’s house. Ellen’s parents stayed with someone else because if all of Ellen’s family stayed with Annemarie’s family then it would be too obvious that they were Jewish and not part the family. Ellen’s family couldn’t stay together because their last name was on the list of Jews at the Synagogue that the family went to. The book shows how Annemarie had to work hard to keep her best friend safe.
I would rate this story five stars because it was terrific!
By Alice S.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry Number the Stars tells a story of a ten-year-old girl, Anne-Marie Johanson, in Nazi Germany. Anne-Marie’s best friend, Ellen Rosen, is a Jew. As Anne-Marie and Ellen race home from school, they are stopped by a Nazi Soldier. The soldier orders them to halt; he then questions them and tells them not to run in the streets anymore and lets them go on their way. Anne-Marie is clueless of how the Nazis would soon affect her life. Ellen's family is going through tough times, considering the fact that they are Jewish in Germany, and send Ellen to stay with the Johanson family until they can go safely to Sweden. Life is already hard on Anne-Marie, but she puts all problems aside to be brave and help Ellen. Anne-Marie shows real courage, loyalty, determination, and wisdom. One night the Nazis come to the Johanson’s apartment. They demand to know where Ellen Rosen is. Anne-Marie had had the great idea of taking Ellen’s Jewish star necklace off of her. If Anne-Marie hadn’t done so, Ellen and the entire family would have been killed. Throughout this story Anne-Marie is constantly trying to save Ellen and does all she can. This story represents the meaning of friendship; no matter what happens you will always be there for your friend.
Tayla M.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
Reviewed by Rachel O.
When the Holocaust starts, Annemarie and her best friend Ellen have to complete a very dangerous mission. These two brave girls are only ten years old and living in Copenhagen, Denmark, trying to fight back against the Nazis. Annemarie is a smart, caring and loving person. She is even willing to risk her life for the people whom she loves. Unfortunately, one of Annemarie’s friends, Peter, was trying to save the girls but then he got caught and was shot to death. This book takes place from the beginning of the Holocaust all the way to the end. I would give this book a rating of four stars because I think it was really well written and it has a fantastic moral. Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
reviewed by Davi C. Number the Stars takes place in 1943 during World War Two. In that time period, in Copenhagen, the Nazis were relocating the Jews. One day, Annemarie and Kirstie were running with their Jewish friend Ellen. Two Nazi soldiers stopped them and asked them why they were running. Of course this frightened Ellen because she didn’t want the soldiers to know that she was Jewish. The three girls told them that they were just racing. After the soldiers asked a couple more questions they let them go back home. Sadly, the Nazi soldiers got all of the names of the Jews who lived in Copenhagen. All of the Jews had to hide in people’s homes and change their names. Ellen’s mom asked Annemarie and Kirstie’s mom (Mrs. Johansen) if Ellen could stay with them for a while. Of course the Johansens said yes! Annemarie and Kirstie had a sister named Lise. Unfortunately she was run over by a car and died. They decided that for the time they were hiding Ellen they would pretend that she was Lise, just in case the soldiers came. Really late one night, a couple of soldiers came to the Johansens’ home to check if they were hiding any Jews. When they went into Ellen and Annemarie’s room it woke them up and when they asked Ellen what her name was she said “Lise.” Then the soldiers got really suspicious because Ellen had blond hair and all the Johansens had brown hair. Thankfully, when Lise was a baby she had blond hair so Mr. Johansen showed the soldiers a picture of Lise when she was a baby. Later that week, Mrs. Johansen, Annemarie, Kirstie, and Ellen went to their Uncle Henrik’s house. Then one night around 1:00am, a lot of people went to Uncle Henrik’s house. Ellen’s mom and dad showed up and there was also an old man and a couple with their newborn baby. All these people were Jews that Uncle Henrik and Mrs. Johansen were trying to get to Sweden so they would be safe from the soldiers. I rate this book a three because I don’t think that many exciting things happen in it, but I liked that it was a real story.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowery Number the Stars tells the amazing story of two best friends, Annemarie Johnson, a non-Jew, and Ellen Rosen, a Jew. Annemarie is a shy 12 year old. Ellen is also 12 years old. She is energetic, outgoing, and friendly. It is important to mention their religions because the story takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1943 during the Holocaust. The story centered on the friendship between these two girls during this terrible time in history. When the Nazis entered Copenhagen they took Ellen’s parents away, forcing Ellen to pretend to be part of the Johnson family. The most exciting and dramatic part of the story takes place on a farm belonging to Annemarie’s Uncle Hendricks. The story takes many twists and turns during this farm visit. As tempting as it to tell you the ending of this five star book, you will have to read it yourself. Allison E
Number The Stars, by Lois Lowery Six million. That is how many Jews were killed in the horrible events of World War Two. We all hear of these brave men and women who protected and hid us from the Nazis. This is a story of one of those people. Annemarie Johansen is a ten-year-old girl whose best friend Ellen Rosen is a Jew. Ellen’s parents are taken to a safer place while Annemarie hides Ellen in her own home in Copenhagen. Later, to protect them all, Annemarie says Ellen is her sister. Annemarie knows something horrible is happening and knows she needs to keep Ellen safe. She will take the biggest risks a ten-year-old could imagine. I rate this book five stars, not only because it is a Newberry Award winner, but it truly puts you in the position of those who risked their lives for the Jewish people. It is a story of true bravery and friendship. By Solomon F.
Number The Stars, By Lois Lowery This story takes place in 1943 during the Nazi occupation of Denmark. The Johansens are friends with the Rosens, a Jewish family. When the Nazis announce that they are going to relocate all the Jews of Copenhagen, the Johansens agree to hide the 12 year old Ellen Rosen from the Nazis by pretending that Ellen is Annemarie Johansens dead sister Lise. Annemarie is also 12. The story describes the many twists and turns that the Johansen family goes through as they try to keep Ellen safe. I would rate this book 5 out of 5 because it gave me a great understanding of how challenging it was to be brave in saving the Jews from the Nazi. All families that helped the Jews escape the Nazis had to lead a double life which meant lying and putting their lives in danger. Benjamin J.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowery Review by : Elliott W
This book is about a Christian family trying to help a Jewish family escape from Demark to Sweden. The story takes place in Denmark in the city of Copenhagen. The time period is during the Holocaust when the Nazis were occupying Denmark. They also occupied other countries, however Sweden was not among them. There are a few main characters in this book. Ellen is worried that she is in deep trouble because is Jewish. Annemarie is Ellen’s best friend and is Christian. She is happy that she can be with her friend, but sad that she has to hide her. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of Annemarie and Kirsti. Mr. and Mrs. Rosen are the parents of Ellen. Kirsti is Annemarie's sister who is a little rude. During the war, Sweden was a neutral country. Many Danish Jews hid there during the war, which was key to their escape from the Nazis. Uncle Hendrik helped make it possible to get the Rosens out of Denmark. I would give this book a rating of 4 because some parts I did not find interesting, such as the girly interactions.
Run, Boy, Run, By Uri Orlev This book takes place during World War Two in Poland. This amazing story is about Srulik, who is a young Jewish boy living in the Warsaw ghetto with his family. One day, Srulik, his mother and his father try to escape. Srulik and his mother get caught and end up getting returned to the ghetto. Srulik’s mother leaves him to try to escape and he is alone and joins a group of boys that have lost their parents. They steal food and other things at night, and in the day they sell anything they cannot eat. One day, while the Germans are rounding up the Jews, Srulik hides in a farmer’s cart and sneaks out of the ghetto. Then he meets up with another group of boys in the forest. A group of people hunting for Jews comes into the forest and Srulik runs and hides in some bushes. He is alone and faces many challenges to survive. He is so sick while living in the forest during the winter that he again goes to a house. The woman keeps him there for a couple of months until he regains his strength. Srulik then leaves that woman and works in various jobs to survive and is mostly treated badly. He learns to act like a Christian and he changes his name to Jurek. Srulik decides that too may people know him on this side of the river and he asks some people to help him get to the other side of the river. They agree but trick him and instead they take him to the Gestapo headquarters but he manages to escape. Srulik continues his adventures in the forest. He is taken to the Gestapo a second time and they think he is Christian so they train him. The Gestapo sends him to work for a woman whose husband is in the army. Srulik runs the machinery and one day his arm gets caught in a machine. The woman rushes him to the hospital and the surgeon refuses to operate on him because he thinks he is Jewish. The next day another surgeon helps him but has to amputate his arm. Srulik learns how to live with one arm and he makes a lot of friends until the whole hospital finds out that he is a Jew. Srulik runs away from the hospital and again has to try and survive living in the forest. He meets someone in the forest who has the ability to turn him in or save him. Will Srulik survive the rest of the war? The book is very sad but thrilling to read. I rate it 5 out of 5.
By Jacob S.
Someone Named Eva, By Joan M. Wolf (Holocaust Literature)
Someone Named Eva is about a girl named Milada who is taken from her family by the Germans during World War II. She and other children from her town, with blond hair and blue eyes, are sent to a place where they get trained to be “perfect” German girls. Her name is now Eva and she learns German, yet she tries to remember her past in Lidice, Czechoslovakia. She gets adopted by a German family with a caring mutter (mother), a wonderful sister, an annoying brother, and a dad who only cares about work and his son. The war is going on and things are hard but a good thing is that Milada still has her grandmother’s garnet pin to help her remember her past. This book is truthfully the best book I ever read! It is sad, happy, mean, and surprising all at the same time! I really recommend this book! I would rate it a ten out of ten! I would actually rate it the highest number there is! It is an amazing book!
By Alice S.
Torn Threads by Anne Isaacs
The book Torn Threads is mainly about a girl named Eva. Eva and her family live in a Jewish ghetto in Poland in a town called Bedzin in the year 1943. Eva spends her days up in the tiny attic room of her small house playing on a tiny chessboard that she sketched onto the floor while her older sister Rachel sits around and does nothing. Eva is always worried about Rachel’s health because she has been sick many times so one day Eva encourages Rachel to go outside and take a walk through the ghetto to their aunt’s house. Rachel goes outside but then things go terribly wrong. A Nazi army trucks zooms down the streets of the ghetto and soldiers pick up any Jew they can grab. One of those Jews is Rachel. After Rachel gets taken, Eva’s dad begins to worry about her safety and arranges for Eva to be sent to the same camp as her sister. Eva is surprised her dad would want to send her to a concentration camp but Eva’s dad decides that if he sends Eva to this camp she will not end up in a worse camp and will be with her sister. This story takes place in a concentration camp where the girls in this camp spend hours on end rolling thread onto bobbins and shipping them out. Life in the camp is horrible but much better than some of the other camps. As the Russians come nearer to the town where the camp is the Nazis begin to leave and day by day the already small portions of food and water the girl get to eat become smaller and smaller. Even though they are excited for their freedom when the Russians arrive each girl there is praying that they might actually be alive when they do come Will Eva and Rachel ever be free again? Will one of them die along the way? You can find out if you read this book. I do recommend it but if you do not like books about the Holocaust this probably is not the book for you. On a scale of 1-5 I would give it a four because this book is very good but not my favorite.
By Ruthie S
Torn Thread, by Anne Isaacs
Eva Buchbinder is a fourteen-year-old girl who lives in the Bedzin Ghetto in Poland with her dad, Samuel, and a thirteen-year-old sister named Rachel. Their mother became sick in the ghetto and died. Torn Thread is set in the ghetto and in a concentration camp in Parshnitz, Czechoslovakia. One day the Nazis came into the ghetto and took the two girls to a concentration camp. They were placed in a barrack with hundreds of girls around the same age as them. The next day, they were put to work in a factory that made clothing and blankets for the Nazi army. While only getting a piece of bread and soup three times a week, Eva had to spin thread with dangerous material while Rachel collected it. One of their friends heard that the Czechs were defeating the Nazis and marching towards the camp. Therefore, she started a rumor that the Czechs were getting close to the camp to free the Jews. After two years of hard work and hunger, there was finally hope and excitement in the camp. I would rate this book five stars because even though it was a very sad and serious true story, Anne Isaacs made it so you couldn’t stop reading until you finished the book. It’s our history, and if we don’t remember and read about it, it might happen again.
By Simon G.
Twenty and Ten, by Claire Huchet Bishop Reviewed by Noah G.
Interesting, informative, attention-grabbing, these are a few words that describe “Twenty and Ten.” This book takes place in World War II, in Nazi-occupied France, up on top of a hill in a Christian boarding house. In this house there were twenty children, like Janet, Denise, George, and Henry. It all started when the children were playing in the yard. Sister Gabriel, their teacher, was walking with a young man, and ten children were in tow. The young man explained that the children were Jews hiding from the Nazis. The children were going to be staying in the boarding house until the war ended. Everybody enjoyed having the Jews there, although there was a shortage of food with so many mouths to feed. That’s how Henry got it; Henry gave the rest of his soup to a hungry young Jew. In return the Jew (by the name of Arthur) passed something under the table to Henry. Chocolate. Oh, how people craved that rare, rare treat. Henry promised to share it with Janet; they hid under a rock near the stream. The next day when they went to retrieve it, it was missing! They saw a girl running away with it then she suddenly disappeared. They ran to where the girl was standing and heard a cry; “Help!” It was coming from below. They looked down and saw Denise in a cave in the ground. They climbed down and agreed to share the candy bar with her. And that’s how they found the cave. The next day sister Gabriel went to town to get more food. That’s when they came - the Nazis. The children saw the Nazis and thought together. The cave would be the perfect place to hide the children! When the Nazis reached the house they started interrogating the children about Jews right away. But nobody gave up any information. That night Sister didn’t return, nor the next night, or the next. Eventually the Nazis left, and Sister Gabriel returned from prison. After the war ended the Jews were able to emerge from the cave. This book exhibits the hardships of hiding Jews from the Nazis and doing a good deed.
Overall I rate this book 3 stars out of five for interesting information, and a creative way of expressing it.
The Upstair Room,by Johanna Reiss
In The Upstairs Room, the de Leeuw family was living happily in a small town in Europe named Winterswijk during the late 1930’s. Mr. and Mrs. de Leeuw had three daughters, Annie, Rachel and Sini. Rachel was the oldest of her sisters and Annie was the youngest. At that time, the Nazis began to force Jews to go to the concentration camps. The family decided to leave Winterswijk because it was too dangerous. Their father found two homes, one for himself, and one for his children to stay, but Rachel decided to stay with her sick mother. Their father went to live in a small town not far from the girls. When their mother died, Rachel went to live about 40 miles from her sisters, while Annie and Sini stayed with a kind German family. When they got there, they found out they had to live in the attic. Beginning in the early 1940s, the Nazis began to check homes for Jews. Annie and Sini were sent to a different family for two weeks until everything settled down but they ended up staying for months. The family they stayed with had no children at home. The de Leeuw family had to figure out how to survive tough times for Jews and a life in hiding. I would give The Upstairs Window a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I liked this book because it was very well researched and written. It also gave a very accurate description of the Holocaust. In my opinion, this was one of the best books I have ever read.
True and made-up stories about the Holocaust
Anne Frank – by Anne Frank – edited by Otto H. Frank and Mirjam Pressler (biography)
Anne Frank is an autobiography about a thirteen-year-old girl who wrote in her diary in hiding during the Holocaust. On June 12, 1942, Anne Frank started writing in her diary. Anne and her family hid in the Annex (the attic of an office building) with another family in Amsterdam. The families that were in hiding had to be very quiet so that the Nazis wouldn’t figure out that they were hiding upstairs. The Annex’s door was covered with a bookcase to disguise the opening. Miep Gies and Mr.Kraler, two Dutch friends of the Franks, helped them hide. In the two years that Anne was hiding, she wrote in her diary. She wrote about her love for Bep and what life was like being in the Annex. The Annex was a small attic with two stories. There was a kitchen, three bathrooms and separate places to sleep. It was hard to live in the Annex because it was small and the families had to be quiet the whole time. It was also scary to live in the Annex because Anne and her family and the other family always heard gun fire. I enjoyed the book very much. I found it interesting to read about what life was like for Anne. I would rate this book three stars.
by Max.F
Anne Frank; Diary of a Young Girl (Autobiography)
Anne Frank lived during the time of the Holocaust. She was living near Amsterdam in the beginning of the war but one year on her thirteenth birthday her mom and dad told her that they were going into hiding. They were going to hide in Anne’s father’s office in Amsterdam. They were able to hide there because Anne’s dad had a worker who was not Jewish, and was able to bring them food and necessities for living. On that birthday, Anne received many great birthday presents, but the one that stood out the most was her diary. She decided to name it Kitty. She faced the challenges of living in a small apartment while being around people she was mad at, like her mother, father, and a family named the Van Daans. She also had to live while looking out her window and feeling guilty that she wasn’t being sent off to a concentration camp.
I would give this book three out of five stars because it had a couple of parts where it wasn’t very interesting, but other than that it was a very good book. I thought the book really taught me about the history of the Holocaust, and I really enjoyed it.
By Yonah H.
Anne Frank, Her Life in Words and Pictures, by Menno Metselaar and Ruud van der Rol
Reviewed by Sophia H
At 263 Prinsengracht, Amsterdam, in a hidden annex of an office building, behind a movable bookcase and up the stairs, there are a few Jewish families. One family’s name is Frank. Anne Frank, age 13, is the youngest child in her family. She lives with her father, Otto, mother, Edith, and older sister, Margot. They are hiding from the Nazis, trying to keep themselves alive, with the secret help of Otto’s colleagues. Anne lives a perfectly normal life until1940, seven years after Hitler comes into power, when suddenly Jews are restricted from doing almost anything. Going to shows, being at a friend’s house after a certain time, shopping at grocery stores not meant for Jews are just a few examples. The pictures in this book help the reader visualize every event in Anne’s life that she wrote down in her diary. I could see how small the area was in which she hid. I could see the look on people’s faces when they were on their way to be killed in gas chambers. The pictures tell just as much of a story as the words. I give this book a 5 out of 5. After finishing it, I couldn’t stop thinking about how horribly treated so many people were. Anne Frank is just one out of six million other people who died during this horrible time. The layout of this book was perfect for the story so that I was able to find out tons of information about Anne both through pictures and words. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in reading about Anne Frank’s life.
The Diary Of Anne Frank, by Anne Frank (Autobiography)
In her diary, Anne Frank was a young girl who was going through some tough times. She, her sister Margo, her mother Added, her father Atto, Hairmon Van Daan, Augusto Van Daan, Peter Van Daan and Albert Dusso all go into hiding in an annex behind a book shelf in her dad’s work building because of the Holocaust. Victor Cugler, Yohanes Clineman and a few other people help them get food and things that they need while inside the annex. Anne finds herself becoming friends with Peter Van Daan. They get so close they can tell each other anything even though he is a boy and she is a girl. Eventually they start liking each other even more than friends and they find themselves loving each other. Anne was very smart and her writing was very descriptive. It let me have a full picture in my head of what was going on in the story. She wrote about her feelings and her likes and dislikes of living in the Annex. She wrote about what happened and it was so detailed. Anne used words that went perfectly with the scene of the story she was telling or what she was saying. I thought about how Anne would feel if she knew that her diary was published because it is pretty personal, but then I saw that she wrote that when she would be allowed to leave the annex she would write a book called The Secret Annex and her diary would be the base of the book; but her diary still did have some things in it that she didn’t want to share with the world. This book is so amazing and I almost cried!
By Alice S.
The Diary of a Young Girl: Anne Frank, by Anne Frank, typed by Otto Frank (autobiography)
This loving story of a young girl named Anne Frank took place in the year 1942, in Amsterdam, Holland. Anne was thirteen when she began writing in her diary. I have always loved Holocaust stories, but Anne Frank's was much different from those I've read as well as heard about. During a part of the Holocaust, Anne, her family, and some friends were hiding in an annex--a small building connected to a larger one--of her father's business, for a little over two years. What surprised me was that Anne had written in her diary practically every day so you really got to know her and her life, which is probably why I like this book so much. With every entry Anne wrote, you end up looking for personal information about her and feel sympathy because of the conditions she lived in and her isolation, even if she was far luckier than many people who were in the Holocaust. Anne further astonished me because in her writing, she was very honest and even all the extremely embarrassing moments and thoughts she had were written down. I also love this book because it is about a girl who is around my age, so I could understand how lonely she must have felt, and her viewpoints on many things. This was an amazing and interesting book. I would suggest it for any age, especially for kids around thirteen!
Alexandria G.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne
Reviewed by Jeremy S.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne, is an excellent historical fiction novel. It takes you through the Holocaust from the perspective of a naïve nine-year-old German boy named Bruno. All he knew was that his father was a man to watch and that the "Fury" had big things in mind for him. In truth, he didn’t really know what this meant. He didn’t know who or what the "Fury" was. It was really the "Fuhrer", who was Adolf Hitler. Bruno just knew that his father was very important.
One day, when Bruno came home from school, he was surprised to find Maria, the family maid, emptying all his belongings from his wardrobe into four wooden crates. His mother explained to him that his father’s job would require him, his sister Gretel, his mother and father to move away from their home in Berlin for the foreseeable future. Gretel thought the foreseeable future would probably be three weeks, but they actually ended up staying there for a couple of years. Bruno was devastated. He had to say goodbye to his three life-long best friends, Karl, Martin, and Daniel.
To Bruno’s dismay, the new house, Out-With, was not very nice. It only had three floors in comparison to the five floors that the house in Berlin had. There were no other children except for the ones in the striped pajamas that Bruno could see from his bedroom window. They were on the other side of a fence. Bruno thought that he could do some exploring outside, in the area near the fence, although his mother and father had told him that there would be no exploring at Out-With with no exceptions and that he wasn’t allowed anywhere near the fence. He went anyway as he was afraid that he might go mad from boredom at Out-With. The walk along the fence was very long, but just at the moment that Bruno wanted to turn back he noticed a dot. The dot became a speck, the speck became a blob, the blob became a figure, and finally the figure became a boy--a boy that changed life as Bruno knew it at Out-With.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas gives readers an open-minded look at the Holocaust. It teaches readers that fences like the one at the heart of this story still exist today and will most likely never fully disappear, and that terrible things like the Holocaust can happen, even in this day and age. The book teaches readers that hatred does exist in our world and that it can never, not ever be ignored. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was an exquisite book that deserves five out of five stars.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne
Bruno was nine years old when he had to move houses to live in Aushvitz. The reason why his family had to move was because his father got a promotion but he had to be in Auschvitz to have it. As Bruno was looking out of the window in the new house, he noticed something very peculiar: An ongoing barbed wired fence. With these people on the other side who wore gray striped pajamas and gray caps on their heads. Every day he would look at these people on the other side not knowing who they were until one day when he decided that he would walk along the fence to explore, which was one of his very good hobbies. As he was walking along the fence, he saw a boy about his age sitting right next to the fence, on the other side. He went up to him and started to talk to him. In fact the boy was the exact same age as him, or that’s what the boy said. Anyways the boy said that he didn’t know why he was on the other side or why anyone was. When Bruno noticed a yellow star on the pajamas and asked what it was, the boy, whose name was Shmuel, said that all of the people on the other side wore those but he didn’t know why. Shmuel said that all of the other people on the other side are Jews but he didn’t know anything else. Even though Bruno wasn’t sure that he was supposed to be with Shmuel, he wanted to be his friend anyways and so did Shmuel. Read this book to find out what happens next.
Alec C.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne
This fictional story is about a young Nazi boy who comes upon a fence - a fence that nobody should have to come upon. This book begins in Berlin during World War II, when a nine-year-old boy named Bruno has to move far away from his home to a place called Out-With because his father’s job has been transferred. Bruno must leave behind his friends, his grandparents, his house and the streets of Berlin. When Bruno and his family arrive in Out-With they automatically do not like it. It is very different from what they are used to. For months, Bruno is lonely and has nothing to do and nobody to play with. He loves exploring the area around him, so one day he goes outside of his house. There is a beautiful garden, trees and a bench to relax on but then he comes upon something not so beautiful. This something is a fence and behind it is forest, but he can see little huts in the distance. The people in these huts are Jewish and they are dressed in striped pajamas and striped caps. One afternoon when Bruno is looking beyond the fence, he sees a young boy with a sad look on his face. These two boys become close friends by telling each other their life stories, meeting at the fence every day and realizing they have the same birthday which makes them realize they have a lot in common. Bruno, as a German boy, comes to realize that these sad people also have feelings just like he does.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 because some parts were interesting and I wanted to pick the book back up and keep reading, but some parts were boring at times and basic. What makes this book special is that it is not predictable. You would never guess what happens in the end or after each chapter. I really liked this book and would recommend it to people because even though it isn't true I'm sure something like it happened to somebody who had to go through the Holocaust. This book tells you that even in sad times things can get better. It is crystal clear that Bruno’s childhood was changed, but wasn’t damaged, despite the fact that he was living at the border of a death camp.
Julia N.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne
The Boy In the Striped Pajamas is about two very different boys who form a great friendship during the Holocaust. It tells the story of a boy, nine-year-old Bruno, who moves from Berlin to Poland because of his father’s job. After arriving at the new house, Bruno notices a huge fence, and on the other side are many people in striped pajamas (Jews in a concentration camp). He is extremely confused and even asks his sister Gretel about it. One day during tutoring, he sneaks off to explore the fence and meets a Jewish boy named Shmuel. Bruno and Shmuel become friends. Bruno is told not to talk to people in striped pajamas. Still Bruno chooses to meet with the boy every day and slides food under the fence for him. One day Shmuel doesn’t come back. Still, every day Bruno goes to the fence. He doesn’t know what to think; the only thing he can think is that something happened to Shmuel.
Tayla M
Clara's Story, by Joan Grossman
Reviewed by Allison G.
Have you ever been in a position where one step could change
your life? Clara has. Clara's Story, by Joan Adess Grossman, is a true story about
Clara Isaacman, and how she survived the Holocaust. This story takes place in
Romania during the time of World War II.
Clara's family moved from Romania to Belgium during the war. Her family
experienced many failed escape plans. One of the plans took them to their family's
favorite summer place. They were going to leave Belgium by boat, but there were
bombs dangerously close. So their family started to go to a building that had a bomb
shelter sign, but her mom said, " No this way." The second they reached their
destination, the building was gone, demolished by a bomb. While trying to find shelter,
a bomb half a block away fell, and injured Clara's back. They headed back to their
house by bus. A Nazi soldier was on the bus and, he was singing the Nazi song. When
they finally got home, luckily, their house was okay. That night their neighborhood was rounded up, but the Nazis allowed them to stay because they were from Belgium.
Clara's family realized they had to go into hiding if they wanted to live. When in
hiding, they had to go from one place to another. Some places were nice, and some
where horrible. Clara met lots of people and became friendly with some of them while
they moved from place to place.
Clara went through many scary situations. One of the scariest experiences Clara
and her family had was when they ran out of money to pay for food. One of Clara's
siblings was sent to get hidden diamonds in their abandoned house. When their dad
could not trade them for money, he killed himself and their mom was traumatized, and
would not eat or sleep. After Clara's mom recovered the family decided to change
houses. This was only one of the horrific experiences Clara and her family went
through.
I give this book four and a half stars out of five because it is a real story that is
very suspenseful and keeps you interested. It also is written in a way where I can feel
like I am standing right next to Clara, even though this story is unbelievable and seems impossible to live through. This book is special to me because my grandma Joan Adess Grossman wrote this biography, and interviewed Clara when my mom was a young girl.
The Devil’s Arithmetic, By Jane Yolen (176pages)
This story is about a girl named Hannah who hates going to her family Passover seder, but this time the service is different. Hannah is told to open the door for Elijah. The second Hannah opens the door she is taken back in time to a Polish village in the year 1942. Hannah is a Jewish girl with black hair and braces. Chaya was the best friend of Hannah’s Aunt Eva when they were in the concentration camps. When Hannah gets transported back in time, she becomes Chaya. Chaya’s parents had died from a horrible illness. Chaya was also very sick but she recovered and was being taken care of by a woman named Gital and her brother Shmuel.
The story takes place in three different places in April during Passover. They include an apartment in the Bronx in modern times owned by Hannah’s grandparents, a small Polish village in 1942, and concentration camps. I really liked reading this book. It has adventure and history which I try and look for in a book, and it was interesting to read. On a scale of 1-5, I would rate this book a four because it is well written, and a very good book.
By Ruthie. S
The Devil’s Arithmetic
By Jane Yolen
Reviewed by Sammi B.
The Devil’s Arithmetic is about a girl named Hannah, who lives inNew Rochelle,New York, in our own time. Hannah is a Jewish twelve-year old girl who goes to a regular school and has regular friends just like you and me. The story begins on the first night of Passover, at her grandparents’ apartment. Hannah is not looking forward to a Passover with her grandfather because he bores her with stories about the Holocaust. At the end of the Seder, Hannah’s grandfather lets her open the door for Elijah the Prophet. Once Hannah opens the door she is sucked back into the past toPoland in the year 1942.
Hannah wakes up to a woman named Gitl calling her Chaya. Hannah is confused and scared so Gitl explains to her that Hannah’s parents had just died from the influenza and that Hannah had almost died. Gitl also told Hannah that she is her aunt and that Gitl’s brother Shmuel was getting married. Hannah assumed that her family was trying to prank her so she went along with it. Everyone from Shmuel and Gitl’s shtetl and Shmuel’s fiancé Fayge’s shtetl came together in a forest and had a parade that marched back to Fayge’s shtetl to the synagogue where Fayge and Shmuel would be married. When the parade of people got to the synagogue they saw many trucks filled with Nazis parked in front of the synagogue. Hannah had studied about the Nazis in history class at her school and she knew that they were actually going to take everyone to a concentration camp so she tried to warn the people to run away. Even though she begged the rabbi not to let the Nazis take them to “resettlement facilities”, the rabbi allowed the Nazis to take the people there. After the horrible four-day ride in an overcrowded box truck, they got to the concentration camp. There they were told that people would be ‘chosen’ to be killed weekly. Read The Devil’s Arithmetic to see who will be chosen or won’t, and whether Hannah will be able to return to her own time.
Out of five stars I would give The Devil’s Arithmetic four stars because the book wasn’t as well written as it could have been, but there was a good plot.
Good Night Maman, by Norma Fox Mazer
Reviewed by Devora S.
This book is about a girl named Karin Levi during the Holocaust. It is about her, her brother Marc, and her mother Maman, when they are running away from the Germans and finding refuge in different places. In the middle of the book, Maman falls ill and is unable to continue traveling, so Karin and Marc must continue alone on their journey to America.
The book takes place in the 1940’s. The timeframe is two years as Karin is ten at the beginning and twelve in the end. The first part of the book takes place in many locations in Europe, including France, and Italy. The second part takes place in America. Marc is two years older than Karin but without Maman he sometimes acts much older than that. Along the journey, Karin meets people that help even though she is a Jew. She makes many friends along the way, of all different ages. Some have gone through what she did and some of them haven’t but they are her friends nonetheless.
I think the book deserves four stars because the story was amazing and it was written with such emotion so that the reader could feel Karin’s pain and always want to read more. The reason I have not given it five stars is because I feel that although it was an amazing book, it could have been longer.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowery
Review by : Elliott W
This book is about a Christian family trying to help a Jewish family escape from Demark to Sweden. The story takes place in Denmark in the city of Copenhagen. The time period is during the Holocaust when the Nazis were occupying Denmark. They also occupied other countries, however Sweden was not among them. There are a few main characters in this book. Ellen is worried that she is in deep trouble because is Jewish. Annemarie is Ellen’s best friend and is Christian. She is happy that she can be with her friend, but sad that she has to hide her. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of Annemarie and Kirsti. Mr. and Mrs. Rosen are the parents of Ellen. Kirsti is Annemarie's sister who is a little rude. During the war, Sweden was a neutral country. Many Danish Jews hid there during the war, which was key to their escape from the Nazis. Uncle Hendrik helped make it possible to get the Rosens out of Denmark. I would give this book a rating of 4 because some parts I did not find interesting, such as the girly interactions.
Maybe You Will Survive, by Aron Goldfarb
Reviewed by Ava G.
Aron Goldfarb, Ava Gutierrez’s grandfather, was a normal 15-year-old boy – well, if you count being a Jew during the Holocaust normal. He had a stuck-in-the-past Rabbi as a dad, and he lost his mother to cancer when he was very young. One of his brothers just ran away. How much worse could it get? A LOT WORSE! Aron Goldfarb lived in a small town called Bialobrzegi, Poland. He was born in 1923, and he had four brothers and two sisters. However, not all of them survived. This story is about Aron’s fight for life or death while he and his brothers hid and ran from the merciless Nazis.
While reading this book, I learned many important things. I learned about the horrific deaths caused by the cruelty of the Nazis. For example, an innocent Jewish girl was shot to death because she was hiding a jacket she made from an old sack under her clothes. I also learned how my grandfather and his older brother Abe survived with luck and quick thinking. One example of this was when Nazi soldiers caught Abe sneaking away food. He quickly came up with a story that saved him. He told the soldiers he was a farmer heading home and it was still an hour before curfew. Luckily none of the soldiers had a watch on them so they bought his story.
I loved this book! I rate it an amazing five stars. The story was fascinating and intriguing. You never knew what would happen next, who would die, and the risk the Goldfarbs would take. I recommend this book to everyone who loves history and has a taste for danger.
Night, by Elie Wiesel (Non-fiction and Holocaust Literature)
Night is a true story about a teenager and his father who went through the concentration camps together. They got separated from the girls in the family. They went to many different camps together, including Buna and Auschwitz. The teenager, Elie Wiesel’s goal was to stick with his father for the entire time that they stayed in the camps. And so they always met after showers and went everywhere together. One day the Jews had to run a long way from one end of the camp to the other. Many people dropped down and died during that miserable march. Elie and his father just barely made it without dying, but Elie’s father became very sick. He could barely walk. He thought that he was going to die sometime very soon, whether it was in the barracks or whether he was shot by the SS, who were the Germans. Elie was very worried about his father and himself. Will he be able to keep his father alive? Read the book to find out.
By Alec C.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
This story takes place in Denmark, during World War II and the Holocaust. Ten-year-old Annemarie is protecting her best friend, Ellen, who is Jewish. Ellen could be killed if found by the Nazis, so Annemarie and her family do everything in their power to protect her. When the Danish Resistance offers to take Ellen and 7,000 other Jews to Sweden, Annemarie is asked to perform a dangerous task to help smuggle her friend out of the country. Before they even know whether a boat to safety exists, Ellen needs a place to hide. Annemarie, her younger sister Kirsti and her parents try their hardest to keep Ellen safe. It is a tough time for everyone. There are food shortages, Nazis on every street, and windows are required to be dark in the evening. To protect Ellen, Annemarie and her family “adopt” her. Even that is hard because the Nazis come to check people’s homes, and Annemarie’s dark-haired family can’t explain Ellen’s blond hair. Or can they? Find out by reading this amazing, hair-raising, fingernail-biting book. I give it five out of five stars and recommend it for those who enjoy European history or thrilling novels that keep you on the edge of your chair.By Samantha D.
Before they even know whether a boat to safety exists, Ellen needs a place to hide. Annemarie, her younger sister Kirsti and her parents try their hardest to keep Ellen safe. It is a tough time for everyone. There are food shortages, Nazis on every street, and windows are required to be dark in the evening. To protect Ellen, Annemarie and her family “adopt” her. Even that is hard because the Nazis come to check people’s homes, and Annemarie’s dark-haired family can’t explain Ellen’s blond hair. Or can they? Find out by reading this amazing, hair-raising, fingernail-biting book. I give it five out of five stars and recommend it for those who enjoy European history or thrilling novels that keep you on the edge of your chair.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
This book takes place during the Holocaust, which was a very hard time for the Jews. The main characters are Annemarie and Ellen, who are best friends. Annemarie, who is not Jewish, is protecting Ellen who is Jewish. The Germans were trying to kill all the Jews and this is why Ellen had to stay with Annemarie. The story takes place at Annemarie’s house and at her uncle’s house. Ellen’s parents stayed with someone else because if all of Ellen’s family stayed with Annemarie’s family then it would be too obvious that they were Jewish and not part the family. Ellen’s family couldn’t stay together because their last name was on the list of Jews at the Synagogue that the family went to. The book shows how Annemarie had to work hard to keep her best friend safe.
I would rate this story five stars because it was terrific!
By Alice S.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
Number the Stars tells a story of a ten-year-old girl, Anne-Marie Johanson, in Nazi Germany. Anne-Marie’s best friend, Ellen Rosen, is a Jew. As Anne-Marie and Ellen race home from school, they are stopped by a Nazi Soldier. The soldier orders them to halt; he then questions them and tells them not to run in the streets anymore and lets them go on their way. Anne-Marie is clueless of how the Nazis would soon affect her life. Ellen's family is going through tough times, considering the fact that they are Jewish in Germany, and send Ellen to stay with the Johanson family until they can go safely to Sweden. Life is already hard on Anne-Marie, but she puts all problems aside to be brave and help Ellen. Anne-Marie shows real courage, loyalty, determination, and wisdom. One night the Nazis come to the Johanson’s apartment. They demand to know where Ellen Rosen is. Anne-Marie had had the great idea of taking Ellen’s Jewish star necklace off of her. If Anne-Marie hadn’t done so, Ellen and the entire family would have been killed. Throughout this story Anne-Marie is constantly trying to save Ellen and does all she can. This story represents the meaning of friendship; no matter what happens you will always be there for your friend.
Tayla M.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
Reviewed by Rachel O.
When the Holocaust starts, Annemarie and her best friend Ellen have to complete a very dangerous mission. These two brave girls are only ten years old and living in Copenhagen, Denmark, trying to fight back against the Nazis. Annemarie is a smart, caring and loving person. She is even willing to risk her life for the people whom she loves. Unfortunately, one of Annemarie’s friends, Peter, was trying to save the girls but then he got caught and was shot to death. This book takes place from the beginning of the Holocaust all the way to the end. I would give this book a rating of four stars because I think it was really well written and it has a fantastic moral.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
reviewed by Davi C.
Number the Stars takes place in 1943 during World War Two. In that time period, in Copenhagen, the Nazis were relocating the Jews. One day, Annemarie and Kirstie were running with their Jewish friend Ellen. Two Nazi soldiers stopped them and asked them why they were running. Of course this frightened Ellen because she didn’t want the soldiers to know that she was Jewish. The three girls told them that they were just racing. After the soldiers asked a couple more questions they let them go back home.
Sadly, the Nazi soldiers got all of the names of the Jews who lived in Copenhagen. All of the Jews had to hide in people’s homes and change their names. Ellen’s mom asked Annemarie and Kirstie’s mom (Mrs. Johansen) if Ellen could stay with them for a while. Of course the Johansens said yes! Annemarie and Kirstie had a sister named Lise. Unfortunately she was run over by a car and died. They decided that for the time they were hiding Ellen they would pretend that she was Lise, just in case the soldiers came.
Really late one night, a couple of soldiers came to the Johansens’ home to check if they were hiding any Jews. When they went into Ellen and Annemarie’s room it woke them up and when they asked Ellen what her name was she said “Lise.” Then the soldiers got really suspicious because Ellen had blond hair and all the Johansens had brown hair. Thankfully, when Lise was a baby she had blond hair so Mr. Johansen showed the soldiers a picture of Lise when she was a baby.
Later that week, Mrs. Johansen, Annemarie, Kirstie, and Ellen went to their Uncle Henrik’s house. Then one night around 1:00am, a lot of people went to Uncle Henrik’s house. Ellen’s mom and dad showed up and there was also an old man and a couple with their newborn baby. All these people were Jews that Uncle Henrik and Mrs. Johansen were trying to get to Sweden so they would be safe from the soldiers. I rate this book a three because I don’t think that many exciting things happen in it, but I liked that it was a real story.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowery
Number the Stars tells the amazing story of two best friends, Annemarie Johnson, a non-Jew, and Ellen Rosen, a Jew. Annemarie is a shy 12 year old. Ellen is also 12 years old. She is energetic, outgoing, and friendly. It is important to mention their religions because the story takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1943 during the Holocaust.
The story centered on the friendship between these two girls during this terrible time in history. When the Nazis entered Copenhagen they took Ellen’s parents away, forcing Ellen to pretend to be part of the Johnson family.
The most exciting and dramatic part of the story takes place on a farm belonging to Annemarie’s Uncle Hendricks. The story takes many twists and turns during this farm visit. As tempting as it to tell you the ending of this five star book, you will have to read it yourself.
Allison E
Number The Stars, by Lois Lowery
Six million. That is how many Jews were killed in the horrible events of World War Two. We all hear of these brave men and women who protected and hid us from the Nazis. This is a story of one of those people. Annemarie Johansen is a ten-year-old girl whose best friend Ellen Rosen is a Jew. Ellen’s parents are taken to a safer place while Annemarie hides Ellen in her own home in Copenhagen. Later, to protect them all, Annemarie says Ellen is her sister. Annemarie knows something horrible is happening and knows she needs to keep Ellen safe. She will take the biggest risks a ten-year-old could imagine.
I rate this book five stars, not only because it is a Newberry Award winner, but it truly puts you in the position of those who risked their lives for the Jewish people. It is a story of true bravery and friendship.
By Solomon F.
Number The Stars, By Lois Lowery
This story takes place in 1943 during the Nazi occupation of Denmark. The Johansens are friends with the Rosens, a Jewish family. When the Nazis announce that they are going to relocate all the Jews of Copenhagen, the Johansens agree to hide the 12 year old Ellen Rosen from the Nazis by pretending that Ellen is Annemarie Johansens dead sister Lise. Annemarie is also 12. The story describes the many twists and turns that the Johansen family goes through as they try to keep Ellen safe. I would rate this book 5 out of 5 because it gave me a great understanding of how challenging it was to be brave in saving the Jews from the Nazi. All families that helped the Jews escape the Nazis had to lead a double life which meant lying and putting their lives in danger.
Benjamin J.
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowery
Review by : Elliott W
This book is about a Christian family trying to help a Jewish family escape from Demark to Sweden. The story takes place in Denmark in the city of Copenhagen. The time period is during the Holocaust when the Nazis were occupying Denmark. They also occupied other countries, however Sweden was not among them. There are a few main characters in this book. Ellen is worried that she is in deep trouble because is Jewish. Annemarie is Ellen’s best friend and is Christian. She is happy that she can be with her friend, but sad that she has to hide her. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of Annemarie and Kirsti. Mr. and Mrs. Rosen are the parents of Ellen. Kirsti is Annemarie's sister who is a little rude. During the war, Sweden was a neutral country. Many Danish Jews hid there during the war, which was key to their escape from the Nazis. Uncle Hendrik helped make it possible to get the Rosens out of Denmark. I would give this book a rating of 4 because some parts I did not find interesting, such as the girly interactions.
Run, Boy, Run, By Uri Orlev
This book takes place during World War Two in Poland. This amazing story is about Srulik, who is a young Jewish boy living in the Warsaw ghetto with his family. One day, Srulik, his mother and his father try to escape. Srulik and his mother get caught and end up getting returned to the ghetto. Srulik’s mother leaves him to try to escape and he is alone and joins a group of boys that have lost their parents. They steal food and other things at night, and in the day they sell anything they cannot eat. One day, while the Germans are rounding up the Jews, Srulik hides in a farmer’s cart and sneaks out of the ghetto. Then he meets up with another group of boys in the forest. A group of people hunting for Jews comes into the forest and Srulik runs and hides in some bushes. He is alone and faces many challenges to survive. He is so sick while living in the forest during the winter that he again goes to a house. The woman keeps him there for a couple of months until he regains his strength. Srulik then leaves that woman and works in various jobs to survive and is mostly treated badly. He learns to act like a Christian and he changes his name to Jurek. Srulik decides that too may people know him on this side of the river and he asks some people to help him get to the other side of the river. They agree but trick him and instead they take him to the Gestapo headquarters but he manages to escape. Srulik continues his adventures in the forest. He is taken to the Gestapo a second time and they think he is Christian so they train him. The Gestapo sends him to work for a woman whose husband is in the army. Srulik runs the machinery and one day his arm gets caught in a machine. The woman rushes him to the hospital and the surgeon refuses to operate on him because he thinks he is Jewish. The next day another surgeon helps him but has to amputate his arm. Srulik learns how to live with one arm and he makes a lot of friends until the whole hospital finds out that he is a Jew. Srulik runs away from the hospital and again has to try and survive living in the forest. He meets someone in the forest who has the ability to turn him in or save him. Will Srulik survive the rest of the war? The book is very sad but thrilling to read. I rate it 5 out of 5.
By Jacob S.
Someone Named Eva, By Joan M. Wolf (Holocaust Literature)
Someone Named Eva is about a girl named Milada who is taken from her family by the Germans during World War II. She and other children from her town, with blond hair and blue eyes, are sent to a place where they get trained to be “perfect” German girls. Her name is now Eva and she learns German, yet she tries to remember her past in Lidice, Czechoslovakia. She gets adopted by a German family with a caring mutter (mother), a wonderful sister, an annoying brother, and a dad who only cares about work and his son. The war is going on and things are hard but a good thing is that Milada still has her grandmother’s garnet pin to help her remember her past. This book is truthfully the best book I ever read! It is sad, happy, mean, and surprising all at the same time! I really recommend this book! I would rate it a ten out of ten! I would actually rate it the highest number there is! It is an amazing book!
By Alice S.
Torn Threads by Anne Isaacs
The book Torn Threads is mainly about a girl named Eva. Eva and her family live in a Jewish ghetto in Poland in a town called Bedzin in the year 1943. Eva spends her days up in the tiny attic room of her small house playing on a tiny chessboard that she sketched onto the floor while her older sister Rachel sits around and does nothing. Eva is always worried about Rachel’s health because she has been sick many times so one day Eva encourages Rachel to go outside and take a walk through the ghetto to their aunt’s house. Rachel goes outside but then things go terribly wrong. A Nazi army trucks zooms down the streets of the ghetto and soldiers pick up any Jew they can grab. One of those Jews is Rachel. After Rachel gets taken, Eva’s dad begins to worry about her safety and arranges for Eva to be sent to the same camp as her sister. Eva is surprised her dad would want to send her to a concentration camp but Eva’s dad decides that if he sends Eva to this camp she will not end up in a worse camp and will be with her sister. This story takes place in a concentration camp where the girls in this camp spend hours on end rolling thread onto bobbins and shipping them out. Life in the camp is horrible but much better than some of the other camps. As the Russians come nearer to the town where the camp is the Nazis begin to leave and day by day the already small portions of food and water the girl get to eat become smaller and smaller. Even though they are excited for their freedom when the Russians arrive each girl there is praying that they might actually be alive when they do come Will Eva and Rachel ever be free again? Will one of them die along the way? You can find out if you read this book. I do recommend it but if you do not like books about the Holocaust this probably is not the book for you. On a scale of 1-5 I would give it a four because this book is very good but not my favorite.
By Ruthie S
Torn Thread, by Anne Isaacs
Eva Buchbinder is a fourteen-year-old girl who lives in the Bedzin Ghetto in Poland with her dad, Samuel, and a thirteen-year-old sister named Rachel. Their mother became sick in the ghetto and died. Torn Thread is set in the ghetto and in a concentration camp in Parshnitz, Czechoslovakia. One day the Nazis came into the ghetto and took the two girls to a concentration camp. They were placed in a barrack with hundreds of girls around the same age as them. The next day, they were put to work in a factory that made clothing and blankets for the Nazi army. While only getting a piece of bread and soup three times a week, Eva had to spin thread with dangerous material while Rachel collected it. One of their friends heard that the Czechs were defeating the Nazis and marching towards the camp. Therefore, she started a rumor that the Czechs were getting close to the camp to free the Jews. After two years of hard work and hunger, there was finally hope and excitement in the camp. I would rate this book five stars because even though it was a very sad and serious true story, Anne Isaacs made it so you couldn’t stop reading until you finished the book. It’s our history, and if we don’t remember and read about it, it might happen again.
By Simon G.
Twenty and Ten, by Claire Huchet Bishop
Reviewed by Noah G.
Interesting, informative, attention-grabbing, these are a few words that describe “Twenty and Ten.” This book takes place in World War II, in Nazi-occupied France, up on top of a hill in a Christian boarding house. In this house there were twenty children, like Janet, Denise, George, and Henry. It all started when the children were playing in the yard. Sister Gabriel, their teacher, was walking with a young man, and ten children were in tow. The young man explained that the children were Jews hiding from the Nazis. The children were going to be staying in the boarding house until the war ended. Everybody enjoyed having the Jews there, although there was a shortage of food with so many mouths to feed. That’s how Henry got it; Henry gave the rest of his soup to a hungry young Jew. In return the Jew (by the name of Arthur) passed something under the table to Henry. Chocolate. Oh, how people craved that rare, rare treat. Henry promised to share it with Janet; they hid under a rock near the stream. The next day when they went to retrieve it, it was missing! They saw a girl running away with it then she suddenly disappeared. They ran to where the girl was standing and heard a cry; “Help!” It was coming from below. They looked down and saw Denise in a cave in the ground. They climbed down and agreed to share the candy bar with her. And that’s how they found the cave. The next day sister Gabriel went to town to get more food. That’s when they came - the Nazis. The children saw the Nazis and thought together. The cave would be the perfect place to hide the children! When the Nazis reached the house they started interrogating the children about Jews right away. But nobody gave up any information. That night Sister didn’t return, nor the next night, or the next. Eventually the Nazis left, and Sister Gabriel returned from prison. After the war ended the Jews were able to emerge from the cave. This book exhibits the hardships of hiding Jews from the Nazis and doing a good deed.
Overall I rate this book 3 stars out of five for interesting information, and a creative way of expressing it.
The Upstair Room, by Johanna Reiss
In The Upstairs Room, the de Leeuw family was living happily in a small town in Europe named Winterswijk during the late 1930’s. Mr. and Mrs. de Leeuw had three daughters, Annie, Rachel and Sini. Rachel was the oldest of her sisters and Annie was the youngest. At that time, the Nazis began to force Jews to go to the concentration camps. The family decided to leave Winterswijk because it was too dangerous. Their father found two homes, one for himself, and one for his children to stay, but Rachel decided to stay with her sick mother. Their father went to live in a small town not far from the girls. When their mother died, Rachel went to live about 40 miles from her sisters, while Annie and Sini stayed with a kind German family. When they got there, they found out they had to live in the attic. Beginning in the early 1940s, the Nazis began to check homes for Jews. Annie and Sini were sent to a different family for two weeks until everything settled down but they ended up staying for months. The family they stayed with had no children at home. The de Leeuw family had to figure out how to survive tough times for Jews and a life in hiding. I would give The Upstairs Window a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I liked this book because it was very well researched and written. It also gave a very accurate description of the Holocaust. In my opinion, this was one of the best books I have ever read.
By Josh J.