IMPOSSIBLE ESCAPE by

Impossible Escape: a true story of survival and heroism in   Nazi Europe by Steve Sheinkin

World War II, Holocaust, Narrative Nonfiction

243 pages; 2023

Description

"A true story of two Jewish teenagers racing against time during the Holocaust--one in hiding in Hungary, and the other in Auschwitz, plotting escape"--Provided by publisher.

School Library Journal starred (August 1, 2023)

Gr 8 Up-Sheinken has penned another must-read with this powerful and harrowing account of childhood friends Rudolf Vrba and Gerta Sidonová, Slovakian Jewish teens who not only survived the Holocaust but fought back against the Nazis. In 1942, when their government announced that Jews were to be deported to "work camps," Rudi was determined not to go and ran away to try to make it to England. He was captured at the Hungarian border and sent to Auschwitz. Due to his age and health, he was spared the gas chambers and sent to work. With cunning, determination, and good luck, he managed to survive, but never stopped thinking about escape. In April 1944, Vrba and friend Alfred Wetzler made an astonishing escape-even though they were near starvation, they walked to Slovakia with a goal to tell the world what was happening in the camps. Their account became known as the Vrba-Wetzler report, which compelled President Roosevelt to intervene with the Hungarian authorities, credited with saving over 200,000 lives. Paralleling Rudi's story, readers learn how Sidonová and her family hid with relatives in Hungary, and her later work with a Hungarian resistance. Sheinkin's unflinching account of the torturous conditions in Auschwitz is chilling and unimaginable, and the escape is heart pounding. This is all expertly interwoven with informative background information making for an absorbing page-turner. This book is well documented with extensive source notes, bibliography, and index; it also includes two diagrams of the camp and black-and-white photos. VERDICT Thoroughly researched with exceptional writing, this riveting narrative is an important addition to Holocaust literature. Highly recommended for all libraries.-Karen T. Bilton © Copyright 2023. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

My Comments

Mind boggling, frightening, inspirational, educational, and a page turner. It's a terrifying adventure. A must for any 8th grade World War II reading list.

THE BOY AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN by John Boyne

 

The boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne

Historical Fiction, World War II - 262 pages

Description

Kirkus Reviews (April 15, 2016)

A young boy grows up in Adolf Hitler's mountain home in Austria.Seven-year-old Pierrot Fischer and his frail French mother live in Paris. His German father, a bitter ex-soldier, returned to Germany and died there. Pierrot's best friend is Anshel Bronstein, a deaf Jewish boy. After his mother dies, he lives in an orphanage, until his aunt Beatrix sends for him to join her at the Berghof mountain retreat in Austria, where she is housekeeper for Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun. It is here that he becomes ever more enthralled with Hitler and grows up, proudly wearing the uniform of the Hitler Youth, treating others with great disdain, basking in his self-importance, and then committing a terrible act of betrayal against his aunt. He witnesses vicious acts against Jews, and he hears firsthand of plans for extermination camps. Yet at war's end he maintains that he was only a child and didn't really understand. An epilogue has him returning to Paris, where he finds Anshel and begins a kind of catharsis. Boyne includes real Nazi leaders and historical details in his relentless depiction of Pierrot's inevitable corruption and self-delusion. As with The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2006), readers both need to know what Pierrot disingenuously doesn't and are expected to accept his extreme naivete, his total lack of awareness and comprehension in spite of what is right in front of him.Chilling, difficult, and definitely not for readers without a solid understanding of the Holocaust despite the relatively simple reading level. (Historical fiction. 12-14)

My Comments

Immensely sad, but compelling. This book would generate much discussion. As the review mentions, however, Pierrot's naivete is a bit difficult to believe. I would only give this book to my 8th graders who have some background on the holocaust.

THIS LIGHT BETWEEN US by Andrew Fukuda

Description 

"In 1935, ten-year-old Alex Maki of Bainbridge Island, Washington, is horrified to discover that his new pen pal, Charlie Lévy of Paris, France, is a girl, but in spite of his initial reluctance, their letters continue over the years and they fight for their friendship even as Charlie endures the Nazi occupation and Alex leaves his family in an internment camp and joins the Army" -publisher

My Comments

A gorgeous, tragic story with a tragic ending. The racism against the American Japanese after Pearl Harbor is painful to read, but the perseverance against all odds in the United States and in the war overseas is inspiring. The relationship of Charlie and Alex grows against the backdrop of war's injustice. This is a book for advanced middle school through adult readers.

LEAGUE OF SECRET HEROES by Kate Hannigan

 

Fantasy, Spies, Superheroes, World War II

Book Description
Soon after being recruited by the mysterious Mrs. Boudica to join a secret military intelligence operation, Josie, Mae, and Akiko discover their superhero abilities and use them to thwart a Nazi plot to steal the ENIAC computer.

My Comments High action with smart, brave female characters in a World War II context. Fun.

CODE TALKER by Joseph Bruchac

 

Realistic Fiction, Navajo Indians, World War II, Marine Corp.

231 pages.

Book Description

From Follett

After being taught in a boarding school run by whites that Navajo is a useless language, Ned Begay and other Navajo men are recruited by the Marines to become Code Talkers, sending messages during World War II in their native tongue.

From the Publisher

Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war, and with their code, they saved countless American lives. Yet their story remained classified for more than twenty years.

But now Joseph Bruchac brings their stories to life for young adults through the riveting fictional tale of Ned Begay, a sixteen-year-old Navajo boy who becomes a code talker. His grueling journey is eye-opening and inspiring. This deeply affecting novel honors all of those young men, like Ned, who dared to serve, and it honors the culture and language of the Navajo Indians.

My Comments

A good choice for kids who are looking for books about World War II. It reads almost as narrative nonfiction so it can reach those who prefer factual books. An interesting perspective on some of the major battles in the Pacific. Similar to Fallen Angels which is more of a high school book. Definitely offer this as a middle school historical fiction choice. Excellent.

BREAKING STALIN'S NOSE by Eugene Yelchin

Historical Fiction, Soviet Union, Communism, Parents

140 pages

Description

In the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union, ten-year-old Sasha idolizes his father, a devoted Communist, but when police take his father away and leave Sasha homeless, he is forced to examine his own perceptions, values, and beliefs." (Follett)

"Sasha Zaichik has known the laws of the Soviet Young Pioneers since the age of six:
The Young Pioneer is devoted to Comrade Stalin, the Communist Party, and Communism.
A Young Pioneer is a reliable comrade and always acts according to conscience.
A Young Pioneer has a right to criticize shortcomings.
But now that it is finally time to join the Young Pioneers, the day Sasha has awaited for so long, everything seems to go awry. He breaks a classmate's glasses with a snowball. He accidentally damages a bust of Stalin in the school hallway. And worst of all, his father, the best Communist he knows, was arrested just last night.

This moving story of a ten-year-old boy's world shattering is masterful in its simplicity, powerful in its message, and heartbreaking in its plausibility." (Publisher)

My Comments

I was immediately drawn into this spare and chilling story. Sasha's story portrays the trust, fear, and anxiety during the era of Stalin rule. The deep tragedy of shattered lives is communicated through the eyes of a ten year old similar to the innocent perspective of Bruno in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (2016). I do wish Sasha's character was a few years older to broaden the audience. It would be useful if elementary and middle school students learned something about this time period prior to reading this book for some historical context and deeper appreciation of the story.

THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE by Janet Fox

Adventure, Historical Fiction, World War II, Thriller, Mystery

388 pages

Kirkus Reviews - Starred (December 15, 2015)

During the Blitz, 12-year-old Londoner Kat, along with two younger siblings and an American boy, is sent to a distant relative's Scottish castle, where they confront evils both old and contemporary. Though Lady Eleanor claims to be starting an academy in her castle and has hired faculty to attend to the curriculum, it's soon clear that none are what they claim to be. The old castle keep is burned out, and the newer part seems to have weird twists and turns, secret doors and strange goings-on, including several ghostly children. Clues multiply early on that Eleanor is the same woman for whom the creepy, unnamed village magister has replaced living parts one by one over decades, each given in payment for a charm for a child's soul. Kat's father--now away working for MI6--is a watchmaker, and Kat has his gift for numbers, gears, and puzzles. Witchy magic, Nazi menace, and clockwork all come into play, along with an Enigma machine and spies for both the Allies and the Nazis seeking occult sources of power or protection. After the breathtaking climax, various threads of the story are tied up in a drawing-room denouement in which the characters decide to dispose of toxic magical artifacts rather carelessly--though in a way that invites anticipation (and fortuitously leaves room for sequels). An original, clever, page-turning adventure. (Historical fantasy. 10-14) 

My Comments

Excellent! Echoes of The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. Just scary enough, but with a happy ending. Good choice for a wide range of readers.

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs

Mystery, Horror, World War II, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

From the Publisher

Sixteen-year-old Jacob, having traveled to a remote island after a family tragedy, discovers an abandoned orphanage, and, after some investigating, he learns the children who lived there may have been dangerous and quarantined and may also still be alive.

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow--impossible though it seems--they may still be alive. 

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

 My Comments
Intriguing, disturbing, haunting. Young readers may need a little encouragement to get past the beginning. The story takes off once they arrive on the island and Jacob starts exploring. There are many different psychological levels on which to read this story; I couldn't help thinking of the monsters as metaphorical, but it can also be read as a great adventure, mystery, horror, love story.

THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Historical Fiction, World War II, Disabilities, Courage, Family, Friendship, Horses

2015, 316 pages

Newbery Honor and many starred reviews

Horn Book Guide starred (Fall 2015)

Ten-year-old Ada, abused by her cruel, ignorant mam due to an unrepaired clubfoot, has never been outside her squalid London flat. With WWII imminent, her brother, Jamie, is evacuated to the countryside, and Ada determines to go with him. The emotional content feels completely true, especially in recognition of how far Ada's journey will be to both physical and mental health.

This is an absolute winner. It has a great story line and gives a vivid portrayal of a child's perspective of the war in England. Readers will be inspired by Ada's courage and the people who help her. Love this book! I give it 5 stars!

MILKWEED by Jerry Spinelli

Children and War; Historical Fiction; Holocaust

"Follows a young Jewish orphan in the Warsaw ghetto during World War Two as he slowly understands the horrible reality that surrounds him and attempts to steal in order to help others survive."

This is a lyrical novel juxtaposed against the brutality of the Holocaust seen through the eyes of a boy too young to understand, thus emphasizing the tragedy of events. I was mesmerized by Spinelli's writing and found the story compelling, although was a little unsatisfied with the ending. Still, it would be a book to be paired with Orlev's Run Boy, Run as suggested by the review below.

Booklist starred (October 15, 2003 (Vol. 100, No. 4))

Holocaust survivor stories for teens run the risk of being either too brutal or too sentimental. These two novels avoid sensationalizing the violence because, in each case, the protagonist is a child too young to understand what's going on, which distances the horror. In both books the child is saved, but there's no radiant uplift about rescuers. Yes, some heroes do hide the children and help them, but as John Auerbach shows in his adult autobiographical story collection, The Owl and Other Stories [BKL S 15 03], which centers on escaping the Warsaw ghetto, luck and wild coincidence were a large part of what enabled a few to live. Part survival adventure, part Holocaust history, these novels tell their story through the eyes of a Polish orphan on the run from the Nazis. Orlev is a Holocaust survivor, and his award-winning novels about being a child in the Warsaw ghetto, including The Man from the Other Side (1991), are widely read. This new story is not based on his own experience, but it does come from real life--the experience of an illiterate ghetto survivor who escaped into the Polish countryside, stealing, foraging, begging, working. The boy is nurtured by some and hated by many. He hides his circumcision and invents a Catholic identity; he forgets his real name, his family, and the street where he lived. In one unforgettable incident, he loses his right arm because a Polish doctor refuses to operate on a Jew. He survives, immigrating to Israel, where Orlev hears him tell his story. The narrative is simple and spare, factual about everything from hunting with a slingshot to making a fire with a piece of glass, and it's always true to the viewpoint of a boy who thinks he is "about nine." In contrast, Spinelli's narrative is manic, fast, and scattered, authentically capturing the perspective of a young child who doesn't know if he's a Jew or a Gypsy; he has never known family or community. He lives by stealing; his name may be Stopthief. Unlike Orlev's protagonist, this boy lives in the ghetto, where the daily atrocities he witnesses-- hanging bodies, massacres, shootings, roundups, transports--are the only reality he knows. His matter-of-fact account distances the brutality without sensationalizing or lessening the truth. He first finds shelter with a gang of street kids, where one fierce older boy protects him, invents an identity for him, and teaches him survival skills. Later he lives with a Jewish family. The history is true, so although Spinelli's narrator is young, the brutal realism in the story makes this a book for older children. Both novels end with what seems to be a contrived escape, though in Orlev's story, the ending is true. Add these stirring titles to the Holocaust curriculum; the youth of the protagonists allows them to ask questions and get answers that will help readers learn the history.

ECHO by Pam Munoz Ryan

Newbery Honor 2016; PW Best Books of the Year 2015; Notable Children's Books - Middle Readers - 2016

Discrimination; Family; Historical Fiction; Magic; Music; World War II

"No matter how much sadness there is in life, there are equal amounts of maybe things will get better someday soon" Echo

"Winner of a 2016 Newbery Honor, ECHO pushes the boundaries of genre, form, and storytelling innovation.

Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.

Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo.

Richly imagined and masterfully crafted, this impassioned, uplifting, and virtuosic tour de force will resound in your heart long after the last note has been struck." --From the Publisher

I wasn't sure where this book was going in the opening fairy-tale like story, but was pulled in when it transitioned to the story of Friedrich in Germany during World War II. Ryan's writing is beautiful and masterful. The story becomes more intriguing as it progresses through the three children's lives. I loved this story. It would be a wonderful read aloud with much material for discussion. Great connections to music and World War II. Grades 5-8

BOMB: THE RACE TO BUILD AND STEAL THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS WEAPON by Steve Sheinkin

Nonfiction; atomic bomb; world war II
2013 Newbery Honor book

This is an absolutely riveting book. An excellent choice for middle and high schoolers. It would pair well with Master of Deceit: J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies by Marc Aronson.

From the Publisher: "In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb."

Bomb is a 2012 National Book Awards finalist for Young People's Literature.
Bomb is a 2012 Washington Post Best Kids Books of the Year title.
Bomb is a 2013 Newbery Honor book.

MAUS: A SURVIVOR'S TALE by Art Spiegelman

Holocaust, Graphic Novel, Young Adult.

Review:
School Library Journal (May 1987)
"YA Told with chilling realism in an unusual comic-book format, this is more than a tale of surviving the Holocaust. Spiegelman relates the effect of those events on the survivors' later years and upon the lives of the following generation. Each scene opens at the elder Spiegelman's home in Rego Park, N.Y. Art, who was born after the war, is visiting his father, Vladek, to record his experiences in Nazi-occupied Poland. The Nazis, portrayed as cats, gradually introduce increasingly repressive measures, until the Jews, drawn as mice, are systematically hunted and herded toward the Final Solution. Vladek saves himself and his wife by a combination of luck and wits, all the time enduring the torment of hunted outcast. The other theme of this book is Art's troubled adjustment to life as he, too, bears the burden of his parents' experiences. This is a complex book. It relates events which young adults, as the future architects of society, must confront, and their interest is sure to be caught by the skillful graphics and suspenseful unfolding of the story. Rita G. Keeler, St. John's School , Houston"

Powerful. This book is a winner with our eighth graders who study the Holocaust.

THE GREEN GLASS SEA by Ellen Klages

Historical Fiction, Los Alamos, World War II, Manhattan Project

321 pages.

"While her father works on the Manhattan Project, eleven-year-old gadget lover and outcast Dewey Kerrigan lives in Los Alamos Camp, and becomes friends with Suze, another young girl who is shunned by her peers." :

Follett Library Resources

The intriguing title and cover alone drew me to this book initially. The perspective of a child in the Los Alamos community during the Manhattan Project years is matter of fact, concerned more with the immediate concerns of absent parents and bullies. The Project's influence looms on the periphery, but the story centers on one child's life and that is the startling effectiveness of this story.