This book tells the story of Anne Frank, a Jewish girl who became famous for writing a diary during a very hard time in history called the Holocaust. The book starts with Anne’s childhood in Germany and explains how her family moved to the Netherlands to stay safe from the Nazis. It describes how Anne, her family and some friends had to hide in a secret place for two years. While hiding, Anne wrote in her diary about her life, her feelings and her dreams. The book also talks about what happened after they were found and how Anne’s diary was later published by her father.
Steve Sheinkin wrote the book Impossible Escape. It is a true story of heroism and survival in Nazi Europe. The book is based in 1942, Nazi occupied Slovakia. Teenager Rudi Vrba is trying to escape to freedom but is captured by Nazi Secret Service. He is sent to one of the most dreaded concentration camps in Germany, Auschwitz. After spending two years in the most notorious camp, suffering from intolerable and inhumane conditions, he's had enough. It's time to escape.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is one of the most powerful stories that I have read. Taking place during the Holocaust, this book’s depth is immediately apparent (as is any story in the face of such a great tragedy.) The story centers around a girl named Liesel, who loses her family at the novel’s opening, and thus finds herself in the care of the Huberman family. The Huberman family provides Liesel with a new warmth that had been lacking previously in her life–they represent, for her, a true family.
Hanneke Bakks is still grieving over her lost lover, Bas, when she decides to turn to stealing goods from the black market and selling them in order to gain money for herself and her family. It’s a nasty business that she ensures her parents and friends don’t find out about. She decides to keep her methods secret to make sure that her job is done skillfully and without prying eyes, especially in Amsterdam in 1943, which is filled with German occupation.
Night is a memoir by Elie Wiesel. The book is about his experiences as a Jewish teenager during the Holocaust. It follows his journey from a small town in Transylvania to various concentration camps, including Auschwitz and Buchenwald. In the camps, he witnesses and suffers from a lot of cruelty. His father is all he has left, but his father eventually dies, too. Elie was very faithful at the beginning of the book, but over time he begins to question what his faith has really gotten him.
Summary: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a novel set in Nazi Germany, narrated by Death. The story follows Liesel Meminger, a young girl sent to live with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, during World War II. Despite the grim backdrop, Liesel finds solace in stealing books and sharing them with her neighbors and the Jewish man hidden in her basement. The novel explores themes of the power of words, the impact of human connections, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
During WWII 8-year-old Bruno and his family had to move to a new house, and his father had to relocate for work. Bruno was bored with the new house and he missed his friends. Bruno noticed a “farm” as he called it, while looking out of his window. Bruno was always exploring new things. He was told not to explore in the backyard but he wanted to explore the “farm”. He met a boy named Shmuel. Shmuel is a Jew in a camp but Bruno doesn’t fully understand what that means. The story gets more intense and surprising as you watch.
Prisoner B-3087 is a historical novel based on the life of Jack Gruener, also known as Yanek. Yanek lived in Poland during World War II and was 10 when his hometown of Krakow fell to the Germans. He quickly becomes separated from his family and has to endure the unbearable conditions of numerous concentration camps that include the infamous Auschwitz and Dachau. Yanek is finally liberated at Dachau as a young adult when the Americans take control.
They Went Left by Monica Hesse is a powerful historical fiction novel set in the aftermath of World War II. The story follows Zofia, a young Holocaust survivor searching for her younger brother, Abek, who got separated from her during the liberation of Auschwitz. As she navigates through the ruins of war-torn Europe, Zofia grapples with the trauma of her past and the uncertainty of her future.
