Reviews by Tag: world war II

Teen Review
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas movie cover

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

By Mark Herman
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Isabella
Nov 20, 2023

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. 

Teen Review
White Rose

White Rose

By Kip Wilson
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Mahad Z.
Nov 3, 2023

Summary: White Rose by Kip Wilson is a young adult historical novel in verse that tells the gripping true story of Sophie Scholl, a courageous anti-Nazi activist in Nazi Germany during World War II. Through beautifully crafted poems, the book portrays Sophie's transformation from a young and idealistic student to a fearless resistor who, along with her brother Hans and their friends, forms the White Rose resistance group.

Teen Review
Prisoner B-3087

Prisoner B-3087

By Alan Gratz

Rated by
Anonymous
Sep 29, 2023

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.

Teen Review
The Book Thief

The Book Thief

By Markus Zusak
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
Sep 29, 2023

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a historical fiction novel based on Nazi Germany during World War II. The book has a unique approach to storytelling as the narrator of the story is actually Death. The character Death narrates the story of a girl named Liesel, who early on was placed into a foster care home. Instead of the usual perspective of a Jewish person in Germany for a book like this, the book actually focuses on the viewpoint of a German which I found quite interesting.

Teen Review
Atonement

Atonement

By Ian McEwan
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Mahad Z.
Sep 29, 2023

Atonement by Ian McEwan is a captivating novel that explores themes of love, guilt, and the consequences of actions. Set in England during World War II, the story revolves around Briony Tallis, a young aspiring writer who makes a false accusation that changes the lives of her sister Cecilia and their childhood friend Robbie Turner forever. The novel delves into the ripple effects of Briony's lie, spanning decades, and the characters' struggle for redemption and forgiveness.

Teen Review
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

All the Light We Cannot See

By Anthony Doerr
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
Aug 8, 2023

In this novel, the two main characters’- Marie-Laure Leblanc and Werner Pfennig- stories are followed until they intersect in Saint-Malo, in August of 1944.

Teen Review
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief

By Markus Zusak
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
Jul 21, 2023

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a story about Liesel Hubermann, a girl growing up with foster parents in Nazi Germany. Being narrated by Death itself, it reads from a different perspective. Liesel steals books from various places and learns how to read. She finds a sense of comfort tangled between words and uses it as her escape from the distressing time she resided in. Liesel also becomes really good friends with Rudy, who is a boy in her neighborhood.

Teen Review
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Salt to the Sea

By Ruta Sepetys
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Isabel P.
Oct 21, 2022

I have never heard about the story of Wilhelm Gustloff. I think that this story talks about a very

important event in history that we should all know about. And this book fantastically incorporated the

story of Wilhelm Gustloff in this historical fiction novel. The author shows you such diverse, different,

characters that are so unique and love able. The book describes the tragedies that happened in one of

many of the heartbreaking events that happened in World War 2. This book rotates between several

Teen Review
A Separate Peace by John Knowles

A Separate Peace

By John Knowles
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
AN
Sep 30, 2022

A Separate Peace is a historical fiction novel written by John Knowles. This

novel is about students attending a school called Devon in New Hampshire in

1942. This book goes over a 16 year old student who grows at the school, through

experiencing many different situations. He tries to make a relationship with his

best friend Finny, and tries to cope with all the situations he goes through with

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