The Boy Who Dared: A Novel Based on the True Story of a Hitler Youth
By Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Published: 2008
Awards*:
ALA Best Book for Young Adults (2009)
ALA Book of Distinction
Booklinks’ Lasting Connections - Grades 6-8 (2008)
Booklist Editors’ Choice – Older Readers (2008)
Booklist Top Ten Historical Fiction for Youth (2008)
Carolyn W. Field Award (2009)
IRA Notable Book for a Global Society (2009)
IRA Teacher’s Choice Award – Advanced Readers (2009)
Junior Library Guild Selection
NCTE Notable Books in the Language Arts
*list provided on Bartoletti's website*
Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Older Readers (2009)
At age 17, Helmuth Hübener sits on Death Row, awaiting execution for crimes against the Nazi government. Helmuth, a member of the Hitler Youth was disturbed by the injustices around him once Hitler took power. He did not understand the hatred toward Jews, and he was troubled by the loss of basic rights (such as only being about to read German books, listen to German music, and listen to German radio stations) to German citizens. He knows the government is lying about what’s really going on with the war and what’s happening to the Jews, and he despises himself for doing nothing about it. As much as he loves his country, he knows that people must know the truth. One day, he decides to take a stand, even if it means sacrificing his own life.
Published: 2008
Awards*:
ALA Best Book for Young Adults (2009)
ALA Book of Distinction
Booklinks’ Lasting Connections - Grades 6-8 (2008)
Booklist Editors’ Choice – Older Readers (2008)
Booklist Top Ten Historical Fiction for Youth (2008)
Carolyn W. Field Award (2009)
IRA Notable Book for a Global Society (2009)
IRA Teacher’s Choice Award – Advanced Readers (2009)
Junior Library Guild Selection
NCTE Notable Books in the Language Arts
*list provided on Bartoletti's website*
Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Older Readers (2009)
At age 17, Helmuth Hübener sits on Death Row, awaiting execution for crimes against the Nazi government. Helmuth, a member of the Hitler Youth was disturbed by the injustices around him once Hitler took power. He did not understand the hatred toward Jews, and he was troubled by the loss of basic rights (such as only being about to read German books, listen to German music, and listen to German radio stations) to German citizens. He knows the government is lying about what’s really going on with the war and what’s happening to the Jews, and he despises himself for doing nothing about it. As much as he loves his country, he knows that people must know the truth. One day, he decides to take a stand, even if it means sacrificing his own life.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
By John Boyne
Published: 2006
Awards*:
Bisto Children’s Book of The Year (2006/2007)
Irish Book Award – Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year (Senior) (2007)
Irish Book Award – People’s Choice Book of the Year
Orange Prize Readers Group – Book of the Year
Qué Leer Award – Best International Novel of the Year (Spain)
*list provided on Boyne's website*
Nine-year-old Bruno’s comfortable life in Berlin is disrupted when the leader of Germany, "The Fury," appoints Bruno’s father as Commandant at a place called "Out-With." Bored and lonely, one day he decides to defy his parents and go exploring along the high wire fence he can see from his bedroom window. Just as he is about to give up and return home, he sees a boy in pajamas sitting in the dirt on the other side of the fence. From both sides of the fence, the two start up an unlikely and forbidden friendship.
Published: 2006
Awards*:
Bisto Children’s Book of The Year (2006/2007)
Irish Book Award – Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year (Senior) (2007)
Irish Book Award – People’s Choice Book of the Year
Orange Prize Readers Group – Book of the Year
Qué Leer Award – Best International Novel of the Year (Spain)
*list provided on Boyne's website*
Nine-year-old Bruno’s comfortable life in Berlin is disrupted when the leader of Germany, "The Fury," appoints Bruno’s father as Commandant at a place called "Out-With." Bored and lonely, one day he decides to defy his parents and go exploring along the high wire fence he can see from his bedroom window. Just as he is about to give up and return home, he sees a boy in pajamas sitting in the dirt on the other side of the fence. From both sides of the fence, the two start up an unlikely and forbidden friendship.
Reviews:
“A story of innocence existing within the most dreadful evil, this is the fictional tale of two young boys caught up in terrible historical events. With consummate skill and no little courage John Boyne takes on the daunting challenge of the Holocaust novel, producing in the process, an exemplar of the genre like none that has gone before. Subtle, controlled, and laden with dramatic irony this is a novel which, like The Dairy of Anne Frank, is destined to endure” ("Boy").
Annexed
By Sharon Dogar
Published: 2010
Awards:
Sydney Taylor - Notable Book for Teen Readers (2011)
VOYA Perfect Ten (2010)
Everyone who has read Anne Frank’s diary has gotten a glimpse of life in the Annex, and the turmoil the eight people went through for nearly two years. This novel, based on events mentioned in Anne’s diary and other historical accounts, is told from Peter’s perspective. Peter, who was always so silent, is finally given a voice, as he struggles with comprehending the events of the outside world, the feelings of guilt from hiding instead of fighting, and finally, the shift of his feelings for Anne.
Published: 2010
Awards:
Sydney Taylor - Notable Book for Teen Readers (2011)
VOYA Perfect Ten (2010)
Everyone who has read Anne Frank’s diary has gotten a glimpse of life in the Annex, and the turmoil the eight people went through for nearly two years. This novel, based on events mentioned in Anne’s diary and other historical accounts, is told from Peter’s perspective. Peter, who was always so silent, is finally given a voice, as he struggles with comprehending the events of the outside world, the feelings of guilt from hiding instead of fighting, and finally, the shift of his feelings for Anne.
Reviews:
“A bold move, Dogar writes with respect, but to tell the story of Anne Frank and her companions in the Annex from Peter van Pels’s perspective invites controversy, which may overshadow the story itself…As a companion to Anne’s diary, this fascinating read raises questions about truth, narrative and perspective, but it may strike some as exploitative, needless or otherwise questionable. Ultimately powerful, but much of this feels like an exercise despite the love and artistry apparent in the writing” ("Annexed").
“In Annexed, Sharon Dogar perfectly portrays the sense of waiting, the confinement, and the fear. The days might have dragged in the annexe as the seasons passed but this is a book that kept me turning the pages late into the night. My inability to put the book down might have been where I thought the story was going and how it would inevitably end, an ending that is revealed in the preface of the book but nothing could have prepared me for the impact of those final pages…The book is not without its critics, though, and Anne Frank’s cousin criticised what she called a ‘sexed-up’ version of events in the annexe. With all respect to those critics, I have to disagree. I found the portrayal of Peter to be sensitive, realistic and reflective of the morals of the time…This is a powerful, important, and heartbreaking novel that I would certainly recommend for children and adults alike. With Annexed, Sharon Dogar has written a relevant and important novel that will shed light on this period of history for a whole new generation of younger readers” (Southgate).
Once (Once, #1)
By Morris Gleitzman
Published: 2005
Awards:
Australian Book Industry Award – International Success Award (2011) (for Once, Then, and Now)
Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBC) – Book of the Year Honor Book (Younger Readers) (2006)
Kids Own Australian Literature Awards (KOALA) – Fiction for years 7-9 (2007)
Sydney Taylor – Honor Award Winner for Teen Readers (2011)
Once, there was a Jewish boy named Felix whose book selling parents hid him in a Catholic orphanage to keep him safe from the Nazis. Once, this boy believed that an entire carrot in his stew was a message from his parents that they were finally coming back for him, after three years and eight months of being away. And once, when they didn’t show up, this boy ran away from the orphanage to warn his parents that the Nazis hate Jewish book owners and are burning all the books. Once he escaped, he was swept up in a world of hatred and companionship that he was not expecting, and he realized that it wasn’t just the books the Nazis hated. Once, he rescued a young girl named Zelda whose Nazi parents had been killed by the Polish resistance. Once, he made a Nazi with a toothache laugh. Once is his story.
Published: 2005
Awards:
Australian Book Industry Award – International Success Award (2011) (for Once, Then, and Now)
Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBC) – Book of the Year Honor Book (Younger Readers) (2006)
Kids Own Australian Literature Awards (KOALA) – Fiction for years 7-9 (2007)
Sydney Taylor – Honor Award Winner for Teen Readers (2011)
Once, there was a Jewish boy named Felix whose book selling parents hid him in a Catholic orphanage to keep him safe from the Nazis. Once, this boy believed that an entire carrot in his stew was a message from his parents that they were finally coming back for him, after three years and eight months of being away. And once, when they didn’t show up, this boy ran away from the orphanage to warn his parents that the Nazis hate Jewish book owners and are burning all the books. Once he escaped, he was swept up in a world of hatred and companionship that he was not expecting, and he realized that it wasn’t just the books the Nazis hated. Once, he rescued a young girl named Zelda whose Nazi parents had been killed by the Polish resistance. Once, he made a Nazi with a toothache laugh. Once is his story.
Reviews:
“Morris Gleitzman takes a painful subject and expertly turns it into a story filled with love, friendship, and even humor” ("Once" MacMillan).
“Felix’s misconceptions are heartbreaking, and readers will wince as he slowly and painfully gets closer to the truth. Packed with plenty of sadness, Felix’s story is also touched with hope…A resonant shot to the heart – Gleitzman delivers a sharp sense of what it must have been like to be a child during the Holocaust, forced to grow up far too quickly” ("Once" Kirkus).
Then (Once, #2)
By Morris Gleitzman
Published: 2008
Awards:
Children's Book Council of Australia (CBC) - Book of the Year Honor Book (Younger Readers) (2009)
Kids Own Australian Literature Awards (KOALA) – Honor Book for Fiction for years 7-9 (2009)
Kids Reading Oz Choice (KROC) – Fiction for years 7-9 (2009)
Sydney Taylor - Honor Award Winner for Teen Readers (2012)
UK Literary Association Award – Ages 3-11 (2010)
Young Australians Best Book Award (YABBA) – Fiction for years 7-9 (2009)
Then, the sequel to Once, continues Felix and Zelda’s story after they escape from a train headed for a concentration camp. Then they went in search of a new family but came across a pit full of dead children. Then they were chased by Nazis and rescued by a woman named Genia who hates Nazis. Then they became Wilhelm and Violetta, Genia’s nephew and niece. Then the Nazis discovered their secret.
Published: 2008
Awards:
Children's Book Council of Australia (CBC) - Book of the Year Honor Book (Younger Readers) (2009)
Kids Own Australian Literature Awards (KOALA) – Honor Book for Fiction for years 7-9 (2009)
Kids Reading Oz Choice (KROC) – Fiction for years 7-9 (2009)
Sydney Taylor - Honor Award Winner for Teen Readers (2012)
UK Literary Association Award – Ages 3-11 (2010)
Young Australians Best Book Award (YABBA) – Fiction for years 7-9 (2009)
Then, the sequel to Once, continues Felix and Zelda’s story after they escape from a train headed for a concentration camp. Then they went in search of a new family but came across a pit full of dead children. Then they were chased by Nazis and rescued by a woman named Genia who hates Nazis. Then they became Wilhelm and Violetta, Genia’s nephew and niece. Then the Nazis discovered their secret.
Reviews:
“Sequel to the searing Once (2010), this tale of young people trying to survive in Poland during World War II is equally powerful…Despite all the grinding misery and the moments of sheer terror, Felix retains his humanity, and a reader surely must walk with the protagonists on their long and tortured journey” ("Then").
Milkweed
By Jerry Spinelli
Published: 2003
Awards:
ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2004)
Carolyn W. Field Award (2004)
Sydney Taylor - Notable Book for Older Readers (2003)
Texas High School Reading List (TAYSHAS) (2004-2005)
Stopthief is a boy with no family, no knowledge of who he is or where he came from, and no name. He thinks his name is Stopthief because that is what people shout at him as he runs through the streets of Warsaw. He is also called “dirty Jew,” “Gypsy,” and “stupid.” He is amazed and puzzled by everyday things, and once ran off with a birthday cake because he thought people were trying to burn it down. Befriending a group of boys living on the street, Stopthief is given a name, Misha, and a history. Then, one day, soldiers with shiny black boots and hats with polished eagles march into town, and he dreams of becoming one of them. He doesn’t understand their mocking tones, or the cruel things they do to others. He thinks it is all a silly game. Until the day he realizes these fancy soldiers aren’t at all what he believed them to be.
Published: 2003
Awards:
ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2004)
Carolyn W. Field Award (2004)
Sydney Taylor - Notable Book for Older Readers (2003)
Texas High School Reading List (TAYSHAS) (2004-2005)
Stopthief is a boy with no family, no knowledge of who he is or where he came from, and no name. He thinks his name is Stopthief because that is what people shout at him as he runs through the streets of Warsaw. He is also called “dirty Jew,” “Gypsy,” and “stupid.” He is amazed and puzzled by everyday things, and once ran off with a birthday cake because he thought people were trying to burn it down. Befriending a group of boys living on the street, Stopthief is given a name, Misha, and a history. Then, one day, soldiers with shiny black boots and hats with polished eagles march into town, and he dreams of becoming one of them. He doesn’t understand their mocking tones, or the cruel things they do to others. He thinks it is all a silly game. Until the day he realizes these fancy soldiers aren’t at all what he believed them to be.
Reviews:
“Spinelli’s choice of narrator is a masterstroke. Because Misha has no sense of anything except his own immediate needs and desires, he has no urge to explain the bizarre and fundamentally irrational events that befall him…His own psychological and social growth is almost lost on the reader until a coda, that still makes no attempt to explain, finally finds him at peace” ("Milkweed").
Good-Bye Marianne: The Graphic Novel
By Irene N. Watts
Illustrated by Kathryn E. Shoemaker
Published: 2008
Awards:
Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People (1998)
Everything is changing in the life of eleven-year-old Marianne. First, she is kicked out of school, and then she has to wear a yellow star, and can only go certain places. Her mother will not tell her where her father really is, and Marianne feels confused and powerless as her life in Berlin spirals out of control. This graphic novel is a snapshot of Marianne’s life, a few moments frozen in time through simple black and white illustrations as she tries to comprehend the events going on around her.
Illustrated by Kathryn E. Shoemaker
Published: 2008
Awards:
Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People (1998)
Everything is changing in the life of eleven-year-old Marianne. First, she is kicked out of school, and then she has to wear a yellow star, and can only go certain places. Her mother will not tell her where her father really is, and Marianne feels confused and powerless as her life in Berlin spirals out of control. This graphic novel is a snapshot of Marianne’s life, a few moments frozen in time through simple black and white illustrations as she tries to comprehend the events going on around her.