Holocaust Books

Survivors: True Stories of Children in the Holocaust

Allan Zullo, Mara Bovsun

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Good Pick for Sixth Grade 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I purchased a class set for my 6th grade class. I feel this book was very appropriately written for this age. Of course there are parts to the stories that are "unbelievable" and sad to read, especially for me as an adult. However, children these days are exposed to much more by media and often with less censorship and thought. These are wonderful stories that teach history, empathy, and human strength.

suvivors 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

an excellent collection of true stories of children of the holocaust. each story captivates your heart and keeps you reading to end. It will inspire you to do more to keep horrific things like the Holocaust from ever happening again.

Editorial Review:

These are the true-life accounts of nine Jewish boys and girls whose lives spiraled into danger and fear as the Holocaust overtook Europe. In a time of great horror, these children each found a way to make it through the nightmare of war. Some made daring escapes into the unknown, others disguised their true identities, and many witnessed unimaginable horrors. But what they all shared was the unshakable belief in-- and hope for-- survival. Their legacy of courage in the face of hatred will move you, captivate you, and, ultimately, inspire you.

In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer

Irene Opdyke

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 81 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

When World War II began, Irene Gutowna was a 17-year-old Polish nursing student. Six years later, she writes in this inspiring memoir, "I felt a million years old." In the intervening time she was separated from her family, raped by Russian soldiers, and forced to work in a hotel serving German officers. Sickened by the suffering inflicted on the local Jews, Irene began leaving food under the walls of the ghetto. Soon she was scheming to protect the Jewish workers she supervised at the hotel, and then hiding them in the lavish villa where she served as housekeeper to a German major. When he discovered them in the house, Gutowna became his mistress to protect her friends--later escaping him to join the Polish partisans during the Germans' retreat. The author presents her extraordinary heroism as the inevitable result of small steps taken over time, but her readers will not agree as they consume this thrilling adventure story, which also happens to be a drama of moral choice and courage. Although adults will find Irene's tale moving, it is appropriately published as a young adult book. Her experiences while still in her teens remind adolescents everywhere that their actions count, that the power to make a difference is in their hands. --Wendy Smith

The Cage

Ruth Minsky Sender

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 100 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Hope, reviewed by Theron 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I read this book for a school assignment and am really glad I did. It is a story of a young girl named Riva Minska and her family in a Jewish Ghetto in Lodz, Poland. This story starts at the beginning of Hitler's dictatorship. Before reading this book I did not know much about the Holocaust and now feel as though I do. Riva and her family were forced to live in a Jewish ghetto where food was very limited and they had to where the yellow Star of David on their clothing. Riva lost her mother when the Nazi's came and took the sick and old away so that others in the ghetto would not get sick. Then her brother died of Tuberculosis. Eventually her remaining brothers and her were rounded up and taken to the labor camps. The things that happened in the labor camps will haunt the survivors forever. It was very hard for me to read about it because it was so sad, but Riva's one message was "Wherever there is life there is hope", and that made me feel better. After reading this book I feel very lucky to have the things that I do and not have to worry about food or shelter. I am also grateful that I have my family.

Editorial Review:

From the German invasion of Poland in 1939 to the liberation of her concentration camp in 1945, the author chronicles an adolescence shaped by the horrors of the Holocaust but strengthened by the force of her own will.

Six Million Paper Clips: The Making Of A Children's Holocaust Memorial

Peter W. Schroeder, Dagmar Schroeder-Hildebrand

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

never to forget "six million paper clips" 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very proud of these school children and what they accomplished. A must view book.

A Very Moving Holocaust Story 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is a companion to the HBO film of the same name. I use the film, and now the book, during my unit on the Holocaust in my High School World War II class. The students are always moved by the experiences of the Tennessee students and teachers as they develop their Holocaust project. It allows the students to relate to the events of the Holocaust in a more realistic way unlike any other assignment I give. I highly recommend both the film and the book!

Riveting & Sobering 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

One night on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, the director of a new documentary about a small town in Tennessee remembering the Holocause would both show the film and answer questions. As a native Tennessean I both anticipated and dreaded this, assured that again we would be protrayed as NPR so often does - racist, poor, ignorant, fundamentalist or a combination of the above.

Surprise, Surprise. I was blown away, absolutely stunned at the story and the depiction of a rural Southern town as it slowly encounters the outside world. What wonderful teachers are still around! The suggestion that these all-white, all-Protestant, rural students should undertake an endeavor to break out of their shell seemed to come out of the blue and appeared the most incongruous project possible. Yet, it succeeded and admirably so, The documentary traces the parth, from baby to giant steps as the idea evolves into something none of the participants foresaw. It is and always will be a reminder of Dark Days. I only wish the Soviet and Chinese social experiments that murdered over tens of millions were remembered and memorialized in this way!


As the children and the town learn about Jewish life in Europe and the story of the Holocaust, we learn about them, their lives and their lifestyle that seems strangely satisfying in its simplicity and slowlness. Others become involved - survivors, politicians, two Germans who manage to obtain an actual railroad car used for transporting Jews to concentration camps. Businesses pitch in, individuals donate and a living memorial is designed and stands today almost as a shrine. The paperclips (representing a victim) came from all over the world, from rich and famous, young and old, rich and poor.

Alas, some never learn. At the end, the director was bombarded with questions and suggestions that townsfolk were "really" against the project or secretly racist or did not understand. He said he wanted to make something very clear: He had been in the town over two years and never heard a racist remark nor a single ill word against the project. The people were as nice and down to Earth as they appeared on screen. I felt deep vindication and overwhelming relief. The director, being from the North, was shocked at the casual hospitality of total strangers offering advice and friendship. In this age of increasing anti-Semitism in Europe once again, it is important to ponder the consequences that such speech for whatever reason may bring.

Who Was Anne Frank? (Who Was...?)

Ann Abramson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

wonderful series 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I highly recommend this series as a wonderful way of introducing your 3rd or 4th grade child to the world of biographies. There are many personal elements shared that go beyond what the person is primarily remembered for. A must for any upper elementary teacher's classroom library!

Great subject for a children book. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great subject for a children book. I got this series of books for my daughter and she really enjoyes reading them. Great read and educational too.

Who Was Anne Frank? 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Anyone who is familiar with the Who Was Series would sincerely appreciate this text. This series provides biographies on dozens of famous people, but it is written for children ages 9-12. The pages include a short amount of text and usually a sketch to accompany it. This is a quick read and provides accurate information; however, it is appropriate for the age group. The author definitely took into account the maturity level of the reader, which is appreciated. The character of Anne Frank is written so that the reader feels as though they would know her and can easily relate to some of her life's struggles. I am anxious for the next addition to this phenomenal series. A must for any classroom teacher!

Editorial Review:

In her amazing diary, Anne Frank revealed the challenges and dreams common for any young girl. But Hitler brought her childhood to an end and forced her and her family into hiding. Who Was Anne Frank? looks closely at Anne’s life before the secret annex, what life was like in hiding, and the legacy of her diary. Black-and-white illustrations including maps and diagrams provide historical and visual reference in an easy-to-read biography written in a way that is appropriate and accessible for younger readers.

Anne Frank: Beyond the Diary - A Photographic Remembrance

Rian Verhoeven, Ruud Van der Rol

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Anne Frank the Diary of a Young Girl 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I rated this book a five because while you read it makes you relize that you are so lucky you weren't born in those very tragic times.It made me think about how easy I, and others have it.I love this book because it teaches me about other peoples lives and how hard it was for them.I also think that it was well written and easy to understand.I'm not positive that you will like this book because of how sad and frightning the tale is, but if you are anything like me you will have your face stuck in a book 'till your done.

Anne Frank 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is one of the most tragic stories i have ever heard, ever!
I first read the story when i was in the second grade.Now i'm in the fifth grade and i still love the story!I think that this book is for everyone.And i hope you want to read this book, wether it is for a report or fun i am sure you will love this book almost as much as i did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S.

So not possible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Editorial Review:

More than one hundred photographs, many never before published, make up a poignant memoir of Anne Frank's struggle to survive during a time that must never be forgotten. Reprint. SLJ. PW. AB.

Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps

Andrea Warren

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Concerns about pre-teens 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I haven't read the book, but my 11 year old checked it out at school. He was hooked on the story from the beginning.
However, I was surprised when he asked me "Mom, what is a homosexual?" He said that homosexuals were singled out to be victimized. He also
was upset about how children, especially those with disabilities were tortured and murdered.
I appreciate all the positive reviews here, but it really opened up a lot of issues for my son. Might be better suited to older children.

Editorial Review:

"Think of it as a game, Jack.
Play the game right and you might outlast the Nazis."

Caught up in Hitler's Final Solution to annihilate Europe's Jews, fifteen-year-old Jack Mandelbaum is torn from his family and thrown into the nightmarish world of the concentration camps. Here, simple existence is a constant struggle, and Jack must learn to live hour to hour, day to day. Despite intolerable conditions, he resolves not to hate his captors and vows to see his family again. But even with his strong will to survive, how long can Jack continue to play this life-and-death game?

Award-winning author Andrea Warren has crafted an unforgettable true story of a boy becoming a man in the shadow of the Third Reich.

Parallel Journeys

Eleanor H. Ayer, Helen Waterford, Alfons Heck

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The World Must Never Forget 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

The world must never forget the holocaust. Today some people espouse a theory that the nearly 12,000,000 deaths (6,000,000 of them Jews) at the hands of the Nazi party never happened. This sad, but honest, tale traces the lives of two persons who lived through that era. Helen Waterford was a Jew who experienced the atrocities first hand. Alfons Heck was a high ranking member of Hitler's youth. Both lived to tell their tales. Both met each other after the war. Both told their tales together. This book alternates chapters between the two principle characters so the reader can witness this period through eyes on both sides of the ideological conflict. This is really two books in one. Either story will challenge the mind and heart. Either one of the stories is an important read, but both placed together in this manner makes for a 5-star book. Our local middle school uses this classic in some of the literature classes. You will be richer for having read this book.

Editorial Review:

She was a young German Jew.

He was an ardent member of the Hitler Youth.

This is the story of their parallel journey through World War II.

Helen Waterford and Alfons Heck were born just a few miles from each other in the German Rhineland. But their lives took radically different courses: Helen's to the Auschwitz extermination camp; Alfons to a high rank in the Hitler Youth.

While Helen was hiding in Amsterdam, Alfons was a fanatic believer in Hitler's "master race." While she was crammed in a cattle car bound for the death camp Auschwitz, he was a teenage commander of frontline troops, ready to fight and die for the glory of Hitler and the Fatherland. This book tells both of their stories, side-by-side, in an overwhelming account of the nightmare that was WWII. The riveting stories of these two remarkable people must stand as a powerful lesson to us all.

I Will Plant You a Lilac Tree: A Memoir of a Schindler's List Survivor

Laura Hillman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

"HANNELORE, YOUR PAPA IS DEAD."

In the spring of 1942 Hannelore received a letter from Mama at her school in Berlin, Germany--Papa had been arrested and taken to a concentration camp. Six weeks later he was sent home; ashes in an urn.

Soon another letter arrived. "The Gestapo has notified your brothers and me that we are to be deported to the East--whatever that means." Hannelore knew: labor camps, starvation, beatings...How could Mama and her two younger brothers bear that? She made a decision: She would go home and be deported with her family. Despite the horrors she faced in eight labor and concentration camps, Hannelore met and fell in love with a Polish POW named Dick Hillman.

Oskar Schindler was their one hope to survive. Schindler had a plan to take eleven hundred Jews to the safety of his new factory in Czechoslovakia. Incredibly both she and Dick were added to his list. But survival was not that simple. Weeks later Hannelore found herself, alone, outside the gates of Auschwitz, pushed toward the smoking crematoria.

I Will Plant You a Lilac Tree is the remarkable true story of one young woman's nightmarish coming-of-age. But it is also a story about the surprising possibilities for hope and love in one of history's most brutal times.

Hana's Suitcase

Karen Levine

Amazon Price: $9.95 List Price: $9.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Albert Whitman & Company Amazon Marketplace: 31 new & used starting at $5.65

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

amazing, magical story 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have read this book to my fourth grade class for the past two years. They are instantly drawn to Hana, Fumiko, and the story of the Holocaust. The minute they see the picture of Hana's Suitcase, they begin to ask all the questions that the children in Japan asked of Fumiko. They always want me to continue reading and they are so eager to find out about her story. This book has inspired so many deep and thoughtful discussions with my students. They really connect to Hana and her story and the book helps them understand what happened with the Jewish people in WW2 and why it got so out of control. The chapters switch between Hana's story and the story of the children in Japan who are learning about Hana, so it kind of breaks up some of the more difficult parts of the story with the more happier, hopeful parts. I highly recommend this book for anyone- kids and adults.

Editorial Review:

In March 2000, a suitcase arrived at a children's Holocaust education centre in Tokyo. It belonged to a orphan girl called Hana Brady. Everyone was desperate to discover the story of Hana - Who was she? What had happened to her? This is her true story.