{"id":8705,"date":"2022-04-14T07:00:42","date_gmt":"2022-04-14T11:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/?p=8705"},"modified":"2022-04-14T11:28:17","modified_gmt":"2022-04-14T15:28:17","slug":"childrens-books-to-remember-the-holocaust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/childrens-books-to-remember-the-holocaust\/","title":{"rendered":"19 Children\u2019s and YA Books to Help Remember the Holocaust"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every year, Jews around the world observe Holocaust Remembrance Day, known as Yom Hashoah<\/em> in Hebrew, to ensure that the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis are never forgotten. The unimaginable horror of the Holocaust is hard for adults to fathom, so how do we talk to our children about it? These picture books, middle grade reads, and YA titles are good places to start.<\/p>\n

yes no Picture Books: 9780385753975 The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank\u2019s Window<\/i> http:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/228799\/the-tree-in-the-courtyard-looking-through-anne-franks-window-by-jeff-gottesfeld-illustrated-by-peter-mccarty\/ by Jeff Gottesfeld, illustrated by Peter McCarty <\/p>\n

Even readers who, like myself, are intimately familiar with Anne Frank\u2019s story will be entranced by The Tree in the Courtyard<\/i>. Anne\u2019s story is told by a chestnut tree that grows in the courtyard of the factory where Anne and her family are in hiding. The tree observes Anne\u2019s activities and changes through the seasons. But this is also the tree\u2019s tale \u2014 one that is touching, surprising, and proof of the importance of bearing witness and sharing stories.<\/p>\n

9780525555940 I Am Anne Frank <\/i> by Brad Meltzer, illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos <\/p>\n

Children will love learning about Anne Frank, the girl who diligently kept a journal during World War II while her family hid from the Nazis. This picture book biography is an excellent way to introduce young readers to the vibrant and inspirational girl whose words affected generations of readers.<\/p>\n

9780375985157 I Will Come Back for You: A Family in Hiding During World War II<\/i> http:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/202064\/i-will-come-back-for-you-a-family-in-hiding-during-world-war-ii-by-marisabina-russo-illustrated-by-marisabina-russo\/ by Marisabina Russo <\/p>\n

When a young American girl asks her nonna<\/i> (Italian for \u201cgrandmother\u201d) why she never takes off her charm bracelet, her nonna<\/i> answers with the story of how her Jewish family survived the second World War in Italy. Russo artfully manages to tell a story that is both hopeful and heartbreaking in language that\u2019s just right for young readers. An afterword provides the details of what Russo\u2019s grandmother, first husband, and children endured in warn-torn Italy. <\/p>\n

yes no Middle Grade Books: 9781101933497 Hana\u2019s Suitcase: The Quest to Solve a Holocaust Mystery<\/i> http:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/258375\/hanas-suitcase-by-karen-levine\/ by Karen Levine <\/p>\n

When the curator of a Holocaust museum in Japan receives an empty suitcase with the words \u201cHana Brady, May 16, 1931, Orphan\u201d painted on it, she knows that she must find out what happened to Hana. This gripping real-life mystery will keep readers glued to the page.<\/p>\n

9780140364019 I Am a Star <\/i> by Inge Auerbacher <\/p>\n

Readers who love Anne Frank\u2019s story and want to learn more should pick up this memoir from a Holocaust survivor. Inge Auerbacher spent three years in a concentration camp with her parents during World War II. In this book, she recounts her memories of the Holocaust and its toll on Jewish and non-Jewish citizens alike. <\/p>\n

9780142414088 When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit<\/i> http:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/304021\/when-hitler-stole-pink-rabbit-by-judith-kerr\/9780142414088\/ by Judith Kerr <\/p>\n

When an English friend found out that I hadn\u2019t read When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit<\/i>, she was shocked and urged me to get a copy. Judith Kerr\u2019s autobiographical novel is considered a classic in the United Kingdom and rightly so. Young Anna doesn\u2019t understand why her family must leave Germany because of the man in the posters she sees all around Berlin. Anna\u2019s family spends the war on the move, lucky to have the means to live decently and safely. But they are refugees without a country, which makes this classic novel a resonant story for our times. <\/p>\n

9780735229488 The Length of a String <\/i> by Elissa Brent Weissman <\/p>\n

Identity, history, and family combine in this heartfelt novel about an adopted girl\u2019s search for her biological parents. This book follows two timelines, the first in the present day and the second during the Holocaust. Middle grade readers will get hooked on Imani\u2019s story as she searches for her heritage and finds it in an unexpected place\u2014her great-grandmother\u2019s journal.<\/p>\n

9780525516477 Letters from Cuba <\/i> by Ruth Behar <\/p>\n

When war overtakes Poland, Esther goes to Cuba to live with her father until the rest of her family can join them. While she\u2019s there, she and her sister write letters to each other, sending love and encouragement through ink and paper. This captivating novel is based on the author\u2019s family history and is a must-read for anyone interested in reading stories set during the Holocaust.<\/p>\n

9780593487785 White Bird: A Wonder Story (A Graphic Novel) <\/i> by R.J. Palacio <\/p>\n

Fans of the modern classic Wonder<\/a><\/i> will fall in love with this heartfelt graphic novel by the same author. It delivers a powerful story of kindness and friendship in the face of immense danger. In France, during World War II, a Jewish girl named Sara finds protection and acceptance with a courageous family who risks everything to hide her from the Nazis. <\/p>\n

yes no Young Adult Books: 9780142423622 Salt to the Sea <\/i> by Ruta Sepetys <\/p>\n

YA readers everywhere get drawn into bestselling and award-winning author Ruta Sepetys historical fiction novels. In this book, four Jewish teens find refuge on the ill-fated ship Wilhelm Gustloff. But none of them anticipated outrunning the Nazis, only to get caught in one of the worst maritime tragedies in history. It\u2019s a must-read for World War II enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

9780451478757 Orphan Monster Spy <\/i> by Matt Killeen <\/p>\n

Pick up this YA spy thriller set in a Nazi boarding school when you want a story that takes a unique approach to the Holocaust. Sara is a recently orphaned Jewish teenager who becomes a spy for the resistance. She enrolls in a prestigious boarding school, poses as a Nazi, collects information, and plots her revenge while keeping her heritage a secret.<\/p>\n

9780593381243 The Rebel Heart <\/i> by Katherine Locke <\/p>\n

Keep a box of tissues nearby as you read this heartbreaking novel set in Hungary just after World War II ends. Family, tragedy, magic, and hope collide in this beautiful story about a Jewish teenager finding safety and refuge, even if that means she must leave her beloved country. You won\u2019t be able to set this book down!<\/p>\n

9781524700386 What the Night Sings<\/i> https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/545717\/what-the-night-sings-by-written-and-illustrated-by-vesper-stamper\/ by Vesper Stamper <\/p>\n

Few books about the Holocaust center on what came after liberation for concentration camp survivors \u2014 but that\u2019s right where What the Night Sings<\/i> begins. Now that Gerta is finally free from her imprisonment in the Bergen-Belson Concentration Camp, she must start the slow process of physical and mental recovery from all that she has lost and endured. Stunning illustrations capture Gerta\u2019s every emotion in this powerful, heart-wrenching historical novel about human resilience.<\/p>\n

9780399257780 Mapping the Bones<\/i> https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/310718\/mapping-the-bones-by-jane-yolen\/ by Jane Yolen <\/p>\n

Known for his horrific experimentation on twins during WWII, Dr. Josef Mengele is one of the most infamous Nazi doctors who ever lived. In this deeply moving novel from the author of The Devil\u2019s Arithmetic<\/a><\/i>, such atrocities are retold when Chaim and his sister Gittel find themselves face to face with a cruel Nazi doctor who has an unsettling interest in twins. Yolen draws inspiration from the \u201cHansel and Gretel\u201d fairy tale to paint a wholly original story of love and hope against all odds.<\/p>\n

9780553522082 Anna and the Swallow Man<\/i> http:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/248731\/anna-and-the-swallow-man-by-gavriel-savit\/ by Gavriel Saviet <\/p>\n

After reading the description, I wasn\u2019t sure what to expect from Anna and the Swallow Man<\/i> \u2014 the story of 7-year-old Anna who\u2019s left to fend for herself in 1939 Krakow after German soldiers arrest her father. Then she meets the Swallow Man, a mysterious figure who takes her under his wing and, like her father, speaks several languages fluently. Is he her savior, her protector, or possibly a dangerous man? This novel, as much about friendship and trust as it is about the Holocaust, will keep tween and teen readers turning the pages. <\/p>\n

9780375842207 The Book Thief (Anniversary Edition) <\/i> by Markus Zusak <\/p>\n

Every day is the perfect day to sit down with this modern classic about a young German girl finding love, courage, family, and hope amid the terrors of World War II. Death narrates the story, and you won\u2019t be able to resist falling in love with Liesel and her passion for reading. This book will stay with you long after you\u2019ve turned the last page.<\/p>\n

9780593404850 Between Shades of Gray: The Graphic Novel <\/i> by Ruta Sepetys, adapted by Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Dave Kopka, colors by Brann Livesay, lettering by Chris Dickey <\/p>\n

Graphic novel lovers will find much to appreciate in this adaptation of Ruta Sepetys modern classic. Revisit the story of Lina Vilkas as she gets arrested and sent to work on a farm in Siberia. Desperate to stay alive and reunite her family, Lina records the events and conditions on the farm as drawings. She sends her art to her father\u2019s prison camp at significant personal risk.<\/p>\n

9780399559310 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas<\/i> http:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/545545\/the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas-deluxe-illustrated-edition-by-john-boyne-illustrated-by-oliver-jeffers\/9780399559310 by John Boyne, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers <\/p>\n

Catastrophic events can be hard to comprehend, whether you\u2019re fifteen or fifty. Books like The Boy in the Striped Pajamas<\/i> are essential because they connect readers to challenging topics through personal stories. This powerful story of the unlikely friendship between the son of a Nazi officer and a boy in a concentration camp continues to haunt me ten years after I finished it.<\/p>\n

9780553538847 In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer<\/i> http:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/124661\/in-my-hands-memories-of-a-holocaust-rescuer-by-irene-gut-opdyke-with-jennifer-armstrong\/ by Irene Gut Opdyke as told to Jennifer Armstrong <\/p>\n

How do we keep from despairing about human nature when we remember the Holocaust or the Armenian genocide or any number of atrocities? Reading books like In My Hands<\/i> is a good place to start. My daughter couldn\u2019t put down this memoir of a Polish teenager who risked her own life to protect her Jewish friends. Irene Gut Opdyke\u2019s life embodies Anne Frank\u2019s belief, \u201cDespite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2022.<\/small><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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