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backyardreader's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
A young adult historical fiction based on true events of the Holocaust done incredibly well. Writing and a main character that compells the reader to keep going, to see what's going to happen next. An appropriate amount of graphic detail to invoke true emotion but not harrowing enough to make you question why you're reading it. Highly recommend for middle schoolers and older.
lnocita's review against another edition
3.0
I feel guilty giving any Holocaust survivor story less than 5 stars, but I'm going to give this a 3 nonetheless. It's not that Yanek's (Jack's) story isn't wrenching or astonishing. He did survive against all odds 10 camps and 2 forced marches in six years of Nazi occupation and command. However, the POV in the book feels detached somehow and it fails to evoke deep emotions even as I read about the atrocities and horrors. Still, I think it's a good entry for readers new to the topic, especially middle grade readers.
booktasticnerd87's review against another edition
I cannot give a full review of this book.
My son was assigned this book by his teacher to read for class. There was no real additional material to go with this book. They were just thrown right into the horrors. I ended up reading this book when he started to emotionally shut down on us. This book has some very graphic material. While I fully believe that this would be an amazing book to be read by students I believe that this should not be taught to 6th graders but maybe a group that has already been given a full history lesson of WW2. These children had not even gotten to WW2 in History yet when this book was assigned.
My child's class also lost a classmate to a gun accident so this also had a profound impact on them as they read this. Many of the children shut down when the teacher was reading this.
When I started to read this book I had some issues myself. I'm an emotional reader and get very invested into my characters and the story. However, this story was one that I could not finish. I have never DNFed a book before this one. I usually try and give a book a chance finishing it hoping beyond hope that the book gets better. I could not finish this one.
I will put it the same way that someone put it to me after they read a few chapters of the book. If this was made into a movie it would have been rated R. Keep that in mind please as you say yes this is a perfect book for your middle schooler. Not all middle schoolers are ready for this book.
If they have not been introduced to WW2 yet and what brought on the events that happen in this book wait. Let them be taught this before you set this book in front of them so they understand what lead up to this event.
My son was assigned this book by his teacher to read for class. There was no real additional material to go with this book. They were just thrown right into the horrors. I ended up reading this book when he started to emotionally shut down on us. This book has some very graphic material. While I fully believe that this would be an amazing book to be read by students I believe that this should not be taught to 6th graders but maybe a group that has already been given a full history lesson of WW2. These children had not even gotten to WW2 in History yet when this book was assigned.
My child's class also lost a classmate to a gun accident so this also had a profound impact on them as they read this. Many of the children shut down when the teacher was reading this.
When I started to read this book I had some issues myself. I'm an emotional reader and get very invested into my characters and the story. However, this story was one that I could not finish. I have never DNFed a book before this one. I usually try and give a book a chance finishing it hoping beyond hope that the book gets better. I could not finish this one.
I will put it the same way that someone put it to me after they read a few chapters of the book. If this was made into a movie it would have been rated R. Keep that in mind please as you say yes this is a perfect book for your middle schooler. Not all middle schoolers are ready for this book.
If they have not been introduced to WW2 yet and what brought on the events that happen in this book wait. Let them be taught this before you set this book in front of them so they understand what lead up to this event.
jleeds's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't realize this was a Middle grades book. Books about the Holocaust are always very difficult. This one focuses on a boy's will to live despite the evil he and the other Jews had to endure.
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
Will keep it short, I don't really tend to review books about these kind of topics.
In short, it was a beautiful, heartwrenching story of a Jewish boy during the WOII. He survived everything, but lost so much.
We see him grow up, from little boy, to his Bar mitzvah and then to the camps and to when he gets freed at 16 by the American soldiers.
I would really recommend this book to everyone. But be prepared, this book isn't for the weak of heart, there are very gruesome events in this book.
In short, it was a beautiful, heartwrenching story of a Jewish boy during the WOII. He survived everything, but lost so much.
We see him grow up, from little boy, to his Bar mitzvah and then to the camps and to when he gets freed at 16 by the American soldiers.
I would really recommend this book to everyone. But be prepared, this book isn't for the weak of heart, there are very gruesome events in this book.
mrsgreenberg's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! Although this book is marketed as a book for young adults, it was powerful for me to read as a 41-year-old and a teacher. This is a wonderful story to illustrate what prisoners of concentration camps faced during the Holocaust. It is real and is not sugar-coated for children. I appreciate this look into history.
lelambert's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The book is about a boy who is a jew during a war, his family was taken away and killed, and he went to 9 different "torture" camps.
aliana7812's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death
mizzlroy's review against another edition
4.0
Books about the Holocaust are both wonderful and horrible to read and this book was no exception. The fact that this is based on a true story makes it even more impactful. We will never truly understand how it felt to go through such horrors, but we should never stop trying. Empathy makes us human. In light of what is happening in America right now, this book is all the more important. People need to see how quickly something small can turn into something as awful as the holocaust. We must remember what happened and vow not to stand by and do nothing when we see injustice!
bob74's review against another edition
dark
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5