[book_talk] book review - John Boyne
- From: "Bonnie L. Sherrell" <blslarner@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Blind Chit Chat" <Blind-Chit-Chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Books for the Blind" <Books4theblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Blind Book Lovers Cafe" <bblc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Book Talk" <book_talk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 02:05:08 -0800
_The Boy in Striped Pajamas_
by John Boyne
Leaving Berlin was the worst thing that had happened to Bruno in his
nine years of life--leaving the five story house in which he'd been
born with its wonderful bannister one could slide down from the foot of
the attic stairs into the entranceway on the main floor and his three
best friends for life, Karl, Martin, and Daniel. It had all started
the night the one called the Fury invited himself to dinner, after
which his father had a new job and a new title--Commandant. Everyone
except Grandmother loved seeing him in his new uniform, but no one but
Father himself seemed pleased about the move out of Berlin, and Bruno
wasn't completely certain how his father felt about the new job.
The new house was disappointing, for it was isolated at the edge of a
great fence taller than the house stood, beyond which lay what appeared
to be an odd village of low houses such as Bruno had never seen before,
where all of the inhabitants were clad alike in grey and blue striped
pajamas. At first Bruno thought those pajamas must be far more
comfortable than the stiff clothes and shoes out of which he was
growing rapidly he had to wear as one of the Commandant's children, but
he could not imagine why they didn't wear other clothing at least on
occasion.
There were no other children near his age, and no one with whom he
could play or even talk. Until he began exploring along the fence, and
one day saw a speck that became a dot that became a blob that became a
figure that turned out to be a boy named Shmuel who lived on the other
side of the fence, and the two boys realized that neither one
understood what the whole affair was about, or why Shmuel had been
forced to leave the comfortable flat he'd lived in with his teacher
mother and watchmaker father and the whole family and most of their
friends and relatives were forced to come here, where he never saw his
mother any more.
It was a puzzle, one that the boys sought to understand together,
although Bruno soon realized that things were not good for those who
lived on the other side of the fence, and he wished to explore within
the camp so as to come to understand just what was going on....
A thought-provoking book about the Holocaust from the point of view
from an innocent and naive boy who finds himself caught up in the
horrors of the Nazi atrocities without understanding what the issues
are about or why anyone would consider them important. It was written
for teens and older, although I can think of many fifth-graders I've
known who would appreciate and understand the story. It reminded me of
how little I appreciated the political situation between the West and
Iron Curtain countries when I was that age, and I loved seeing the
growing friendship between the little Polish Jewish boy and the German
officer's son in spite of the intervening wire.
I was first introduced to the story through the movie based on the
book, which I was pleased to find followed the book fairly well. Not
long ago I found a copy of the book, which was released in 2006, at
Barnes and Noble and purchased it. I read it all while taking my
bath--I do tend to read in the tub, which has led to my share of
all-night reading binges at times. I believe the book is available in
audiobook form, and I'd suggest checking on BARD and BookShare as well.
It was on the New York Times Best Seller List, so along with the movie
I suspect that it is available in alternative formats besides print. A
good book to share with thoughtful kids to introduce them to the
reality of what the Holocaust was like. Definitely recommended.
Bonnie L. Sherrell
Teacher at Large
"Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise
cannot see all ends." LOTR
"Don't go where I can't follow."
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