Non-Fiction Friday

For today's Non-Fiction Friday, I thought that I would highlight a Non-Fiction/Fiction pairing that I love talking about.


Non-Fiction:
Title: Nazi Hunters
Author: Neil Bascomb
Genre: Non-Fiction, WWII, World History, Holocaust
Pages: 245
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Grades: 7th and up

This book, the recipient of the 2014 Excellence in Non-Fiction Award for Young Adults (and probably many other awards), is based on the author's 2010 adult title "Hunting Eichman."

An excellent example of narrative non-fiction for teens, and further proof of Mrs. Yusko's love of non-fiction because "you can't make this stuff up," Nazi Hunters tells the story of the hunt for and capture of Adolf Eichman. This thrilling chronicle of the manhunt reads like a spy novel...and is rumored to be in development for a movie.

A must-read for fans of history, war stories, crime dramas, spy novels, biographies...almost any reader will find something to love here.

Fiction:
Title: Rose Under Fire
Author: Elizabeth Wein
Genre: Historical Fiction, WWII, Holocaust, Prisoners, Women Pilots/Spies
Pages: 360
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Grades: 8th and up

Okay, it seems a little ridiculous to give this book, the "companion" novel to the author's highly acclaimed "Code Name Verity," 4 1/2 stars instead of 5. But...I did like CNV slightly more and gave it 5 stars. Picky, picky, picky.

This book is the story of Rose Justice, American ATA pilot, who is captured by the Nazis while flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England and sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp. It is the story of Rose and the friendships she forges with fellow prisoners that makes this an incredible story. I actually recommend reading this title first because you will be so outraged by the atrocities suffered by these women at the hands of the Nazis, including Eichman, that you will appreciate the justice served in Nazi Hunters.

Movie News Monday

Today's Book-a-Day suggestion coincides with news about the movie adaptation of the title.

The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak is, quite honestly, a book that everyone (older middle school, high school, adults) should read at some point in their lifetime. It is a truly amazing, powerful, and unique book that stays with you long after you read it. The writing will grab you, and you will feel immediately like you have been placed inside the book. 

As always, I am happy to promote good audiobooks, and this one is one of the best. The narrator of this title does a truly remarkable job. In addition, it is quite nice to hear someone else pronounce all the German words if you are not someone who learned the language in school.

From the Publisher: 
A "New York Times" bestseller for seven years running that's soon to be a major motion picture, this Printz Honor book is an unforgettable tale about the ability of books to feed the soul. Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist-books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

The movie adaptation of this book, (which I pray will do the book justice because I fear that this one can go all kinds of wrong if done carelessly), was originally set to come out in 2014. Just last week it was announced that they have pushed UP the release date to November 15th, 2013. WOW! That's almost unheard of. You can read the article on Entertainment Weekly here. 

I'm looking forward to this!

I am kind of in shock...

One of my students came to me asking for books. Now, this is not a newsworthy or unusual occurance, but the story she told about why she wanted the books is still shocking to me.

This 8th grader had just finished listening to my book talks that accompany the "Survival" Unit reading project and was very interested in books about the Holocaust. (By the way, this is probably because our school is the only school in the country that does NOT study The Diary of Anne Frank...don't get me started on that. And yes, I am shocked by that). Anyway, I digress...

Said 8th grader went home over the weekend and was having a conversation with her mom about the Holocaust. (This is everything that we hope kids do about books and subjects they are interested in)! The discussion turned to Nazi experimentation on Jews and she decided that she wanted to know more. So, she went to our local public library over the weekend and asked for books about Nazi experimentation during the Holocaust. She was told, "you probably shouldn't be reading about that," and the person at the reference desk wouldn't help her find any books on the subject.

AAAAH! Having worked for almost 7 years in the public library before moving to school libraries, this REALLY shocks me. I am still in awe about the entire exchange, and am hoping that it was a misunderstanding!

By the way, on Monday when she told me about this, I made sure she checked out our copy of Surviving the Angel of Death: The story of a Mengele twin in Auschwitz. Which, I must add, the local library owns, and shelves in their Young Adult Biography section.

At least I got to be the hero in this story! In talking about this experience with several non-librarian friends, it is good to know that they were as shocked as I was.

Review: Once (Gleitzman)

Title: Once
Author: Gleitzman
Genre: Fiction, Holocaust, Survival
Pages: 160
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Felix, a Jewish boy, runs away from the Catholic convent where his parents had him hidden for almost 4 years in order to find them.  He roams the Polish countryside with an orphaned girl until they find their way to the cellar of a print shop in the Warsaw ghetto, where an old dentist has been protecting lost children.

Books about the Holocaust are always popular, at least with junior high students. If you like to read these types of books, you should make sure to add this to your list!  This book reminds me slightly of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, as they are both stories told by a boy who doesn't really have a full understanding about what is going on around them.  A powerful story without being overly graphic or frightening.  I am immediately recommending this to Ms. LaBrie and Ms. Pomerinke!

Review: Is it Night or Day? (Chapman)

Title: Is it Night or Day?
Author: Chapman
Genre: Historical Fiction, Holocaust
Pages: 192
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

To escape persecution at the hands of the Nazis in her home country of Germany, Edith is sent to Chicago to live with relatives she has never met. Based on true events, this story is the story of many Jewish children during World War II that were able to escape because their parents found someone in America, Israel, or South America to take them.

A different perspective on how the Holocaust destroyed lives and altered families forever.