It’s been a busy new year. While I have read six books so far in 2021, these four are my favourites. I plan to read Falling Towers and The Song From Somewhere Else to my 12-year-old son.
The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe
I always have a hard time reviewing books based on the Holocaust as it feels wrong to say I really enjoyed a book that showcased how terrible we treat each other. Yet, here I am, suggesting you should read two books about this terrible period in history.
The Librarian of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Dita, a 14-year-old girl, imprisoned first at the Terezin ghetto in Prague with her mom and dad before being transferred to Auschwitz, where she is the caretaker of eight books prisoners have smuggled in. She is also in charge of the living books, fellow prisoners who shares the stories they have memorized to the children in the concentration camp.
Iturbe interviewed Dita, whom the story is based on, and weaves histories of various characters in the narrative, from Josef Mengele, or the angel of death, to Anne Frank and her sister Margot. It’s a horrific book: it’s stories still stuck in my head. However, I also think it’s important to read these books as a reminder of what happens when we go down the path of hate.
People magazine interviewed Dita Kraus, who shares this powerful quote:
“What do you want people to learn by reading about your experiences?
People should understand: This is what man is able to do to others, be forewarned.”
https://people.com/books/the-
Louder than Words by Kathy Kacer (Annick Press, www.annickpress.com)
Part of Toronto author Kathy Kacer’s Heroes Quartet Series, this middle grade book is also based on a true story, this time of a woman named Nina, who comes to take care of Dina, 12, and her younger sisters after their father dies and their mom goes back to work. Then the Nazis invade their Ukraine town and life for this Jewish family changes – Dina and her friends are forced to the back of the classroom and their teacher turns a blind eye to bullies; Jewish kids are no longer allowed at the park and then they have to sew the Star of David onto their shirts.
“When the Nazis invade and begin to round up all the Jews, Nina sacrifices her own safety to safeguard the children. Will Nina’s heroic actions be enough to save Dina and her sisters from the clutches of the Nazis?”
As it is a middle grade novel, the horrors aren’t quite as graphic as they are in The Librarian of Auschwitz, however, Kacer does a great job of showing kids of what it would have been like to suddenly lose everything simply because of your religion.
Tower Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Towers are Falling was written in time for the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11 with the idea of explaining the terrorist attacks on the United States to children who were born after the event. In this book, we meet three completely different children who become fast friends. Deja doesn’t want to write an essay about home and community as she and her family were evicted from their home and are now living in a homeless shelter.
“When her teacher hints that these lessons will culminate with one big answer about the towers outside the classroom window – the towers that used to there, that is – Deja” wonders why it’s important.
Deja doesn’t know what happened on Sept. 11, while both of her new friends do. Regardless, all three children have been impacted by the disaster in various ways and it is interested in read the long-term effects of this time in history. The characters were great, and the story is as well. I think it’s a great way to explain Sept. 11 to kids without it being terrifying.
The Song From Somewhere Else by A.F. Harrold
The Song From Somewhere is completely different from the other three books I read. Set in present day, a young girl name Frank is rescued from bullies by a boy named Nicholas, who himself is bullied for being so large – almost giant like – and “smelly.” The pair go to Nicholas’ house where Frank hears the most beautiful and unique music she has ever heard, which then makes her do things she never would usually do – such as returning to Nicholas house (what would her friends think?), poking around where she hasn’t been invited and more.
What Frank finds is pretty amazing and it’s such a fun story. I like the characters in this book and the story itself. It’s not magical, but at the same time it is. It’s a lovely read.
Lisa Day is the author of two book blogs, Book Time, where she reviews a variety of books for a variety of readers and offers author Q&As, and followsummer.com, book reviews that inspire armchair travel.
