Author:Uri Orlev
Translated by: Hillel Halkin
Published by:Houghton Mifflin Co., 2003
Genre: Multicultural Fiction
Primary character: Srulik
Themes: World War II, overcoming obstacles, family, striggles
Awards: Mildred Batchelder , 2004
This is the story of survival for orphan Srulik. He becomes separated from his parents at the age of 8 in a Warsaw ghetto. He overcomes many obstacles and eventually becomes known as Jurek in order to hide his Jewish heritage. As the story progresses Jurek is helped many times by differnet families and lives in Poland. He eventually meets his wife and becomes a math teacher. The only aspect I did not like is by making Srulik/Jurek so successful it leaves out the accounts of individuals who were much less fortunate in those times.
This is a great novel to help kids between 6th and 8th grade identify with individuals affected by Hilter and his Nazi Army. It will require some knowledge of the lives and times of Hilter's reign, so it would be best to assign this reading as a wrap-up to the unit.
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