A Family Secret by Eric Heuvel

Heuvel, Eric A Family Secret, 62 p. Farrar, Straus Giroux, 2007.  $18.99.  GRAPHIC NOVEL.  All Jeroen wants is some stuff from his grandmother’s attic so that he can make a little money.  Instead he finds secrets in her attic and spends the day learning about her family’s trials during World War II in the Netherlands.  He also finds out that his grandmother had a Jewish best friend whom she never saw again.  For kids who need a different style of book, this is a simple introduction to the events of the Holocaust.  It covers not only the Netherlands, but also peeks into the Dutch East Indies, the German Army and the English Army.  It can be very useful for a student who is otherwise difficult to engage.  MS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher.