In this story, a woman named Esther tells her grandson about her experiences during the Holocaust. At the start of the story Esther is just a young girl, through her eyes we see the gradual political climate change in Germany and how that leads to her own journey into hiding. When her grandson finds a missing link to discovering what happened to her parents, the story is continued from the perspective of Esther’s neighbor, Bob, who lived through the concentration camps. Included are interjections from the young grandson’s and a plethora of facts and information.
There is no disputing the merits of the content of this book. The story is surprising complex, especially when taking into account the presentation, as well as engaging and interesting. The educational component is top of the line. The authors create a great dynamic when they include the grandchildren of the survivors as an integral part of the story. Artistically I think the intent was to appeal to the popularity of graphic novels, which is an innovative way to connect to today’s youth. However they kind of missed the ball, by choosing a comic book/archie style, which has a dated feel artistically and is not the current trend. I still think this will still be a fought over choice as student choose books to read on this topic.
Elementary –Essential. Reviewer: Stephanie MLS graduate.
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