Children’s books for Holocaust Memorial Day
January is often perceived as a month for self-improvement and so in that spirit I offer some suggestions for shelf improvement based upon one of the important commemorative dates falling in January. Holocaust Memorial Day (January 27th) can be challenging for primary school settings and yet when prejudice and the language of hatred still rears its ugly head in our society it is absolutely vital that we do not flinch from difficult topics and hopefully you will find these age-appropriate suggestions useful.
Hidden- A Child’s story of the Holocaust. Loïc Dauvillier, Marc Lizano and Greg Salsedo. First Second, 2014, pp70, £12.99. ISBN: 978-1596438736
In this beautiful and touching younger graphic novel we have a grandmother revealing to her granddaughter that as a young girl like her, she was hidden by neighbours and friends in Paris when her parents were taken to the camps. The novel ends joyfully with Dounia being reunited with her mother at the end of the war and with a little girl and her beloved grandmother closer than ever. This really captures the perspective of a young child being shielded by adults from the true horror of what was going on, but inevitably with an awareness of real danger. This makes it an ideal first introduction to thinking about the Holocaust and the artwork is very innocent, childlike and appealing with the oversized heads and dots for eyes, it is reminiscent of familiar cartoons like Charlie Brown.
Anne Frank. Josephine Poole and Angela Barrett. Red Fox, 2007, pp40, £7.99. ISBN: 978-0099409762
This stunningly illustrated picturebook biography again tells the story of Anne Frank and her family using simple, accessible yet lyrical and beautifully judged language. It is, however, the detailed, realistic and evocative images, which convey so much more than words alone could, that make this such a valuable book to prompt discussion and understanding. There is an interesting endpiece which gives a detailed timeline of what happened to the diary after the war, and this gives a useful insight into the study of the Holocaust. This is very much a picturebook that works with older children.
Anna at War. Helen Peters. Nosy Crow, 2014, pp320, £6.99. ISBN: 978-1788004718
This is a superb piece of storytelling, managing to combine page turning adventure and mystery with thought provoking revelations of what it feels like for a young Jewish girl, who witnesses the shock of Kristallnacht and then becomes a refugee on the Kindertransport to England. Her curiosity tempered with fear is captured perfectly as is her discomfort and dismay at outdoor toilets and living conditions very different to her affluent home! The bullying she is subjected to at school will inevitably lead readers to think about the plight of modern refugees too. There are no easy happy endings either and the book skilfully hovers between triumph and tragedy in a very age-appropriate way. An unforgettable story of love and courage in difficult times.
After the War: From Auschwitz to Ambleside. Tom Palmer. Barrington Stoke, 2020, pp176, £6.99. ISBN: 978-1781129487
Beautifully written and deeply moving novel based upon the true story of the three hundred child refugees, known as the Windermere children, arriving in the Lake District after having survived the Nazi concentration camps. Taking three boys as the central characters, we are unforgettably drawn into the horror of their recurring nightmares from their past and their only very gradual acceptance that they are safe at last. Impeccably researched and redolent with the values of friendship and kindness and the true resilience of the human spirit, this is a short and accessible read that punches way above its weight.
The Missing. Michael Rosen. Walker Books, 2019, pp140, £6.99. ISBN: 978-1406395594
Written in a straightforward but affecting manner this is the true story of the celebrated poet’s search for his ‘missing ‘relatives and discovering as best he can what did happen to them during the Holocaust. Peppered with artefacts and images this is a very real slice of history made personal by the poems, old and new which show how the search has affected the author and his writing. Rosen does not shy away from the horrifying facts but deals with them in a very sensitive and accessible manner suitable for his young audience. The fact that the author is so well known and beloved of many children means that this is history made real, about real people and consequently has a real personal impact upon them too. The author also appends a very useful list or other recommended reads too.
To view the rest of our recommendations for Holocaust Memorial Day, simply download the January 2022 Reading with Joy booklist from our Resources Page.