Another YA Title....that every adult should read!
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne - This powerful work of historical fiction about the Holocaust stands out in part because of the unusual perspective: It's told through the eyes of the 9-year-old son of the Commandant at Auschwitz, a boy who has no clue as to what is going on around him. This perspective allows readers to feel a strong sense of foreboding, long before they know the extent of the terror surrounding Bruno's world. Readers will be struck by the contrast between Bruno's normalcy and naivety, and the extreme horrors of the time.
Most readers who know any of the history of WWII, especially of the Holocaust, will catch on to the nightmare of Bruno's plight fairly early on. They'll figure out that the "Fury" refers to the Fuhrer, and what having Hitler to dinner would mean about Bruno's father. They'll also know that the high fence, desolate grounds, smokestacks, and dirty, unhealthy people in striped pajamas that Bruno sees from his window mean that his new room overlooks a concentration camp. Of course, even clued-in readers may not realize that "Out-With" is Bruno's mispronunciation of Auschwitz...until his sister Gretel points it out quite clearly toward the end.
Readers will quickly relate to the 9 year old, who is uprooted from his home and moved somewhere "nasty and cold" where he has no friends. He is lonely, his sister bugs him, and adults treat him as if he's not there. He wants to study art and read fantasy books rather than history and geography. He wants to get outside and explore. Eventutually Bruno befriends a boy on the other side of the fence and meets him for talks every day. He laments that he can't visit his side. It is quite clear that Bruno has no idea of the implications or even the circumstances of just what is going on around him.
Younger readers may not get all of the historical significance of this story, and teens may wonder how anyone could be so clueless about what's going on around them as Bruno appears to be. Even so, readers of any age will be moved by the young boy's story, and the unlikely friendship he forms with a boy he meets at Out-With. Even more so, readers will be stricken by the way the friendship comes to an end and will be left with much to ponder at the conclusion of Bruno's story.
*** I would recommend this book to any student in a heartbeat and feel that it is a "must-read" for adults as well. I was amazed at the language and the perspective the author uses throghout to bring Bruno and Shmuel to life. Although the book is written from a nine-year old's perspective, the impact this book will have on its reader is more than just child's play!
