About This Book
This is a poignant and essential memoir recounting Marion Blumenthal Lazan's childhood during the Holocaust. It details her family's six-year ordeal in various refugee, transit, and prison camps, including Westerbork and Bergen-Belsen, emphasizing their incredible struggle to stay together and survive. Written in powerful, spare prose, the book vividly portrays the degradation and horror of camp life through a child's eyes, while also celebrating the triumph of the human spirit. It's an important historical account that introduces young readers to the realities of World War II and the Holocaust, focusing on themes of resilience, family love, and the fight for justice. While the publisher lists an age range of 4-11, the mature themes make it most suitable for children aged 8 and up, especially for independent reading or guided discussion.
Marion Blumenthal Lazan's memoir of the devastating years that shaped her childhood.
Concepts
Resilience & PerseveranceFear & BraveryLove & FamilySadness & GriefJustice & FairnessGood vs. EvilEmpathy & KindnessSelf-Confidence & IdentityLoneliness & BelongingHonesty & IntegrityFreedom & IndependenceBeing DifferentCultural IdentityNatural DisasterDeath of a Loved OneGrowing UpSurvival & Wilderness
war_themes
discrimination
peril_danger
Scary Scenes
Violence
Character Death
separation_from_parent
Discussion Prompts
1
What does it mean to have 'resilience'? How did Marion and her family show resilience?
2
The book talks about 'degradation and humiliation.' What are some examples of this, and how do you think it affected people?
3
Why is it important to remember stories like Marion's?
4
How did Marion's family stay together and support each other through such difficult times?
5
What lessons can we learn from Marion's story about standing up against injustice and discrimination?
External Reviews
If Your Family Enjoyed This
Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first to share how this book landed with your family.