The Blood Years

A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is ready for an unflinching, mature exploration of human endurance and the ethical complexities of survival. This is not a sanitized history, but a deeply personal account of Rieke, a Jewish girl in Romania whose world is dismantled by Soviet and then Nazi occupation. Through her eyes, we see how family bonds are both a lifeline and a source of profound pressure. Because the narrative includes experiences of sexual trauma and severe illness, it serves as a bridge for discussing consent, bodily autonomy, and the 'impossible choices' people face in times of crisis. It is most appropriate for high schoolers who can process heavy themes and are looking for a story that validates the messy, non-linear nature of resilience. A parent might choose this to provide a realistic, rather than romanticized, perspective on the Holocaust and the strength it takes to keep one's soul intact.