The Prisoners of Breendonk

Reach for this book when your child is ready to move beyond basic historical facts and explore the human spirit's capacity for resistance and creative preservation during the darkest times. While many Holocaust narratives focus on the death camps of Poland, this deeply researched account focuses on Breendonk, a transit camp in Belgium. It is a profound study of how art and documentation served as acts of defiance. Through the lens of individual prisoners, James M. Deem explores themes of resilience, the preservation of dignity, and the importance of bearing witness. Because of its direct descriptions of camp life and Nazi cruelty, it is best suited for mature middle schoolers and high school students. Parents will find this an invaluable tool for discussing how individuals maintain their humanity when faced with systemic injustice.