Leitner, I. (1992). The big lie: A true story. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
Summary: The Big Lie is an easily read short story told from the perspective of a Hungarian girl who lived through the Holocaust. The story she tells takes you through her entire experience beginning in her hometown and ending in America. In between they live in the ghetto, are taken to Auschwitz, experience a work camp, are marched through the snow for weeks and then escape to the safety of the Russians. The book is written so that children can easily understand the trials and tribulations of Jews especially children during the war.
Commentary: The Big Lie is a short story that is a fairly easy read. Because of this, the students should be required to read this book at home. After allowing at least three days for the students to read the book, the class will divide up into book groups (made up of 4-5 members). The teacher will assign one student in each group to lead the discussion.
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Elsie’s War: A Story of Courage in Nazi Germany by Frank Dabba Smith
Smith, F. D. (2003). Elsie's war: A story of courage in nazi germany. Great Britain: Frances Lincoln Children's Books.
Summary:
This story focuses on the daughter of an industrialist who risked her own life to help Jewish families from persecution. She was eventually caught and imprisoned for her work in saving the lives of others. The story shows how people’s courage and generosity can have great and life altering effects on others.
Commentary: Elsie’s War can be used as a think-pair-share activity. The students will write down their own observations from the book and then pair off to discuss what they thought of the book. This activity will get the students to discuss their own ideas while also learning to listen and appreciate other’s points of view.
The Hidden Children by Howard Greenfeld
Greenfeld, H. (1993). The hidden children. New York, NY: Houghton Mufflin Company.
Summary:
The Hidden Children tells the story of Jewish children during World War II who were hidden to save their lives. While Greenfeld tells the facts and brings all of the stories together, there are also excerpts from survivors. The book is a heartbreaking account of how through survival they lost their childhoods.
Commentary:
This text should be used with the text to self, text to world, text to text activity. The teacher can read excerpts from the book to the class over a couple of days. After each reading the students will write a text comment.
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One More Border: The True Story of One Family’s Escape From War-Torn Europe by William Kaplan
Kaplan, W., Tanaka, S. M., & Taylor, S. (2004). One more border: The true story of one famil'ys escape from war-torn europe. Toronto, Canada: Groundwood Books.
Summary:
A true story told by two children of a family trying to escape Germany to America. The book follows the family through Russia and Japan and finally to America. The book also includes factual sidebars, photographs and maps to help the reader visualize the story that is being told.
Commentary:
This text should be used as a read aloud. After the text is read to the class, the teacher can have the students draw their own escape map. The children can either draw how they would have tried to flee Europe or if they had to flee the US, where would they go and by what route. This book is also a great opportunity to disucss current events. The class can discuss other genocides in the world and if these are still happening.
We Remember the Holocaust by David A. Adler
Adler, D. A. (1989). We remember the holocaust. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
Summary: We Remember the Holocaust is told through the stories of survivors of the Holocaust. The book is written for young people and is coupled with pictures that help paint the scenes for the memories shared. It is an extremely well designed book that shares the experiences and feelings of survivors.
Commentary:
This text has extraordinary pictures and the teacher can use them by letting each student pick a picture to tell a story about. The student will use the picture to share with the class that person’s story. Each child will have about 2-3 minutes to share their information with their peers.
The Big Lie: A True Story by Isabella Leitner
Leitner, I. (1992). The big lie: A true story. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
Summary:
The Big Lie is an easily read short story told from the perspective of a Hungarian girl who lived through the Holocaust. The story she tells takes you through her entire experience beginning in her hometown and ending in America. In between they live in the ghetto, are taken to Auschwitz, experience a work camp, are marched through the snow for weeks and then escape to the safety of the Russians. The book is written so that children can easily understand the trials and tribulations of Jews especially children during the war.
Commentary:
The Big Lie is a short story that is a fairly easy read. Because of this, the students should be required to read this book at home. After allowing at least three days for the students to read the book, the class will divide up into book groups (made up of 4-5 members). The teacher will assign one student in each group to lead the discussion.
Elsie’s War: A Story of Courage in Nazi Germany by Frank Dabba Smith
Smith, F. D. (2003). Elsie's war: A story of courage in nazi germany. Great Britain: Frances Lincoln Children's Books.
Summary:
This story focuses on the daughter of an industrialist who risked her own life to help Jewish families from persecution. She was eventually caught and imprisoned for her work in saving the lives of others. The story shows how people’s courage and generosity can have great and life altering effects on others.
Commentary:
Elsie’s War can be used as a think-pair-share activity. The students will write down their own observations from the book and then pair off to discuss what they thought of the book. This activity will get the students to discuss their own ideas while also learning to listen and appreciate other’s points of view.
The Hidden Children by Howard Greenfeld
Greenfeld, H. (1993). The hidden children. New York, NY: Houghton Mufflin Company.
Summary:
The Hidden Children tells the story of Jewish children during World War II who were hidden to save their lives. While Greenfeld tells the facts and brings all of the stories together, there are also excerpts from survivors. The book is a heartbreaking account of how through survival they lost their childhoods.
Commentary:
This text should be used with the text to self, text to world, text to text activity. The teacher can read excerpts from the book to the class over a couple of days. After each reading the students will write a text comment.
One More Border: The True Story of One Family’s Escape From War-Torn Europe by William Kaplan
Kaplan, W., Tanaka, S. M., & Taylor, S. (2004). One more border: The true story of one famil'ys escape from war-torn europe. Toronto, Canada: Groundwood Books.
Summary:
A true story told by two children of a family trying to escape Germany to America. The book follows the family through Russia and Japan and finally to America. The book also includes factual sidebars, photographs and maps to help the reader visualize the story that is being told.
Commentary:
This text should be used as a read aloud. After the text is read to the class, the teacher can have the students draw their own escape map. The children can either draw how they would have tried to flee Europe or if they had to flee the US, where would they go and by what route. This book is also a great opportunity to disucss current events. The class can discuss other genocides in the world and if these are still happening.
We Remember the Holocaust by David A. Adler
Adler, D. A. (1989). We remember the holocaust. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
Summary:
We Remember the Holocaust is told through the stories of survivors of the Holocaust. The book is written for young people and is coupled with pictures that help paint the scenes for the memories shared. It is an extremely well designed book that shares the experiences and feelings of survivors.
Commentary:
This text has extraordinary pictures and the teacher can use them by letting each student pick a picture to tell a story about. The student will use the picture to share with the class that person’s story. Each child will have about 2-3 minutes to share their information with their peers.
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