At this moment of uncertainty, we should still be grateful that we are alive.

The pandemic is a reminder that there was a period in history that was much darker- the Holocaust. Holocaust Remembrance Day, also known as Yom Hashoah is a Holiday observed by the Jews. During this day we remember the sacrifices of Jews who died during these dark times. The unthinkable terror of the Holocaust is difficult to imagine. How do we inform our young ones about it?  Here is a list of books that will enlighten our children about the horrors of war. Holocaust literature will impact every reader.

The Best of Holocaust Literature

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
This novel narrates the story of a young girl named Liesel. Her mother was unable to care for her, thus brought to a new home. Death, a character in the book is the one narrating the story. In the end, you come to appreciate his character and all the beautiful lessons shared.

2. The Boy in Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
The story happened in Berlin in the year 1942. A boy named Bruno returns home from school. He found out that his father got promoted and had to move to a new home. He didn’t have any playmate in their new home. While examining his new environment he met a young boy whose life and state were so different from his. Their friendship resulted in something horrible.

3. Mapping The Bones by Jane Yolen
The book set was in the 1940s in Poland.
The main characters are Chaim and Gittel. They must depend on one another to survive inside a concentration camp. They would soon experience the horrors inside the camp. They lose everything except each other.

4. The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe
Based on a true event. Dita Kraus narrates her story at a concentration camp in Auschwitz. Being a young girl during the Holocaust was hard. She endangered her own life to promote the importance of books during the Holocaust. Dita was 14 years old when imprisoned with her parents at a concentration camp in Auschwitz. Assigned to care for books they were able to hide from the Nazis. Dita became the Librarian of Auschwitz. This is a great book you can give as a gift to your teenage daughter. It will make every reader cry. For more perfect gift idea you can give a 15-year-old girl, click on this link: https://www.youreviewit.com/gifts/girls/best-gifts-for-15-year-old-girls/

5. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Anne Frank was a girl who hid in an attic where she spent most of her last years in hiding. Set in Amsterdam, this city was a Nazi-occupied city during the Holocaust. Anne started writing entries in her diary on June 14, 1942. She recorded all the events that happened while she and her family hid behind a bookcase which was located at her father’s office. This book shows us what the Jews had to go through during these dark times.