The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Two young boys encounter the best and worst of humanity during the Holocaust in this powerful read that USA Today called "as memorable an introduction to the subject as The Diary of Anne Frank."
Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move to a new house far, far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people in the distance. But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different from his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.
Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move to a new house far, far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people in the distance. But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different from his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
If you’re looking to understand multiple perspectives regarding the holocaust in a way that isn’t too overwhelming emotionally, I would recommend this book. It is an emotional read for sure but nothing is explained in depth. There aren’t any descriptions of violence. Much is up for your own interpretation. This book is definitely a tear jerker, however, it’s not quite how you think. The times you cry will be due to your own internal dialogue and imagination rather than by imagery of the text.
Sometimes it takes a child's eye, in this case a 9-year old boy, to open our adult eyes. As I read this book, I thought of my now 9-year old grandson, whose innocence and beauty make the main character so very believable. I closed the book, with tears streaming down my face. I wish we could all be so innocent.
If I could give this a zero I would. I can't even start on how awful this is. It makes no sense, and has little to offer in any way.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.