Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) - , reviewed on 6/25/2016 + 569 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

There used to be a game show called "To Tell The Truth" in which 3 people claimed to be someone with an interesting story in their background. 1 of them actually was that person, while the other 2 were imposters. It was the job of 4 celebrity panelists to determine which was the correct person by questioning the 3. In one episode, the panelists were dealing with someone attempting to expose American Nazis. After the questioning, the first celebrity simply said, "I will not make a game out of this horrible subject," and refused to identify her selection.

How do you discuss the Holocaust with children? How do you turn one of the most horrific events of the 20th century or of ANY century into an action story?

Congratulations to author Lauren Tarshis, who admits in her post-story notes to asking herself the same questions. Readers of the "I Survived" series requested a book dealing with the Holocaust, and eventually, Ms. Tarshis found a way to deal with the topic. Rather than focusing on someone in the death camps, she had her young protagonists meet up with the Partisans. The partisans were loosely confederated small bands of freedom fighters who undertook small "hit and run" missions against the Nazi oppressors. On the Eastern Front of the War in Europe, most of those partisans were Jewish; as the tale is set in Poland, so are our protagonists.

I will not describe the plot in greater detail than the above there is no need for a spoiler. I WILL heap an incredible amount of praise upon the author for finding a way to address an event that included the horror of the death the MURDER - of millions of non-combatants in her I SURVIVED series. A way that stayed true to historical facts without oversimplifying them.

RATING: 4 ½ stars, rounded up to 5 stars where half stars are not permitted.

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