Description

Rating: Not rated

Tags: Biography, Jews, Lang:en

Summary

Amid the horrors of World War II, Irena Sendler was an unlikely and unsung hero. While many people lived in fear of the Nazis, Irena defied them, even though it could have meant her life. She kept records of the children she helped smuggle away from the Nazis’ grasp, and when she feared her work might be discovered, she buried her lists in jars, hoping to someday recover them and reunite children with their parents. This gripping true story of a woman who took it upon herself to help save 2,500 children from the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust is not only inspirational; it's unforgettable.

**

From School Library Journal

Gr 3–6—Roy tells the story of Irena Sendler, a Polish nurse and social worker who saved many Jewish children during World War II. Sendler took the advice her father once gave her to heart ("If you see someone drowning…you must jump in and save them, whether you can swim or not") when she smuggled food, medicine, and supplies to Polish Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto and helped get Jewish children out. Sendler kept meticulous records of each of the 2,500 children she saved. She buried the lists in jars in her friend's backyard in the hope that the children could be reunited with their parents after the war. Though she was arrested and tortured by the Gestapo, she refused to reveal any information. Readers learn from the afterword that Sendler survived the war and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize but that she never considered herself a hero, merely someone doing the right thing. Roy's text is enhanced by the somber, expressive illustrations, created digitally and traditionally drawn. Back matter is included, but readers will need to be familiar with World War II and Holocaust history to fully understand the risks that Sendler took and the profound impact of her actions. Susan Goldman Rubin's Irena Sendler and the Children of the Warsaw Ghetto (Holiday House) is more detailed and provides more historical context, while Marcia Vaughan's Irena's Jars of Secrets (Lee & Low, both 2011) is another illustrated biography similar in scope and content. VERDICT While effective, Roy's version does not offer anything new or different and isn't an essential purchase for libraries that already own the aforementioned titles.—Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

About the Author

Jennifer Roy is the author of the modern classic Yellow Star, the true story of her aunt’s survival during the Holocaust; the award-winning Mindblind about a teen with Asperger’s Syndrome; and the best-selling Trading Faces series co-authored with her twin sister, Julia DeVillers.  Jennifer and her family currently reside in Saratoga Springs, New York.