Jennifer RoyRezensionen

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. 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.

Yellow Star-by Jennifer Roy is a novel told in free verse based on the true story of Sylvia Perimutter who was one of 12 Jewish children (out of 250,000) that survived the Lodz Ghetto in Poland after WWII. The Nazis invaded Lodz Poland in 1939, when Sylvia was 4 ½ years old and her family tried to escape to Warsaw, but had to return for lack of work to Lodz. The Jewish families were segregated and walled off in what would become known as the Lodz Ghetto. The Nazis ordered all children to be sent away on the trains to the “work” camps, but Sylvia’s father knew how to pay attention, watch and observe every move the soldiers made so he could outsmart them, and find ways to keep his family safe. Over the years Sylvia’s parents smuggled the children from cellar to cellar, hiding not only Sylvia, but her sister Dora and their cousin Isaac, until 1945 when the Lodz Ghetto was liberated, just one day short of Sylvia’s 10th birthday. In 2006, after 50 years of keeping the story to herself, Sylvia recounts the events to her niece Jennifer Roy, who tells the story from a young Sylvia’s perspective, using a voice that matures with the years and is both realistic and relatable to young readers. The little girl braves hunger and faces with courage the hardships of hiding for years, losing friends, a favorite doll, and practically everything else, but persists by using her imagination to help her withstand the moment and all it entails.

He aquí la verdadera historia de Syvia Perlmutter. Cuando empezó la segunda guerra mundial tenía cuatro años y medio. Cuando acabó tenía diez. Durante más de cincuenta años, y al igual que muchos de los supervivientes del Holocausto, Syvia no quiso contar a nadie sus experiencias. Pero a medida que se fue haciendo mayor, se dio cuenta de que había llegado el momento de contarlo todo. Y para ello escogió a su sobrina, la autora de este libro.

When the Jewish citizens of Warsaw were moved into a ghetto during World War II, Irena Sendler knew she had to help. Over time, her mission grew from sending food and supplies into the ghetto to smuggling thousands of infants out of its walls and maintaining records so that they might search for their families after the war. Afterword, Author’s Note, Glossary, Index, Source Notes.

In the book " Yellow Star", the niece of Syvia Perlmutter, who is one of the twelve children survivors from the Lodz ghetto located in Poland. She soon. shares her aunt's experiences from the Holocaust in a free verse. Relating to heartbreak and courage which she lived during this time of terrible circumstances. Having this book brought to the students attention, helps them understand the concept of the hard times many people had to face during the era of the Holocaust.½

This is a true story about Sylvia Perlmutter and her experience with surviving the Holocaust. This chapter book is great for 8th graders because they are well at that level of reading, as well as it is good to learn about such a significant event that changed the world forever. This book shows all the emotions and fast-thinking process of Sylvia and what she did to survive. The important thing to remember was the Jews held their faith over everything and those who were able to survive held on to their faith. "This book is very informative; it's great for learning about a world history significant event."

This was a second-hand retelling of events which happened to a child, presented as first person truth. While it's definitely emotionally moving, it's hard to tell how accurate it really is; I would have found a straightforward factual account more interesting and compelling.

The author heard this story from her aunt. It is based on the story her aunt told her, but the dialogue and characters are invented to better help the flow of the story. It follows a young Jewish girl during WWII who, with her family, is placed in the Lodz ghetto. It follows their journey throughout the war and the struggles they go through. The title refers to the yellow stars that Nazi guards put on the Jews to lessen them. However, the Jewish people rally around this and hold their faith above all else. This book is a great look at one of the worst times in human history. Historical Fiction.

Excellent story. I like books based on true stories. This a good one to add into a middle school study about World War II.

Tra Il bambino con il pigiama a righe e L’ultimo sopravvissuto. Una storia vera. La vera storia di Syvia Perlmutter: un racconto di coraggio, disperazione e sopravvivenza Nel 1945 la guerra finisce. I tedeschi si arrendono e il ghetto viene liberato. Su 250.000 persone se ne salvano circa 800. (fonte: Google Books)

This is not a book that was ever on my radar. Until it was picked as a #MGBudyReady I had never heard of it. And it wasn’t popular at my local bookstore or library. I had to interlibrary loan a copy from Bradley University. But I am so glad I did. This book is a look at the day to day life of the first fight between the US and Saddam Hussein. We see the world though the eyes of Ali, as he experiences the second war in his life. Both the good things like New Years at the Governor’s mansion and the bad things, like being forced to watch horrific acts of war on the streets you live and play.

This book is a super fast read. You get pulled into the action and the waiting hoping for a happy ending. The book is based on a true story, and those rarely have happy endings in a war zone. The title was a little odd, but it is a played out perfectly in the pages. At various times Ali can see the action taking place as various games on his Atari system. Plus, I had no idea that the first conflict between Hussein and the US was called a “video game” war. The way it was reported in the media looked like still taken from a videogame, rather than a bloody war depicted in a movie theater.

For those who worry about trigger warnings, there are some scary things. It is war time. There is no blood and guts, just facts that are put in an easy to understand format. This book is emotional, it is necessary. It is about life. Ali and I would have been about the same age when this book takes place. Actually I would have been his brother Shirzad’s age. I was an active Navy brat. I think we were stationed in Washington at the time, and worried dad would be called over. My dad may be a land lover but he had been in the middle east many times, as part of a crew that puts things back together after conflict. I understand Ali’s worry for his father in the pages of this book. I can never truly understand what his life was like, but I am very glad I got to take a walk in his shoes, even it if was just a short trip. To see history as a child, and to look back on it and realize what you missed, how much your parents shield you, protect you, keep your world as happy as they can. This book shows me what I missed. It shows me what I wasn’t thinking about.

Thank you Ali for sharing your story with the world.

#NancyDrewChallenge #Twins
#KillYourTBR #written by an Immigrant

I have read a lot of books about the atrocities that occurred during WWII, but most of these books are filled with the strength and compassion of the people who fought against the evil that happened. This book is no exception to that. I had never heard of the main character in this book, Irena Sendler, so it is great that this book was written about her so that her story is not forgotten.

Irena was a Polish citizen who refused to turn a blind eye to what was happening in Poland. Instead of running away from all that happened in the ghetto, she stuck by to help the children. She convinced parents that she could keep their children safe by smuggling them out of the ghetto, bringing them to safety and making sure that their new foster families would get money and food to take care of that extra mouth. She did all that under cover of trying to keep disease and illness from spreading with medicine and vaccines. The guards were so afraid of getting sick, they did not check her bags for a long time. She kept meticulous lists of the names of the children, their parents and who the foster families were so they could be reunited after the war. She was eventually caught but was able to save the lists in jars buried in the ground (Jars of Hope). Irena was an amazing person, even when she was caught she stayed silent, no matter how gruesome the torture (though since this is a children's book it is mostly toned down, but I am guessing that the nazis won't just have whipped her and do not much else). After the war some of the children were reunited with their parents. The other wonderful thing is that Irena kept in contact with the children she had rescued. This was an amazing story.

The illustrations were black and white drawings, showing the darkness of war. As another reviewer said, It was great to see how Irena was drawn, at most times she seemed to be a beacon that lit up the place, the one to bring happiness and light around her. Showing people that there is still hope, that she will help. I highly recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jars of Hope is set during the time of the German invasion into Poland. The book starts off introducing the reader to a little girl named Irena in the year 1917. Irena's father dies when she is very young, but he tells her something that will live in her heart forever. Fast forward to 1940, and Irena is working as a social worker in the Warsaw ghetto in Poland. She knew she had to do something to help the people living here, so she starts sneaking them food and medicine. She eventually starts sneaking children out, in an attempt to save their lives. She goes on to save many lives, and, because of her meticulously recorded lists, some of the children were able to be reunited with their parents. This is a true story about a woman who selflessly and courageously saved lives and made a difference during the Nazi invasion into Poland. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because I thought the writing could have been better.

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.



very interesting sory, i have read it with my 10 years old daughter, and we found out to be very incredible, sweet and tender considering that was a true story....
i knew before about Irena Sendler...... so i could explain a little bit of the story to Laura before reading the book together......
i hope to find this book soon in bookstore, maybe here in Italy ,too.

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.



very interesting sory, i have read it with my 10 years old daughter, and we found out to be very incredible, sweet and tender considering that was a true story....
i knew before about Irena Sendler...... so i could explain a little bit of the story to Laura before reading the book together......
i hope to find this book soon in bookstore, maybe here in Italy ,too.

A book everyone should read to understand the inhumanity of man to one another. It's something that should not be forgotten as with the knowledge of WWII and the suffering of the world and how the Allies came together to defeat the Nazis and the Japanese.

An eleven-year-old boy tells his account of living through the war in Iraq in 1991.

Ali is 14 when Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait in early 1991. War is not new to Ali. He and his family endured the eight-year war with Iran when he was little. He doesn't see how Saddam can win against American military power. But in the meantime, the family takes refuge at night in the safe room of their house. They line up for rations when supplies get low. They worry about Baba while he's away with a medical team, helping injured soldiers. The stress of war affects the kids' behavior. Young readers will get a sense of the impact of war on everyday life. The book is not particularly graphic in describing the war--Ali's neighborhood is relatively untouched by the bombings. The most graphic moment is when Ali witnesses several men being executed by soldiers in the street

history - well written, tense,

Rarely are young people given a chance to read about a pre-teen growing up in Iraq. Readers will see that the 11 year old's life - and the others' lives changed drastically when Saddam Hussein went to war. I think the cover is lacking for drawing young people in, but the book is great.

This is Jennifer Roy's second book on the holocaust. Her first was Yellow Star, a story she told in response to hearing of her aunt's experiences in the Lodz Ghetto. The same aunt had written a play on Irena Sendler and later visited her in Poland. Jennifer Roy was again inspired to write a book. Mary Skinner, the director and Producer of the PBS documentary on Irena Sendler consulted on this project. The book has a brief source notes page including Jack Mayer's book Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project and the PBS documentary, Irena Sendler: In the Name of Their Mothers.

The contents are arranged chronologically and each date is paired with a location. Through Irena, the audience learns about discrimination against Jewish people in Poland, Hitler's targeting of Jewish citizens, the erection of ghettos and concentration camps.

The story is driven by an early scene between Irena and her father in which her father tells her, "There are two kinds of people in this world, good and bad. It doesn't matter if they are rich or poor, what religion or race. What matters is if they are good or bad." This message drives the narrative and explains Irena's choices, especially the risks she takes in saving Jewish children from ghettos.

The illustrations look like watercolors and their muted colors convey the desperation and darkness of the time. The artist also plays with light, however, especially toward the end of the book where she begins to brighten the colors and introduce halos or beams of sunlight.

Like, For the Right to Learn, this book includes highlighted key words which connect to a glossary. The author's afterward and notes are intended for student readers and include information about Irena at the end of her life and the fates of some of the children she saved.

I'd not heard Irena's story before this book. It was an inspiring narrative appropriate for students through middle grades.

RGG: The point of view of a young child surviving in the Lodz ghetto is unique, and the story written in verse is approachable but intense. Reading Interest: 10-14.

This is the true story of the author's Aunt Sylvia as told through extensive interviews by phone, of her childhood under the Nazi occupation of Lodz, Poland beginning in 1939. Sylvia was taken to the Lodz ghetto at age 5 and lived sealed off from the rest of Poland by a ghetto fence topped by barbed wire. She and her family (sister, mother and father) find themselves in very different living quarters. As the months and years go on, there is less food, less clothing and less heat in winter. But this is a family of survivors and about 4 1/2 years later, Sylvia walks out of the liberated ghetto with her family. She was only 1 of 12 children who survived!

The story is told in poetic prose. It is lyrical and yet extremely readable. I loved this book and I think all children and adults should read it. I will have it in my library at home. - Cookie M.

Girly-girl readers will enjoy Claire's breathless, chatty and gossipy tone as she swoons through the rarefied world of royalty, being a junior bridesmaid at her cousin's wedding to the prince of Windsor. She stumbles upon a plot by one of the other junior bridesmaids to ruin the wedding. The intrigue is rather weakly devised and resolved but intended readers will thrill for the glimpse of a fairy-tale experience.