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World War Two: Historical Fiction
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From: ortchild at sfpl.lib.ca.us <ortchild>
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 1997 12:01:47 -0700
I have been reading and re-reading "In My Pocket" by Dorrith M. Sim, an autobiographical picture story about a 7 yr old German-Jewish girl who survived the war by being shipped to Great Britain on a Kindertransport.
The language of the story, and the pictures, are suitable for very young children (3-4), but the subject matter seems to be beyond their understanding (that from my perspective as a caucasian American--obviously many 3-4 year olds even in this country face daily risks to their safety and family integrity). I think despite the simple language--language that a child would use to tell what they remembered of some earlier time/experience, that this book is better used with 7-8 year olds who will have a better understandingof the answers to the questions this book will raise for them. This is definitely a book worth looking at--the story perhaps all the more powerful for the simplicity and understatement of the language.
I'd like to also recommend Yolen's "Devil's Arithmetic," and Matas' "After the War," and "In the Garden."
One of the questions that comes up for me from time to time in regard to holocaust fiction is whether or not there is a need/place for fiction on the subject when there are so many well-written memoirs of survivors. I generally conclude that there is no reason not to have fiction on the topic, but one instance in which I felt it was inappropriate was the story created by the US Holocaust Museum to accompany their display for children (I can't remember the title). There are so many children whose stories have never yet been told, and fewer and fewer people to remember and tell them. Somehow it would have been more powerful for me to have seen/read a real child's story in that situation. That is perhaps why I feel there has not yet been anything (and may never be) as moving and powerful as Anne Frank's diary for younger readers/students of the Holocaust.
Silverrod San Francisco Public Library
Received on Tue 21 Oct 1997 02:01:47 PM CDT
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 1997 12:01:47 -0700
I have been reading and re-reading "In My Pocket" by Dorrith M. Sim, an autobiographical picture story about a 7 yr old German-Jewish girl who survived the war by being shipped to Great Britain on a Kindertransport.
The language of the story, and the pictures, are suitable for very young children (3-4), but the subject matter seems to be beyond their understanding (that from my perspective as a caucasian American--obviously many 3-4 year olds even in this country face daily risks to their safety and family integrity). I think despite the simple language--language that a child would use to tell what they remembered of some earlier time/experience, that this book is better used with 7-8 year olds who will have a better understandingof the answers to the questions this book will raise for them. This is definitely a book worth looking at--the story perhaps all the more powerful for the simplicity and understatement of the language.
I'd like to also recommend Yolen's "Devil's Arithmetic," and Matas' "After the War," and "In the Garden."
One of the questions that comes up for me from time to time in regard to holocaust fiction is whether or not there is a need/place for fiction on the subject when there are so many well-written memoirs of survivors. I generally conclude that there is no reason not to have fiction on the topic, but one instance in which I felt it was inappropriate was the story created by the US Holocaust Museum to accompany their display for children (I can't remember the title). There are so many children whose stories have never yet been told, and fewer and fewer people to remember and tell them. Somehow it would have been more powerful for me to have seen/read a real child's story in that situation. That is perhaps why I feel there has not yet been anything (and may never be) as moving and powerful as Anne Frank's diary for younger readers/students of the Holocaust.
Silverrod San Francisco Public Library
Received on Tue 21 Oct 1997 02:01:47 PM CDT
