Yellow Star

Yellow Star
Written by Jennifer Roy

This is the first person telling of what life was like in the Lodz ghetto during World War 2. It tells the life of a 5 year old girl, Syvia. She was only one of 12 children that survived the ghetto. I have not read that many books about the Holocaust, but when we think about it, we think we know all of what happened. To hear this story from a child's perspective made it even harder to imagine that these atrocities actually happened. From this book you really get a great understanding of what these people had to face. You understood that they were completely lost. They had no outside information coming in, and if they did they did not know what was fact or what was a rumor. Millions and millions of Jews gladly boarded a train heading to their death, thinking they were going to a better place.When Syvia talks about the Nazi soldiers coming door to door to take the children, I can feel the horror and pain that all of the parents in the ghetto could be going through. Her father was very brave and loving. It reminded me of my dad. I know he would do the same thing for me, if I was scared. My favorite part in the book, is when her dad climbed in the whole with her and spent the night hiding from the soldiers. This is my favorite part because it shows how much her father cares about her safety and he does not want his family to be separated.

I was not sure how I would like reading this book. When I think of a biography type book, I do not think that it should be written in poetry. However this book was perfect written in poetry. It brought so much more meaning to the words. It allowed you to focus on what was really happening to her life and how she was feeling. The words were so powerful and thought provoking! I could not put this book down. This was a great way to learn about history!