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April 14, 2011 11:16 AM Subscribe
Looking for book and/or film recommendations for 2 young girls (10 and 8) who will be visiting the Holocaust Memorial Museum in a few weeks. As a sort of primer.
Night - Elie Wiesel
The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom
Number the Stars - Lois Lowry
Excerpts from Anne Frank's Diary
posted by michaelh at 11:20 AM on April 14, 2011
The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom
Number the Stars - Lois Lowry
Excerpts from Anne Frank's Diary
posted by michaelh at 11:20 AM on April 14, 2011
Carol Matas' Daniel's Story is based in part on the USHMM's exhibit Remember the Children: Daniel's Story, which is aimed at kids.
Allan Zullo and Mara Bovsun's Survivors: True Stories of Children in the Holocaust may also be helpful.
posted by ryanshepard at 11:30 AM on April 14, 2011
Allan Zullo and Mara Bovsun's Survivors: True Stories of Children in the Holocaust may also be helpful.
posted by ryanshepard at 11:30 AM on April 14, 2011
At that age I really enjoyed The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen.
posted by milk white peacock at 11:32 AM on April 14, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by milk white peacock at 11:32 AM on April 14, 2011 [4 favorites]
Man, I never never say this, but I feel like you should be careful with this excursion. I wouldn't necessarily advise against taking them in general, but you might want to skip through the gruesome pictures of skeletal bodies. My parents took me to the Dachau Memorial Site when I was in second grade and it traumatized me, a fairly morbid and worldly kid, out of my wits. I was terrified for months afterward that soldiers would take away my (Protestant, American) family and send us to camps.
Then again, my parents didn't do much much in the way of preparation. If you give them books (Number the Stars really is your best bet for the 10 year old, and maybe The Butterfly for the younger girl) they'll be more intellectually prepared.
Emotional preparation is also key. Talk to them about the nature of the Holocaust, its broad history and whatnot. Tell them it's okay to feel frightened or really really sad when they see the exhibits; let them determine what they want to see and what they want to avoid. It's a lot for kids to take in all at once.
posted by slightly sissy tea hound at 11:36 AM on April 14, 2011
Then again, my parents didn't do much much in the way of preparation. If you give them books (Number the Stars really is your best bet for the 10 year old, and maybe The Butterfly for the younger girl) they'll be more intellectually prepared.
Emotional preparation is also key. Talk to them about the nature of the Holocaust, its broad history and whatnot. Tell them it's okay to feel frightened or really really sad when they see the exhibits; let them determine what they want to see and what they want to avoid. It's a lot for kids to take in all at once.
posted by slightly sissy tea hound at 11:36 AM on April 14, 2011
Would The Boy in the Striped Pajamas work? I've seen the movie (and I imagine the book is clearly not a children's book), and off the top of my head it seems like it would be pretty relatable -- an eight-year-old boy who doesn't understand what's going on in the camp next door where his father works. He makes a friend of the same age, which should prompt a nice discussion of how people can have so much in common on a personal level but fall victim to weird crap in society.
I don't remember any truly horrible images, and I think it did a pretty good job showing how the German boy gets curious and wants to help his friend. Of course, the ending is [NOT REALLY A SPOILER] a complete frigging downer that might upset them.
Thinking back to myself at that age, I might have found it a little boring at times (and you can watch it beforehand to get a good idea of what doesn't really matter), but I probably could have handled it.
posted by Madamina at 11:44 AM on April 14, 2011
I don't remember any truly horrible images, and I think it did a pretty good job showing how the German boy gets curious and wants to help his friend. Of course, the ending is [NOT REALLY A SPOILER] a complete frigging downer that might upset them.
Thinking back to myself at that age, I might have found it a little boring at times (and you can watch it beforehand to get a good idea of what doesn't really matter), but I probably could have handled it.
posted by Madamina at 11:44 AM on April 14, 2011
My parents took me to the Dachau Memorial Site when I was in second grade and it traumatized me ...
Most of the gruesome footage - and there isn't much - is shielded at USHMM for this reason. You can't see it by accident.
The main exhibit isn't recommended for kids under 11 - "Daniel's Story" is the substitute. They aren't barred from it, though.
posted by ryanshepard at 11:46 AM on April 14, 2011
Most of the gruesome footage - and there isn't much - is shielded at USHMM for this reason. You can't see it by accident.
The main exhibit isn't recommended for kids under 11 - "Daniel's Story" is the substitute. They aren't barred from it, though.
posted by ryanshepard at 11:46 AM on April 14, 2011
Just a quick data point; I took my ten year old daughters to The Killing Fields in Cambodia a couple weeks ago while on holiday. We talked a bit about it on the way there, didn't really talk while there and then lots more questions after. I think it was a worthwhile exercise for them. The biggest point was that we go and witness it so that it never happens again. And I think they understood that as the reason for the journey.
posted by Keith Talent at 12:23 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by Keith Talent at 12:23 PM on April 14, 2011
BTW, Elie Wiesel is Not For Kids.
posted by maryr at 12:29 PM on April 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by maryr at 12:29 PM on April 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
I 2nd Number the Stars which your kids will understand much better if you read it to them. It's good for kids to have access to texts that are above their reading levels - and you're that access.
Good for you for building their background knowledge so that this trip means something to them!
One more thing, you might forewarn them that the museum will be very quiet/somber, and that some adults will show signs of sadness, because the contents of the museum are very moving for people who understand the history.
posted by jander03 at 12:29 PM on April 14, 2011
Good for you for building their background knowledge so that this trip means something to them!
One more thing, you might forewarn them that the museum will be very quiet/somber, and that some adults will show signs of sadness, because the contents of the museum are very moving for people who understand the history.
posted by jander03 at 12:29 PM on April 14, 2011
Paper Clips is a pretty cool documentary about a middle school Holocaust project in rural Tennessee. It begins with a small but interesting idea and turns into something much bigger, particularly as the whole community becomes involved.
Looks like you can watch it free online here.
posted by Glinn at 12:32 PM on April 14, 2011
Looks like you can watch it free online here.
posted by Glinn at 12:32 PM on April 14, 2011
Are the familiar with Anne Frank at all? The 8 year old might be too young for the diary itself, but there are several kid-oriented biographies (Here's one) that discuss her life and the broader context.
posted by anastasiav at 12:36 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by anastasiav at 12:36 PM on April 14, 2011
I think I've recommended this here before. It might be good for the 8 year old (or both girls) as sort of an indirect look at the Holocaust. Alan and Naomi. It's available for Kindle, too.
posted by peep at 12:57 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by peep at 12:57 PM on April 14, 2011
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. I was somewhere around 10, maybe slightly older, when I read it.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:14 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:14 PM on April 14, 2011
Seconding When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit - excellent book!
And I hear what slightly sissy tea hound is saying... despite preparation, extensive reading, graphic history lessons and many WWII movies/documentaries, I was sick at Dachau. I was 15.
posted by likeso at 1:26 PM on April 14, 2011
And I hear what slightly sissy tea hound is saying... despite preparation, extensive reading, graphic history lessons and many WWII movies/documentaries, I was sick at Dachau. I was 15.
posted by likeso at 1:26 PM on April 14, 2011
I strongly, strongly second Number the Stars, at least for the 10-year-old (although I certainly read and loved it at 8, it may not be for every 8-year-old).
posted by good day merlock at 1:54 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by good day merlock at 1:54 PM on April 14, 2011
Night - Elie Wiesel
For an 8-year-old? Good Lord!
You want Rose Blanche by Roberto Innocenti and Christophe Gallaz.
posted by Rash at 2:26 PM on April 14, 2011
For an 8-year-old? Good Lord!
You want Rose Blanche by Roberto Innocenti and Christophe Gallaz.
posted by Rash at 2:26 PM on April 14, 2011
Rose Blanche at Amazon.
And for the big picture, The Rise and Fall of Adolph Hitler by William Shirer if you can find it (looks like it's out of print).
posted by Rash at 2:42 PM on April 14, 2011
And for the big picture, The Rise and Fall of Adolph Hitler by William Shirer if you can find it (looks like it's out of print).
posted by Rash at 2:42 PM on April 14, 2011
I'm surprised nobody has yet recommended the Diary of Anne Frank.
posted by Houstonian at 2:47 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by Houstonian at 2:47 PM on April 14, 2011
I read this as a child: Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed: The Story of the Village of Le Chambron and How Goodness Happened There. It's about how a Protestant village in France banded together to save thousands of Jewish people during the Holocaust. It's a way to learn about the inhumanity of the Holocaust while focusing on something positive.
posted by Cygnet at 6:57 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by Cygnet at 6:57 PM on April 14, 2011
Oh, and I would also NOT recommend "Night" for 8- or 10-year-olds. I read that book as a 16-year-old and it was TRAUMATIZING enough then.
posted by Cygnet at 6:58 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by Cygnet at 6:58 PM on April 14, 2011
This is a work of fiction, but I think it speaks tremendously well to the topic at hand. It is called The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. An orphaned German girl goes to live with foster parents who taken in and hide a Jewish boxer, meanwhile she takes to stealing books to cope with loss and death. It's an incredible novel. I cried and shook when I got to the end.
posted by theartandsound at 9:09 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by theartandsound at 9:09 PM on April 14, 2011
I just stumbled on this at the library: The Cats in Krasinski Square. It's good, and would work for girls their age. It also works for younger children as a picture book, but older kids will find an additional depth in it.
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:12 PM on April 15, 2011
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:12 PM on April 15, 2011
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posted by Pater Aletheias at 11:19 AM on April 14, 2011 [1 favorite]