From the book jacket:
The story of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is very difficult to describe. Usually we give some clues about the book on the jacket, but in this case we think that would spoil the reading of the book. We think it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about. If you do start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy called Bruno. (Though this isn’t a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence. Fences like this exist all over the world. We hope you never have to encounter such a fence.
I read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas based on the review recently written by Sassymonkey. At just over 200 pages, the book is a slim novel but packed a powerful punch. What might not be apparent to most young kids who read this for the first time (it is a YA novel) most adults will quickly realize that Bruno’s story revolves around his families involvement with Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. I don’t really want to say anymore, since I do believe that The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is best read without any preconceived notions. I will say thought that this book should be on many middle and high school reading lists, since it would be a wonderful tool for a teacher who wants to introduce her class to the difficult and heartbreaking subject of the Holocaust.
Apparently this book has been made into a movie by Miramax, although I can’t seem to find a release date for it anywhere on the internet. You can read more about the author, John Boyne, and his other novels at his official site here.
By the way, I picked up The Boy in the Striped Pajamas from my local library. I figured it probably makes good financial sense to jump on the bandwagon and start borrowing books instead of buying them. Thanks to Carl V. for reminding all of us to use our public library!
