World War II

To what extent do people have a responsibility

to respond to the injustice done to another?
Whole Class Read Aloud: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak :
This thrilling novel (narrated by Death) follows the story of a
young orphan, her courageous foster parents and a young
Jewish man they decide to hide in their basement at the
height of Nazi power in Germany.
Zusak, M. (2005). The Book Theif. Knopf.
Reading Difficulty: Moderate
This book provides a German perspective as well as evidence
that not all Germans aided Hitler.
Whole Class Literature Book: Number of the Stars by Lois
Lowry: This novel follows a young Danish girl as her and her
family responds to the Nazi occupation. The story includes
action, suspense and surprise. It describes the bravery and
fear experienced by those who dared to help Jewish friends
to safety.
Lowry, L. (1989). Number the stars. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Reading Difficulty: Easy
This book provides a Scandinavian perspective on the
German occupation as well provides as an example of how
people helped those in need survive and deceive the Gestapo.
Literature Circle Option: Sarahs Key by Tatiana
Rosnay follows the story of a little Jewish French girl as
her family is rounded up during the Vel DHiv roundup.
She locks her little brother in the closet to keep him safe.
Through the parallel narration of an American journalist sixty
years later, the story chronicles Sarahs struggle to return to
herbrother. Rosnay, T. D. (2007). Sarah's Key. New York: St.
Martin's Press.
Reading Difficulty: Hard
This book provides a French perspective on the Holocaust in
addition to a long term look on how the events of WWII
affected those involved.

Intended for Grade Levels

7-8
This text set introduces
students to events and effects
from WWII. Through personal
narratives, the text set helps
students begin to understand
how people reacted to injustice
and hatred, as well as how
people survived such
monstrosities. The books and
resources prepare students to
ask the question, in the face of
personal danger, what extent
do people have a responsibility
to respond to the injustice of
others?
Literature Circle
Option: Prisoner B3087 by Alan Gratz
describes the
incredible journey of Polish
Yanek Gruener as he defies the
odds and survives 10 different
concentration camps. It is a
thrilling narrative of survival,
hope and perseverance against
all odds
Gratz, A. (2013). Prisoner B3087. New York: Scholastic
Press.
Reading Difficulty: Moderate
This book provides a Polish
perspective on the War as well
as an overview of the major
concentration camps. The story
also provides examples of what
it often took to survive in such
awful places.

Literature Circle Option: Between Shades of

Grey by Ruta Sepetys chronicles the story of a young teenage
Lithuanian girl who, along with her mother and
little
brother are rounded up and relocated by the Soviet Union to a
Siberian work camp. This book tells the largely untold story of what
happened when Russia invaded the Baltic states during WWII.
Sepetys, R. (2011). Between Shades of Gray. New York, NY: Speak.
Reading Difficulty: Moderate
The story shows the hatred and oppression from the USSR and
injustice felt by the Baltic people. It shows how people survived such
bare and dehumanizing circumstances and how it was all kept a
secret until the fall of the USSR in 1992.

Literature Circle Option: Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan is a thrilling tale of how the
children of Norway helped save their countrys wealth during its Nazi Occupation. The story is filled
with ingenuity, compassion and stories of courage.
McSwigan, M., & LaBlanc, A. (1958). Snow treasure. New York: Scholastic.
Reading Difficulty: Easy
This story provides a Norwegian perspective as well as how a countrys economy and consequently the
people of the country were affected by the German occupation.
Literature Circle Option: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein is a two part story, first of
which chronicles a young womans captivity by the Gestapo and the second of which describes the
turbulent experience of her best friend caught behind enemy lines.
Wein, E. (2012). Code Name Verity. New York: Hyperion.
Reading Difficulty: Hard
This book will make students question how far they would go to help a friend in need.
Literature Circle Option: The Boy in the
Striped Pajamas by John Boyne chronicles the
story of a young German boy who makes a friend
behind a fence when his Nazi father is stationed outside
of Krakow.
Boyne, J. (2006). The boy in the striped pajamas: A fable.
Oxford: David Fickling Books.
Reading Difficulty: Easy
This story tells about the wars monstrosities from a
childs perspective, and in the end will make students
question when hatred is developed.

Literature Circle Option: The Nazi

Hunters by C. Ashman chronicles the
story of the capture of Adolf Eichmann,
the creator of the Nazis Final Solution.
Ashman, C. R., & Wagman, R. J. (1988). The Nazi
hunters. New York: Pharos Books.
Reading Difficulty: Moderate
This nonfiction narrative describes the
aftershocks of WWII through the lens of one of
the biggest manhunts of all time. The story
provides a unique look into the effects of war.

Literature Circle Option: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl is the real diary of a young girl
from the Netherlands who hid for two years from the Nazi Gestapo and who later died in Bergen-Bergen.
Frank, A. (1993). Anne Frank: The diary of a young girl. New York: Bantam Books.
Reading Difficulty: Moderate
This diary gives a real life account of how some families tried to survive the war by hiding from the roundups.
The story also chronicles the price that those who dared to help paid when they were found out.
Video Segment Option: TED TALK: The Power of
Words is an interesting short film that poses the
question of what effect last words have in the context
of an Auschwitz survivor.
Zander, B. (2008). Lessons from Auschwitz: The
power of our words - Benjamin Zander. Retrieved
from http://ed.ted.com/lessons/lessons-fromauschwitz-the-power-of-our-words-benjamin-zander
This video provides an insight into relationships of
both friendship and family and last words power in a
time of frequent death and separation.

By Gracie Binder 2014

Online Article: The Book Thief and Auschwitz

Shifts from Memorializing to Teaching is an
article that highlights the importance of Young
adult novels that discuss contemporary issues
through the lens of historical events. It argues
that relationships are still being affected by the
ripple effects from WWII.
Gross, S., & Schulten, K. (2013, November 07).
Text to Text | 'The Book Thief' and 'Auschwitz
Shifts From Memorializing to Teaching' Retrieved
from
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/07/
text-to-text-the-book-thief-and-auschwitz-shiftsfrom-memorializing-to-teaching/?_r=0