Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

I like the fact that John Boyne did not shy away from the brutality of the subject matter through Bruno's fate at the end of the story. It makes you appreciate the power of the author as Boyne makes the reader care so much about Bruno and by seeing events in relation to a character we are close to, we are then able to comprehend the suffering of others. In this respect, stories based on real life events like this are vital as they help the reader to understand what happened in a way that can't be achieved with impersonal facts. (Or is Boyne criticising what society will tolerate as long as the victims are anonymous?)

I haven't studied this book with children but can see that, in contrast to the naivety of the two boys, the motivations of the other characters offers a lot of potential for exploration.

Kay Spratt
Haymoor Middle School