The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

I had already read the book and watched the film, but was very happy to re-read it as it is fantastically written. I think this book is a great way for children to understand more about the Holocaust. Writing from a child's view on the outside of the Concentration Camp offers a different perspective on life in Nazi Germany. Throughout the book Bruno is trying to make sense of the world around him, and particularly the strange goings-on in 'Out-With'. The jealousy that he feels because Schmuel has friends to play with in the camp shows the loneliness he is experiencing. His friendship with Schmuel shows how natural it is for humans to get along, and how crazy the Nazi anti-semetic policies were.

This is a book I would recommend to anyone.

Johnny Worthington (Grove Primary School)