The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

I didn't know the story (not having seen the film) but was told that there was a twist at the end. This puts me off books and films as I can't resist trying to predict it, which spoils the story! However, it being on the PoR reading list, I made the effort to persevere and finished it in about a week.

Most effective was the depiction of Bruno's relationship with his father, and the child's-eye view of their conversations. The events of Nazi-era Germany happening in the periphery meant that the reader was given enough clues to place the context of the story without explaining characters' motives to the point that Bruno could understand them. The ending was hard-hitting, certainly for a book that I might use in school, but as mentioned before I was thinking about the ending throughout which perhaps spoiled its impact.

Unfortunately I couldn't help but dislike the character of Bruno and found it impossible to sympathise with him. Since the story was told from his point of view it made the whole experience a bit of a chore. I would have liked to find out more about the maid and the butler/doctor but seeing them through the filter of Bruno's naivety and innocence made that unlikely at best.

Reading the book with a class might make me see it in a different light, and there isn't anything about it that would stop me from using it in Year 6. I found the story behind the book intriguing, and the epilogue concerning Bruno's father was powerful.

Ben
Henbury Court Primary