Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Two Lions (2012), Edition: First Edition, 258 pages
Description
From 1939, when Syvia is four and a half years old, to 1945 when she has just turned ten, a Jewish girl and her family struggle to survive in Poland's Lodz ghetto during the Nazi occupation.
Library's review
This is the true story of the author's Aunt Sylvia as told through extensive interviews by phone, of her childhood under the Nazi occupation of Lodz, Poland beginning in 1939. Sylvia was taken to the Lodz ghetto at age 5 and lived sealed off from the rest of Poland by a ghetto fence topped by
The story is told in poetic prose. It is lyrical and yet extremely readable. I loved this book and I think all children and adults should read it. I will have it in my library at home. - Cookie M.
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barbed wire. She and her family (sister, mother and father) find themselves in very different living quarters. As the months and years go on, there is less food, less clothing and less heat in winter. But this is a family of survivors and about 4 1/2 years later, Sylvia walks out of the liberated ghetto with her family. She was only 1 of 12 children who survived!The story is told in poetic prose. It is lyrical and yet extremely readable. I loved this book and I think all children and adults should read it. I will have it in my library at home. - Cookie M.
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Subjects
Awards
Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (Honor — Fiction & Poetry — 2006)
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Middle Grade — 2009)
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award (Nominee — 2011)
Triple Crown Awards (Classic (Runner-Up/Honor Book) — 2009)
Great Stone Face Book Award (Nominee — 2008)
Sydney Taylor Book Award (Winner — 2007)
Utah Beehive Book Award (Nominee — Children's Fiction — 2008)
National Jewish Book Award (Finalist — Children's Literature — 2006)
Sasquatch Book Award (Nominee — 2010)
William Allen White Children's Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2009)
South Dakota Children's Book Awards (Nominee — 2009)
Iowa Teen Award (Nominee — 2009)
Nēnē Award (Nominee — 2008)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2009)
Rhode Island Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2008)
CCBC Choices (2007)
Notable Children's Book (2007)
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member Whisper1
While I've read many books regarding the holocaust, this one shone above some others. It packed an emotional whallop.
Like so many others who went through hell under the brutal terror of a crazy man named Adolf Hitler, the author's aunt was shy and hesitant to speak of the unspeakable.
Convincing
Told from first-person verse Syvia, later changed her name to Sylvia, was 4 when she and 1/4 of a million Jews were herded like cattle to be enclosed, with no hope of escape, into a cramped section specifically marked for Jews.
Trying desperately to make sense of it all, she learns much of what is happening through snippets of parents conversations. Then, gradually she watches as friends, families are packed into trains. As the years progress, Hitler's plan becomes more evident as increasingly children and older people are marked for extinction.
She and her family survived by luck, intelligence and sheer fear and fortitude. Buried in dirt in a cemetery at night, she was inches away from the boots that could have/would have kicked her and killed her. Hidden in a cellar were eleven other children who miraculously survived.
Interestingly, as Hitler was losing the war and the camp guards became fewer and fewer, overhead in the night time skies were sounds of planes bombing the area. As the group huddled together in an open area, it was the reflection of the mandated yellow stars that shone through, indicating that those in the area were Jews to be rescued.
When Russian pilots rescued the group, there were only 800 people, of which twelve were children. Syvia was one of twelve who were not killed under Hitler's command. Now ten years old, for the first time in years, she had food, safety and a family who could move forward without fear.
Highly recommended.
Like so many others who went through hell under the brutal terror of a crazy man named Adolf Hitler, the author's aunt was shy and hesitant to speak of the unspeakable.
Convincing
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her that her story was unique and needed to be told, through many phone conversations, Jennifer Roy's Aunt Sylvia provided an in-depth account of the daily terror of living in the Polish ghetto of Lodz.Told from first-person verse Syvia, later changed her name to Sylvia, was 4 when she and 1/4 of a million Jews were herded like cattle to be enclosed, with no hope of escape, into a cramped section specifically marked for Jews.
Trying desperately to make sense of it all, she learns much of what is happening through snippets of parents conversations. Then, gradually she watches as friends, families are packed into trains. As the years progress, Hitler's plan becomes more evident as increasingly children and older people are marked for extinction.
She and her family survived by luck, intelligence and sheer fear and fortitude. Buried in dirt in a cemetery at night, she was inches away from the boots that could have/would have kicked her and killed her. Hidden in a cellar were eleven other children who miraculously survived.
Interestingly, as Hitler was losing the war and the camp guards became fewer and fewer, overhead in the night time skies were sounds of planes bombing the area. As the group huddled together in an open area, it was the reflection of the mandated yellow stars that shone through, indicating that those in the area were Jews to be rescued.
When Russian pilots rescued the group, there were only 800 people, of which twelve were children. Syvia was one of twelve who were not killed under Hitler's command. Now ten years old, for the first time in years, she had food, safety and a family who could move forward without fear.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member sensitivemuse
The story is told in first person, which I didn’t mind at all because it’s different especially if it’s from a child’s point of view. It’s purely an innocent view on the Holocaust and it’s definitely an eye opener and very different from other novels told in an adult point of view on
It’s a short novel, and the way it’s written makes the novel even shorter. It’s certainly a very quick read - although you won’t notice considering the heavy subject matter. Our main character, Syvia, encounters some very close calls to being discovered and deported. These moments fill the reader with dread, and also there are moments were they escape thanks to luck. It’s these kinds of opposite feelings which are all throughout the novel - and perhaps this is how Syvia felt while living through this time.
I cannot think of any criticisms for this novel, this is perfect to introduce the subject of the Holocaust to middle school children. I greatly recommend this novel to children and to those interested in reading on this tragic subject. No matter how much you read on it, it’s still shocking to read.
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this subject.It’s a short novel, and the way it’s written makes the novel even shorter. It’s certainly a very quick read - although you won’t notice considering the heavy subject matter. Our main character, Syvia, encounters some very close calls to being discovered and deported. These moments fill the reader with dread, and also there are moments were they escape thanks to luck. It’s these kinds of opposite feelings which are all throughout the novel - and perhaps this is how Syvia felt while living through this time.
I cannot think of any criticisms for this novel, this is perfect to introduce the subject of the Holocaust to middle school children. I greatly recommend this novel to children and to those interested in reading on this tragic subject. No matter how much you read on it, it’s still shocking to read.
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LibraryThing member meggyweg
This book succeeds at the tricky job of exposing the horrors of the Holocaust while staying appropriate for children. Due to the protagonist's youth and naivete, she's not fully aware of what's going on around her, but she and the reader will both sense the danger even if they don't know all that
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much about the children of the Lodz Ghetto. The protagonist's father is the real hero of the story, managing to keep the family together and save his daughter from certain death several times. I really enjoyed this book, and I think kids will too. Show Less
LibraryThing member Zachor
Yellow Star is the story of Jennifer Roy’s aunt, Sylvia (Syvia) Perlmuuter Rozines, who was one of twelve children to survive the Lodz ghetto. The book is written using a free verse form, and recounts Ms. Rozines’ memory from the time she was about five, in 1939, until the ghetto in liberated
The free verse form works well, as it mimics Ms. Rozines’ snippets of memory and her perspective as a frightened child in the ghetto. One can see the quiet heroism of her family and friends and sense the daily struggle to remain hopeful and productive. It captures a child’s perspective eloquently.
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in 1945, when she is almost ten. An author’s note at the end is actually an epilogue, and there is also a time line.The free verse form works well, as it mimics Ms. Rozines’ snippets of memory and her perspective as a frightened child in the ghetto. One can see the quiet heroism of her family and friends and sense the daily struggle to remain hopeful and productive. It captures a child’s perspective eloquently.
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LibraryThing member SandSing7
I understand that the book was supposed to be written from the point of view of a 6 to10 year old girl; however, the child-like prose bothered me, and made the writing seem cliche. I would have much rather heard the story in the third person, from an older Sylvia looking back on events, or in an
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interview/dialogue format. That being said, the end of the story that recounts the deportation of the children, the time in the cellar, and their eventual liberation is facinating. Sylvia's father is a true hero. Show Less
LibraryThing member litelady-ajh
I really liked this book. It's a good book for younger (4th-8th grade) kids without the gruesome details that a lot of Holocaust books have in them. Very poetic writing, a joy to read although the topic is very tragic & sad.
LibraryThing member prkcs
From 1939, when Syvia is four and a half years old, to 1945 when she has just turned ten, a Jewish girl and her family struggle to survive in Poland's Lodz ghetto during the Nazi occupation.
LibraryThing member ewyatt
I was engrossed this very quick read about Syvia and her family during World War II. Based on the experiences of her aunt during the war, Jennifer Roy chose to share her aunt's story through a first person narrative written in verse.
Syvia was four and a half when her family and all the other Jews
Syvia was four and a half when her family and all the other Jews
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in Lodz, Poland were moved to the ghetto. By the time liberation came the quarter million Jewish population of the city numbered at 800, with only 12 surviving children. A powerful story of war and suffering told through a child's eyes. Show Less
LibraryThing member lesser41384
I never thought poetry could be that exciting. It was a story written with poetic devices and is definitely worth reading.
LibraryThing member suri19639
Yellow Star was one of the books in which I felt I was fascinated that such a young child had to go through so much. It made me realize how lucky I was as a infant when I had the luxury of playing with toys and pretty dolls, where as kids around the world at that time were facing so many hardships.
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I didn't read all of the book, but I wish I did, I'm sure Jennifer Roy would have made me want to keep reading. From as much as I've read, I can say a good read. Show Less
LibraryThing member elpowers
Heartbreaking true story of Sylvia, a Jewish girl, during WWII- how she made it through, but most of her family did not.
LibraryThing member TFS93
A wonderful book written from a child's point of view, which makes it perfect for younger children who want to know more. Syvia is four years old and this is her story. The poetic writing made it quick and easy to read. It is Amazing that she was able to stay alive. She was one of only 12 children
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who survived in the Lodz ghetto. Her father was amazing and refused to give up on his famiy or let them be taken. The stories of how she was able to survive will make you appreciate everything you have in life. Show Less
LibraryThing member KimReadingLog
The year is 1939, and Syvia (age 4-1/2) and her family are moved to a part of their city, Lodz, that is surrounded by barbed wire fence. It is the Jewish ghetto, a holding area for Jews – many of which would later be sent to concentration camps. This true account, told by Syvia’s (now Sylvia)
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niece, gives the account of Syvia’s time in the ghetto, and how she survived against all odds (only twelve children came out alive). Told in free form verse from the perspective of a young child, it is a quick read that gives younger readers a good introduction to some of the mistreatment Jews experienced during WWII. It addresses all of the bad things – murder, starvation, loss, sickness, fear, etc. but is done in a “gentle” way. Show Less
LibraryThing member Black821Library
I was asked to review children's stories for my local library, and this was the first provided. Fascinating true story of Polish girl in WW II concentration camps. The story is told in a rambling prose that is a wonderful voice for the child. This is a great book to share with children as a history
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lesson. Show Less
LibraryThing member leithe
4Q
4P
The most well known child voice of the Holocaust is Anne Frank. However, Joy's fictionalized retelling of her Aunt Sylvia's childhood in Poland when the Nazi invade is just as interesting and has a happier ending.
4P
The most well known child voice of the Holocaust is Anne Frank. However, Joy's fictionalized retelling of her Aunt Sylvia's childhood in Poland when the Nazi invade is just as interesting and has a happier ending.
LibraryThing member MaryAnn12
This isn't your typical book about the Holocaust, as it's appropriate for younger children. Written in verse through the perspective of a young girl, it's appropriate for readers of any age. Therefore, it's an excellent tool for introducing this subject to children. I think adult readers will find
I highly recommend this book for book groups or for students. The Holocaust theme is painful for many people, but this book provides an opportunity to brooch the subject with poignancy and empathy rather than with fear.
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it poetic and thoughtful, as well.I highly recommend this book for book groups or for students. The Holocaust theme is painful for many people, but this book provides an opportunity to brooch the subject with poignancy and empathy rather than with fear.
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LibraryThing member Phill242
historical fiction, WWII, told in verse. Centered around 1 of the 12 children found in the Lodz ghetto after the Nazi occupation of Poland.
LibraryThing member poetreegirl
An incredible story of survival told by a young Jewish girl imprisoned in a Polish ghetto during World War II.
LibraryThing member revslick
Viewpoint from a little girl who survived a Polish concentration camp during WWII. Short but powerful!
LibraryThing member bp0128bd
historical fiction, WWII, told in verse. Centered around 1 of the 12 children found in the Lodz ghetto after the Nazi occupation of Poland.
LibraryThing member HeatherSilva
Even though this book is a picture book it would be a great book to introduce the Holocaust. Elementary children love to be read to and even as an adult I enjoyed this book. It raises questions about what the Nazi's were trying to accomplish and how people were feeling during this time. The author
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makes a great point to show how the King wanted to go against the power of the Nazi's. It is a story that I feel can interest all ages of children. Show Less
LibraryThing member Helen.Broecker
This book details the life of Syvia during WWII in Germany. Syvia's family was forced out of the Lodz Ghetto in 1939. In the beginning of the book, Syvia is only four years old, the story describes he life in the camps until she comes to America when she is ten years old. The book is written as if
The book gives students a picture of what life was like during the Holocaust. Students will be able to sympathize with Syvia because they are closer to her age than if a adult was recounting the story.
This book would be appropriate for students in grade 6th through 8th because of violence that would frighten younger students.
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Syvia was telling the story.The book gives students a picture of what life was like during the Holocaust. Students will be able to sympathize with Syvia because they are closer to her age than if a adult was recounting the story.
This book would be appropriate for students in grade 6th through 8th because of violence that would frighten younger students.
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LibraryThing member wearylibrarian
Only twelve children survived the Lodz ghetto at the end of WWII. This is the story of Sylvia, one of those children.
This was an interesting, short read. I would loved it if the book had more details.
This was an interesting, short read. I would loved it if the book had more details.
LibraryThing member engpunk77
A true story narrated in the same format (a narrative broken into small poems) as Karen Hesse's Out of the Dust & Witness. I read it in two hours and it's absolutely perfect for my student population (7th/8th).
It's the kind of story that needs very little, if any, background knowledge of the
It's the kind of story that needs very little, if any, background knowledge of the
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Holocaust/WWII but will leave the reader with a wealth of knowledge. It provides everything you need in the narrative and a few section introductions which are short nonfiction pieces included throughout. The narrator never sees a concentration camp--her whole experience is the five and a half years surviving the ghetto in Lodz, Poland, as a young child, her father cleverly avoiding all of the deportations for her family. This is the best of all of the holocaust books I've read so far that are full-length novel size, written for young audiences. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cartmike
A book everyone should read to understand the inhumanity of man to one another. It's something that should not be forgotten as with the knowledge of WWII and the suffering of the world and how the Allies came together to defeat the Nazis and the Japanese.