Book Review - Jars of Hope: How One Woman Helped Save 2,500 Children During the Holocaust

About the Book
Amid the horrors of World War II, Irena Sendler was an unlikely and unsung hero. While many people lived in fear of the Nazis, Irena defied them, even though it could have meant her life. She kept records of the children she helped smuggle away from the Nazis grasp, and when she feared her work might be discovered, she buried her lists in jars, hoping to someday recover them and reunite children with their parents. This gripping true story of a woman who took it upon herself to help save 2,500 children from the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust is not only inspirational; it's unforgettable.



My Take on the Book
If you were Polish and lived in Poland in 1940 would you have helped the Jews who were being persecuted by the Nazis? Would you have put your life on the line to save the children of Jewish parents who probably would have been killed like many of their parents were?

Jennifer Roy has written a nonfiction story for children about Irena Sendler. Irena chose not to sit by and allow the Nazis to kill Jewish children. She and some friends began to smuggle the children out of the ghetto and homes. They rescued 2500 children.

The excellent story shows the danger to Irena and her friends. It also illustrates how she kept records of the children so they might possibley be reunited with their families. The sad fact is many children had no families left alive, but they were in safe places due to Irena and her friends.

The author's text helps the reader to understand how courageous Irena had to become in the face of the dangers of rescuing children. The illustrator did an excellent job showing the emotions of the people involved.

My belief is that our children need to learn about the brave men and women who risk their lives to help others. Here is one book to use with that goal in mind.


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