‘The Wrong Boy’ by Suzy Zail

“Being kissed by Karl Jager was devastating. And beautiful. War makes you do crazy things.”

Set amid the gruesome horror of the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, World War II, The Wrong Boy tells the story of a forbidden and secret love between a young Jewish girl, Hanna, and the German son of a Nazi commander, Karl.

Hanna Mendel is a very talented teenage pianist from Budapest, Hungary who dreamed of becoming a famous concert pianist. Being a Jew, she had been living in a ghetto until her family was rounded up and sent to the concentration camp. Her father was separated from them upon arrival, which caused her mother to become mentally ill. Her mother was later also taken away. Hanna’s sister became sick, refusing to eat the food. An opportunity arises for Hanna when she has the chance to play the piano for the camp commander. She jumps at the opportunity.

Whilst Hanna is playing for the commander, she meets his son, Karl. Initially she doesn’t like Karl however over time she realises he is not the person she initially thought he was. They develop feelings for each other against all odds.

I really enjoyed this book because it felt real. This story could have really happened and I felt sympathetic to the characters’ situations. The book was accurate in its historical accounts of World War II and living conditions in the concentration camps. Young adults of my age haven’t really read many books that are set in this era so it was educational as well as an entertaining read.

I would recommend this book to anybody young or old who enjoys a love story or story of times of war. It was an easy read and moved along at an easy pace.

Tasmin C., Year 9

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The Wrong Boy by Suzy Zail is a story about a teenage girl named Hanna who lived in a poor town with her older sister Erika and their parents. During World War II the Nazis decided to displace all Budapest Jews from their homes and send them to another place called Auschwitz.

When Hanna, Erika and their mother were collected from their home, their father is also separated from them. A short while after, Hanna’s mother begins to go mentally insane and is taken away from Hannah and Erika, leaving both the girls to slowly starve to death, until Hanna receives an opportunity to become the commander’s pianist, which then helps to keep Hanna and Erika alive, as food is given to Hanna. As Erika is becoming more ill everyday, Hanna becomes more and more desperate to achieve her goal. When Hanna gets chosen to become the commander’s pianist she begins to gain extra food for her sister and herself until she begins to notice the commander’s son Karl.

Karl is a handsome boy who is completely unaware of anything around him including Hanna’s existence. Hanna is disgusted at Karl as she begins to think to herself that Karl is a lazy, good for nothing young boy who doesn’t care about the Jews his father is killing. Karl starts to notice Hanna as he sits and draws while Hannah plays the piano. As Hanna spends more time in the commander’s house she begins to notice more things, not only about the house but about Karl too. Before Hanna realises, she has fallen in love with the wrong boy.

I would recommend this book to young teenagers as it is a love story with historical events in it and would it relates to a younger audience.

I would rate this book a 4/5 stars as it is filled with detail and depth which is shown through the characters, story line and setting of the novel. This novel will leave you wanting to know more and more as you keep on reading, making it an exciting story.

Tahlia, Year 9

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“Being kissed by Karl Jager was devastating. And beautiful. War makes you do crazy things.”

Hanna, a 15 year old talented pianist, lived in a small middle class ghetto with her mother, father and older sister, Erika. All of the Budapest Jews are collected and sent away to Auschwitz, separating Hanna, Erika and their mother from their father. The Nazis begin to strip the Jews of everything, causing their mother to go mentally ill to the state where they had to take her away from her daughters. With Hanna’s older sister, Erika, slowly starving to death, Hanna gets given the opportunity to audition to become the commander’s pianist to score some extra food to keep her sister alive. Hanna is more than desperate to be chosen, with her sister becoming more and more sick every day and the loss of both of her parents.

When she finally gets picked to play piano for the commander, Hannah is ordered to arrive at his headquarters to sit and wait quietly until he feels like listening to music. It was more than she expected, not in a good way either. She began to get extra food for herself and her sister secretly, and all seemed to finally become slightly bearable until Hanna begins to notice the commander’s son, Karl, living with his father. Karl is a handsome young boy who seems to be completely disinterested in Hanna’s existence and all of his surroundings. Hanna then develops a burning hatred for the boy who just sits there and does nothing. He does nothing to help, nothing to help the people that his father is killing. Karl just sketches on his expensive note pad with an expensive pen as he listens to Hanna cautiously playing on the piano.

The more time that Hanna spends in that house, the more things she notices. More secret things. Is Karl just more than just a pretty face? Is he more than what she thinks he is? Before Hanna knows it, she had fallen in love. Fallen in love with the wrong boy.

I recommend this book to teenagers aged 12+ since the moral and the wording of this story would be hard to understand and to relate to with a younger audience.

I’d rate the book a 4 out of 5 stars. It is a brilliantly worded piece. It has a lot of detail in the characters and the theme/setting of the book. It’s definitely one to draw you in and make you come back for more.

By Isabella N. Year 9

Category: Historical fiction, Love stories, Realistic fiction, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

November 20

‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne

Meet Bruno, a young nine-year-old boy from Berlin. His father is a very important individual of ‘The Fury’ (Adolf Hitler). When the family moves closer to their father’s job, Bruno’s life takes a huge twist forcing Bruno to find new friends. The main characters in the book are Bruno and Schmuel. Bruno is the son of a Fury commander who is moving from Berlin closer to the concentration camps. Schmuel is the young Jewish boy who has been placed in the concentration camp with his father. When these two boys meet by the dividing fence their friendship takes off putting both their lives in great danger. The story follows the two boys as they become unlikely friends and try to help each other through tough situations life throws at them.

I really enjoyed this book, “The Boy In The Striped Pajamas” because it gives the reader a good understanding of what life was like in World War II and also has a beautiful storyline with an interesting view on life in that era. I was engaged throughout the book with clever use of dialogue and a great verbal description of the events taking place. The book was full of twists and turns and the ending was the perfect eye opener to what times were like through war. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a beautiful book and is mature enough to understand the history behind the novel. This book is honestly a fantastic book and is one of the best books I have ever read.

Tate B, Year 9

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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a story with the unlikeliest friendships between Bruno and Shmuel. Written by John Boyne and published in 2006, this is a top selling book.

Bruno, only nine years old ,is a boy living in Berlin when his family has to move closer to their father’s job. Bruno’s life changes in a blink of a an eye and takes a twist when he meets up with another young boy by the name of Schmuel dressed in striped pyjamas and they are divided by a fence. These two boys, Bruno and Schmuel, are the main characters. Bruno’s dad was a Nazi commander and he moved closer to the concentration camps, where Schmuel was living with his father. When Bruno and Schmuel became friends this put both of their lives in serious danger. The novel is about difficult situations these boys face and then overcome each other’s challenges.

This book is great because you have an understanding what it was like in World War II. Boy in the striped pyjamas has a good storyline throughout which I really enjoyed. It would be really enjoyable to read for all ages, the young and old. I was engaged with the thrill and adventure. Also the use of words the writer put in was very catching, with some parts boring and others parts with a lot of twist and turns. This book made me read to the end and I really enjoyed every page. I would recommend this book to those 12 years old and older as it has a more serious side. This book was great to read. I had a lot of fun reading it and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I would rate this 3 out of 5 stars.

By Josh, Year 9

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Would you change your view on a person just because of the colour of their skin or their beliefs?

The novel ‘The Boy in Striped Pyjamas” by John Boyne kicks off in the mist of WWII and begins with a 9 year old German boy named Bruno who comes home to find his maid packing his things because his family is moving from their luxurious house to a ‘smaller’ one. Bruno’s father’s job is very demanding as he is a commandant in ‘the Fury’s’ ranks.

Having grown up in the war, Bruno has been brainwashed into thinking that Germany is the master race and that they can do anything without consequence. While exploring the new house, Bruno discovers a large barbed fence and find huts of people in striped pyjamas. What he doesn’t know is that this is a concentration camp for the Jews that the Fury has taken as prisoners.

Along the way Bruno meets many interesting characters such as Shmuel, a little Jewish boy that he met while exploring along the fence. Shmuel is bruised and very skinny and Bruno is clueless and doesn’t know what he goes through on the other side of the fence.

This novel was an interesting read and showed there is no limit to how cruel humans can be. I recommend this novel for young adults and up from the ages of 14 to 40 as this novel is very mature and is not for the young. This book is for those who enjoy fable or history novels, as it may not be true but focuses on a real event in history and teaches a true lesson about racial discrimination. This novel was an interesting read but it wasn’t the greatest as it takes a long time to get interesting. The ending was very sad and left a large impact and changed my perspective on mankind. I’d rate this novel ‘The Boy in Striped Pyjamas’ 2 out of 5 stars.

Harry, Year 9

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“No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them.” Elie Wiesel, a holocaust survivor

The boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a 2006 novel by John Boyne. It is a gripping and touching fable based on a very sad fictional event that we know now as the Holocaust. It is viewed through the eyes of a young boy named Bruno, the son of a Nazi commandant who has formed a very odd friendship with Shmuel, a Jewish boy captured by Nazi soldiers. By focusing on Bruno’s innocent and confused idea of his Father’s job it gives a whole new perspective on how the everyday Germans experienced this event. The tragic but exciting journey that they partake provides resourceful insights on the consequences of WW2.

Bruno, a ten-year-old German boy ,lives in a five-storey house with his mother, father and his older sister, Gretel. His father’s job is “very important” which requires their family to leave the life they have in Berlin. Not long after, they manage to find themselves at a place called “Out With”. Here Bruno finds a very dull looking house with soldiers patrolling everywhere and nothing for him to do. However, from Bruno’s bedroom window he manages to spot, what seems to look like a town, where everyone is wearing blue and white striped pyjamas. Soon after Bruno’s discovery his curiosity and boredom got the best of him, so he decided to go investigate this “town”. He followed the wired fence, which surrounded the area where the people lived. To Bruno’s excitement he saw a figure in the distance that turned out to be a Jewish boy named Shmuel. These two boys manage to form an unbreakable friendship that unfortunately ends in tragedy.

I quite enjoyed reading this book as I like reading novels relating to real life events but this story isn’t suitable for everyone. The story has very serious themes and will require some maturity to fully understand the devastation of war. In saying this, I would recommend the book to anyone aged 13 and above who enjoys reading fictional novels. I believe this age group will have the maturity required to fully understand and appreciate the story. The novel, “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” is a gripping and touching fable. I felt that it did have a very slow beginning and quite a sad ending. Therefore, I would rate these book 3 out of 5 stars.

Kye, Year 9

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Irish writer John Boyne’s fourth novel, ‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,’ is a fictional and touching story about an odd friendship between two boys in awful circumstances and a reminder of man’s capacity for inhumanity. Bruno is a nine-year-old boy growing up in Berlin during World War II. He and his family move from their comfortable home in Berlin to a house in a deserted area where there is nothing to do. When Bruno gets to their new home he is immediately homesick after leaving his school, his three best friends, his house, and his grandparents. His new home is smaller, full of soldiers and there is no one to play with, however, from his bedroom window he notices a town of people dressed in striped pajamas separated from him by a wire fence. He spots a dot in the distance and as he gets closer, he sees it’s a boy. Thrilled by the possibility of a friend, Bruno introduces himself and the boy also introduces himself. He is a Jewish boy named Shmuel who lives a strange but similar life on the other side of the connecting wire fence who, like the other people there, wears a uniform of striped pajamas. Bruno’s friendship with Shmuel grows stronger over time and they become very close. Almost every day, they meet at the same spot and talk. Eventually, for a variety of reasons, Bruno decides to climb under the fence and explore Shmuel’s world.

The storyline is very intriguing and dramatic, which makes the novel more interesting to read. Although the main character is only 9 years old, I recommend this book to older teens and adults who are interested in dramatic novels. This book is truly a great read. I’d rate the book, ‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas’ 5 out of 5 stars as the storyline is intense and intriguing.

Grace, Year 9

Category: Historical fiction, Realistic fiction, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

November 4

‘The Wrong Boy’ by Suzy Zail

“Being kissed by Karl Jager was devastating. And beautiful. War makes you do crazy things.”

The Wrong Boy by Suzy Zail was set in 1944 in a concentration camp in Poland. The main character, Hanna Mendel, is a 16 year old pianist sent to concentration camp and is forced to leave everything she loves behind, including her piano and home. She is a naïve girl and doesn’t quite understand what is going on at the camp, but she cannot pass up an opportunity of becoming the commander’s pianist. When she wins the auditions she is over the moon. She uses her privileges to help her sister Erica stay alive but at times it just wasn’t enough. When Hanna realizes that she has feelings for the Commander’s son Karl, she is left in awe as he reciprocates his feelings but they are star-crossed lovers destined not to be together.

I enjoyed this book as the descriptive language makes the scenes easily play out in my head. Suzy related the book to modern issues of young people with love and heartbreak, as they are not able to be together. This book was a tearjerker at times and I found myself in awe in the end.

I’d recommend this story to girls 12-16 who enjoy a romance and drama story, I found myself really stuck into this book after reading the first few chapters.

I give The Wrong Boy by Suzy Zail 4 out of 5 stars as the storyline was good but the ending was a little weak.

Gemma T, Year 9

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Meet Hannah Mendel. a 15 year old Jewish pianist. Little did she know in just eight days she would be swept off across the country and be playing for the Camp Commander and his son Karl. If you are interested in thrilling World War II and young love books, this is the book for you!

This story starts in Hungary, in the street where Hanna, her mother, father and sister all live now turned into a ghetto. The action then moves to a camp in Poland – Auschwitz.

The main character is Hanna. The book follows her life throughout a terrible three months. The secondary characters are Hanna’s family, the Camp Commander Captain Jager and his son Karl.

I believe that I enjoyed the book so much because it is unpredictable and quite a different book to what I would read. It is a great book, however I wish to know more about what happens after the ending.

I recommend this book to teens and young adults between the ages of 13-20 who are interested in World War II, music and young love/romance. This novel is an easy and great book to read.

Kira N. Year 9

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‘Being kissed by Karl Jagger was devastating. And beautiful. War makes you do dangerous things.’

Fifteen-year-old Hanna Mendel planned on being a concert pianist like her idol Clara Wieck. She planned on her life being normal. But no life for a Jewish girl in World War II can be normal. Leaving behind her life, her piano, her school and her dreams, Hanna is forced to face the reality of World War II. When she spends her sixteenth birthday in Auschwitz, her street is turned into a ghetto, she’s thrown into wooden barracks with two hundred other prisoners and forced into cattle trucks, where she is taken away.

Now she is just like any other Jew, forced into camps, shaven and given a number. Hanna is sure she’slost everything.

That’s until she meets Karl Jagger, the commandant’s son and fell in love with the wrong boy.

I found this book fascinating and an adorable read, perfect for teenage girls who enjoy the thrill of World War II novels and sweet romance stories. The World War II theme gave the novel, the worn boy, as sense of fear for the characters and fascination towards the reality of their situation. In the romance side of the story, it dealt with forbidden love and left readers wondering what would happen to the characters next. It was all of this that made me fall in love with the novel, therefore I rate ‘The Wrong Boy’ 4 stars out of 5.

Kyoko Y, Year 9.

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‘Being kissed by Karl Jager was devastating and beautiful. War makes you do dangerous things.’

For Hanna Mendel, life was hard, being thrown into a Jewish prison and forced to do things that she doesn’t want to do. In the end, maybe being put here was a good thing as she would find true love but did it turn out the way she imagined?

The book ‘The Wrong Boy’ is about a young girl, Hanna Mendel. Hanna is a very talented player of the piano. Hanna and her family live in a place called ‘The Ghetto’ along with many other Jews. Towards the end of World War ll the Jews in The Ghetto were forced to leave the Ghetto and go to one of the most notorious

German concentration camps in history, Auschwitz. When they got there all the Jews are put through a selection process. Hanna lies about her age so that she can stay with her mother and sister but her father is taken away along with all the other men. Hanna’s mother quickly becomes very mentally ill due to the separation from her husband and being in the camp. She is later taken away and killed. Hanna and her sister are now left to fend for themselves. Erika usually refuses the terrible food that they get and slowly starts to starve to death.

Now the only one left is Hanna, a 15 year old girl, but when an audtion to play piano for the commander pops up, she goes for it as she doesn’t really have anything left to lose. The commander sees the talent that Hanna has and chooses her for the role. Everyday Hanna is escorted by guards to the commanders house, and must stand outside waiting all day incase he wishes to have some music played for him.

Also living in the house is the commander’s son, Karl. Karl is a very good looking young man, about the same age as Hanna but he seems to be blind to what is going on outside his house and in his country. At first Hanna hates Karl just because of who his father is, but the more she goes to the house the more she realizes that Karl is different and not who she first thought he was. She soon falls in love with Karl but is he the wrong boy?

I liked the story so much because it kept me curious and I found myself wanting to read more. The storyline was very interesting and intriguing. I would recommend this book to teens around 15 to 20 as the storyline at times requires maturity to understand what is being told. People who like love stories would also really like this book.

Jack B-M, year 9.

Category: Love stories, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

October 19

‘The boy in the striped pyjamas ‘ by John Boyne

Would you be able to risk your child’s life, if it meant getting ahead in your career? The story of the Boy in the Striped Pajamas is set around 1942, during World War II. A large majority of the book is set at the family’s new house in Auschwitz, Poland, at the Nazi death camp. Bruno, the main character in this novel, is just an ordinary ten year old boy who wants to experience some fun and adventure. Moving away from his hometown in Berlin, his friends and family is a bit overwhelming, however he is able to come to terms with it when he becomes friends with a boy who is on the wrong side of the fence.

The young boy that Bruno befriended, Shmuel, was just one of many people who was treated inhumanely only because he was Jewish. Would you give your life, if it meant helping out a new friend? Ralf, Bruno’s father, who runs the Nazi camp, has got everybody bluffed. They are all under the impression the camp is something it’s not. Will it take something dramatic and awful for him to wake up and realise that what he is doing is wrong, or will it be too late? I personally have a soft spot for sad but real life issues like ‘The Boy in The Striped Pajamas.’ I see this as being the reason why this book, out of very few, was one I was able to read and really enjoy. I would recommend this, for both genders and for any age. A really great read.

Alana, Year 9

‘The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas’ is a story about a 9 year old boy who lives in Germany during the war when the Germans were killing all the Jews. His father is high up in the German army and they move out to the country to live next to the concentration camp. The boy, Bruno, is very innocent and knows nothing about the terrible things that are going on over his back fence. In fact, even his mother does not know what is going on. His father is a horrible man but Bruno does not think so as he knows nothing about what he is doing. He befriends one of the Jewish kids, Schmuel, and they spend a lot of time talking through the fence. Eventually Bruno goes under the fence into the camp in some borrowed striped pyjamas (actually a prison camp uniform) to help Schmuel find his Dad. He has no idea of the terrible place it is in the camp. It goes horribly wrong and Bruno is accidentally gassed with the Jews. It is quite a sad story.

Danielle, Year 9

‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne is a really intriguing, adventurous and sad book, but as I don’t read many books, this has really become a great read. The book is about a little boy named Bruno, who is the main character. He lives with his sister Gretel, his father Rulf, his mother, his maid and his butler. They are settled in their house, but Bruno’s father Rulf has been given a new job. For him to carry out this work, they need to move. What Bruno doesn’t know is what his father actually does for a living, and this is kept secret from Bruno by his family.

When they move to their new house, Bruno makes friends with Shmuel, but the twist is that Shmuel is inside a detention camp, which Bruno’s father runs. Sadly, Bruno doesn’t understand what Shmuel is doing inside the camp. He also doesn’t know what the camp is used for. Bruno gets himself into a lot of mischief, which causes great harm to himself and Shmuel.

The book is full of twists and puts you on the edge of your seat. I recommend this book for both genders. It can be read by people aged 13 and up to truly understand the meaning of this book.

Mae, Year 9

I really enjoyed The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. The lead character is a boy nine-year-old boy called Bruno, who is the son of a very powerful man. The family is forced to move home out of town because of the father’s work.

Bruno loves to explore. One day on his adventures away from home he comes across a fence. This particular fence that Bruno discovered exists all over the world. At this fence Bruno meets a very confused, sad and lonely boy. Because of Bruno’s helping and genuine personality this little boy leads Bruno into a lot of trouble; life-threatening trouble. These kinds of fences everyone hopes to never ever come across.

I would recommend The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas to anyone from the ages 12 and over that have an imaginative mind and like books that are about real day troubles and explain another point of view of how others are struggling and we should be thankful for what we have. Aimie, Year 9

I enjoyed the book ‘Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’. The main character is a nine-year-old boy called Bruno, who is the son of a very respected man. The family is forced to move homes out of town because of the father’s work. Bruno loves exploring. One day exploring away from home he comes across a fence. On the other side of the fence Bruno meets a very lonely, confused and distressed little boy around the same age of Bruno. Because of Bruno’s helping and personality this little boy leads Bruno into a lot of trouble.

I would recommend ‘The Boy in striped pyjamas’ to anyone about 13 and over that like books that are really creative and really sad and the book message is that we have to respect what we have and be grateful. And don’t judge people before you know them. Naythen, Year 9

I really liked reading ‘The boy in the Striped Pyjamas’. It was a book for me filled with secrets and wonder of what is going to happen next. I would rate this book 5 stars out of 5.

This book is based on a little boy called Bruno who one day goes exploring into the backyard where his mother has told him not go to. He goes through the forest and finds a gate and a little boy in the striped pyjamas. Bruno gets to know this little boy, but what happens so bad that it affects the whole family?

This book is great for people from the ages of 13-elderly age. This book is filled with adventure and excitement. It will affect any reader I believe. I loved this book and just the trill of reading it. Bridget, year 9

The Boy In Striped Pyjamas is both enjoyable and emotionally distorted at the same time. The protagonist, Bruno, moved away from his home in Berlin to a small house in the countryside so his father could run a concentration camp for Hitler in the 1930s. At the new residence, Bruno finds a boundary gate to the camp and meets a new friend who he plays with everyday. One day he enters the camp and, along with his friend is taken to the gas chamber.

The boy in striped pyjamas is an extremely emotional book filled with amazing stories of survival, and eventually a devastating truth. The novel is a life-changing story of friendship through gutting mistreatment of the Jewish population. The hardship endured by the boys is truly one that nobody should ever experience in a lifetime.

The book is an amazing story told from the point of view of a young boy who doesn’t know exactly what is happening around him. It is enjoyable for an older more mature audience who understand the seriousness of the holocaust in its entirety. It has a very emotional ending, which sums up the book and leaves no loose ends, but is quite upsetting. I recommend the book very highly as it is well written and reminds the audience to appreciate what we are lucky enough to have, rather than what we do not have.

Oliver, Year 9

Category: Historical fiction, Realistic fiction, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

May 24

‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne

Bruno didn’t want to take the striped pyjamas off. He really like the look of them. When Bruno and his family moved to Poland for his father’s job, they didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. They were just a typical classy family, with no issues and no problems in their lives. Bruno was the youngest of the family and he was always looking for something to do. Gretel was his older sister. They didn’t really get along but whenever Bruno needed to talk, Gretel was always there for him. Mother was a well organized lady and carried herself well but her husband was a very strict man. He had to be because of the job that he had. In the mean time, Bruno looks for things to do, but sometimes there just isn’t anything to do but walk around and throw rocks. The mother and the father are always out. Will Bruno do something he and his family will regret for the rest of their lives?

I liked this book so much because it outlined things that you should be aware of and that you should always know what your family members are doing no matter what. I would recommend this story to older people or mature children because it may contain information and scenes that younger children should need to know. Tayla, Year 8

‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ is a great story to read because it could be based on a true story. It will make us realise what used to happen to people because they believed in something different than we do. ‘The boy in the striped pyjamas’ is a book that I would recommend to readers from the age of about 13. Bruno is the main character in the book. Bruno is a character who doesn’t want to move home until he finds a friend named Shmuel. He is a Jew in the big fence with the striped pyjamas on. Shmuel and Bruno become good friends until something happens and it can’t be replaced, something that will change the lives of Gretel, his mum and dad. ‘The boy in striped pyjamas’ is a great book and I would recommend it to read.
Isabella, Year 8

This is the book that you need to have an imagination for but if not it is a great book to read and any gender could read it and you get attached easily, well I did. The story is mainly set either at Bruno’s house or at the Jewish prisoner of war camp site. I haven’t finished the book yet but I am nearly finished. The beginning really interested me. Bruno and his family have a good relationship with each other, but sometimes Bruno wants some time alone so he goes to his swing and has fun. Later on during the book he goes on an adventure and he sees a big fence. He loves his adventures so he goes back to that big fence every day. I like the book because it has a great setting out for the actual characters and the whole camp and the house and basically everything. – Amy year 8

Bruno is a curious little boy with an active mind. He moves from his beautiful house in Berlin to ‘Out-with’ where there are strange people in striped pyjamas outside his bedroom window. His sister Gretel is regarded as the “hopeless case” and is constantly annoying her little brother. Bruno’s dad is a commandant soldier who is basically the leader of all the soldiers at the camp and his mum is just a housewife. At the start I didn’t know where the book was going but then in the end it was really interesting and sad. The boy in the striped pyjamas is a great book to read. Georgia, Year 8

‘The boy in the striped pyjamas’ is a interesting, exciting and mind blowing experience to see what other cultures are like as it is based on a true story and feels very realistic to read. It is a tear dropping and emotional novel, and is very heart touching. I would highly recommend this book, as stated above. It is a fantastic book for ages around 12 to any higher age. It will keep you entertained and restless as it is one of those books that you don’t know what’s going to happen next. I would like to say once again I definitely recommend this book and I think everyone should read it. By Valentina Year 8

‘The boy in the striped pyjamas’ is a very interesting novel and what makes it more entertaining is that it’s based on true events. The main character Bruno who is about the same age as me, has some experiences that would be very frightening, especially when the war began and he and his family had to move away from the city. It is surprising that even though the war is happening around them Bruno and his sister keep making the most of their childhood. The story has a lot of true facts and makes you want to keep reading. I would definitely recommend this book to all of my friends. Jariah, Year 8

Category: Historical fiction, Realistic fiction, Student Reviews | 1 Comment

May 18

‘POW’ by Martin Booth

The story ‘POW: Prisoners of War’ starts out on a battleship going out to war with a young 15 year old lying about his age so he could go to war. But then the Germans capture them and they become prisoners of war. I like this book so much because of the detail and it just makes you want to read more from the very first page. I would recommend this story for teenage boys from 12-18. Noah, Year 8.

The book ‘Pow: prisoners of war’ begins on a battleship with a young 15 year old boy named Ted Foley. Ted lied about his age so he could go to war and Ted enters the battleship HMS Nomad. The HMS Nomad is sunk in the great naval battle of Jutland. Ted is captured by the Germans and is thrown into a POW camp in Brandenburg. Ted suffers through the freezing winter and watches people die from the weather right it front of him. Any prisoners who tried to escape were killed. Ted is determined to make a run for home, but he needs maps, money and luck. This book tells you about the scary adventures of war which makes you want to keep on reading. I liked this book because it teaches you about the things that happened to very young kids in war. I would recommend this book for boys and girls between 10 -19. Sam, year 8.

Welcome to the HMS Nomad. ‘POW’ is based on a true story of the author’s grandfather. The Author is Martin Booth. The story starts in May 1916 when a boy named Ted Foley, aged 15, sneaked on to a warship. Ted was a recruit from HMS Ganges for training and went to his first ship (which was a new ship) called HMS Nomad. From there he was taken to a P.O.W camp in Brandenburg, which is deep in Germany. After seeing men die from being shot to dying from hunger he still wants to make the home run and he also thinks he has found a way out. I thought this novel was really well written and I recommend it for people aged 10-19. It is an off-your-seat book where the reader is anxious to find out what happens next. Nick, Year 8

Category: Adventure stories, Historical fiction, Realistic fiction, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT