Recommended Middle Grade Books About the Holocaust
Keeping Jewish history alive for the next generation is central to PJ Our Way’s mission, and many middle-grade readers are developmentally ready to grapple with the stories of the Holocaust.
Keeping Jewish history alive for the next generation is central to PJ Our Way’s mission, and many middle-grade readers are developmentally ready to grapple with the stories of the Holocaust. According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, students in 6th grade and older often demonstrate the ability to empathize with individual stories while also holding them in larger cultural and historical contexts — a skill that is crucial to reading and understanding Holocaust stories.
In accordance with the PJ Our Way mission, we only offer books with Holocaust content if that content is age- and developmentally- appropriate, accurate and authentic, and representative of individual, familial, and communal growth, healing, and resilience.
Each of the following middle-grade books has been offered through the PJ Our Way program; please review their Parent Pages for detailed information about each title, including age recommendations, content warnings, and conversation starters.
A Candle in the Dark by Adele Geras (9+). Germany is Clara’s home, but in 1938 Jews are no longer safe there. Clara and her little brother, Maxi, have to leave everything behind and go to England to start a new life with a family they have never met.
The Bicycle Spy by Yona Zeldis McDonough (9+). Marcel’s big dream is to compete in the prestigious Tour de France, a grueling cycling race. But since the Germans have occupied France, his racing may mean the difference between life and death!
A Faraway Island by Annika Thor (10+). It’s not safe for Jews in Vienna, so Stephie and her little sister, Nellie, have to start a new life on a tiny Swedish island. But Stephie can’t speak the language, Aunt Marta is so strict, and everything smells of fish! How will she ever fit in?
Hidden by Loic Dauvillier (10+). Dounia is now a grandmother. But when she was a little girl in France, she had to hide from the Nazis. This graphic novel tells her story.
Room for One More by Monique Polak (10+). Most new brothers arrive in baby clothes – but Isaac’s fully grown! He’s a refugee with a past that’s full of secrets. Will Rosetta’s insatiable curiosity ruin their growing friendship?
Lily Renee, Escape Artist by Trina Robbins (9+). Meet Lily Renee: war refugee, fashion model, jewelry designer, and the artist behind the glamorous and deadly superheroine Senorita Rio! This graphic novel tells her story.
Saving Hanno by Miriam Halahmy (9+). German-Jewish refugee Rudi can’t wait for his dog, Hanno, to join him in his foster home in England. But with food scarce and the country preparing for war, the animals’ lives are in danger! Can Rudi find a way to save Hanno?
Black Radishes by Susan Lynn Meyer (10+). When the Germans arrive in France, Gustave and his family flee to the countryside, leaving his best friends, Marcel and Jean Paul, back in Nazi-occupied Paris. Can Gustave help his friends? And will the Eagles win the Boy Scout trophy without him?
The Sound of Freedom by Kathy Kacer (10+). It’s 1936 Poland, and Anna’s family needs to find a new home fast. Joining the new orchestra in the Land of Israel is the opportunity of a lifetime. Anna and Baba will do whatever it takes to get Papa to audition!
Broken Strings by Eric Walters & Kathy Kacer (11+). Shirli aced her audition for her school’s production of Fiddler on the Roof, but she can’t believe her eyes when she reads the cast list. Little does she know the surprises have only just begun.
Now by Morris Gleitzman (11+). Zelda’s an eleven-year-old with a pretty unusual name. And it’s not just hers – she inherited it from her grandfather’s best friend. This is their story.
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I need to go check these out.