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I made it through "Brundibar" once, crying.
From the Amazon summary:
Based on a Czech opera that was performed 55 times by children in Terezin, a Nazi concentration camp, Brundibar is an odd, urgent little tale of a brother and sister who are desperately trying to get their hands on some milk for their sick mother. They race to the village center, only to discover that they need money to buy milk. Unfortunately, all the money in town seems to be going to the nefarious hurdy-gurdy man, Brundibar. Enter three talking animals and 300 willing children (bearing balloons stating "WE DON’T MIND SKIPPING SCHOOL"), and things start looking up for little Aninku and Pepicek.
I just couldn't get it out of my head that this was performed by children in a concentration camp -- this strange, wonderful story of children trying so desperately to save their mother. I'll read it again but not for a while and not without more tears. It was too hard to explain to my 4-y.-o.why I was crying.
IGTNT: Our war dead. Their stories. Read "I Got the News Today."
by monkeybiz on Wed May 14, 2008 at 05:21:28 PM PDT
I often wonder who they're written for. I loved The Book Thief, but did not like The Boy in Striped Pajamas at all and wondered why it was published as a kids' book.
-9.0, -8.3. History is more or less bunk.--Henry Ford Henry Ford is more or less bunk.--history
by SensibleShoes on Wed May 14, 2008 at 05:27:23 PM PDT
[ Parent ]
I haven't read that one. I often disagree with books labeled for children or YA...
My survivor's stories are wonderful and they show how the human spirit endured...
some of the people helped others...Sala went to the work camp in her sister's place.
Halinka, too, I think...
so often there is so much love in the stories despite the horror...
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by cfk on Wed May 14, 2008 at 05:31:08 PM PDT
The Boy does not survive, he is gassed in the end as a karmic punishment for his fictional dad who is the fictional ubercrook at a historically inaccurate Auschwitz, despite the fact that the dad isn't the main character. I hesitate to criticize other kids' authors, but. But!
Yes, I thought 1000 years was good and did what you said. That's why they're dicey. It depends on whether the author (in that case an actual survivor) intends to bear witness, or to use gruesome details to sell books and give children nightmares. It's the latter that I consider a real mistake.
by SensibleShoes on Wed May 14, 2008 at 05:38:03 PM PDT
would make me shudder, too.
Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy is fictional, and not for children at all, but I thought it really showed what it was like...
by cfk on Wed May 14, 2008 at 05:48:28 PM PDT
read it when I was ten, it has stayed with me my whole life..
One hot Obamamamma!
by chillindame on Wed May 14, 2008 at 06:51:19 PM PDT
are hard to reread...
Sophie's Choice...I will never need to reread...it is burned into my mind.
by cfk on Wed May 14, 2008 at 05:27:38 PM PDT
wide narrow
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