The Boy on the Wooden Box is a poignant memoir of Leon Leyson, one of Oskar Schindler's 6,000 Jews. Leyson shares his story of growing up as the youngest of 5 siblings in rural Poland, their move to Krakow and ultimately how that move to Krakow saved his life. After years of being silent about his childhood, he shares his story, painting a picture for readers to to envision his fear, courage and will to survive. While The Boy on the Wooden Box was written for children ages 9 -14, it can be enjoyed by older students and adults as it shares the unique first person experience of a boy that was forced from his home to a ghetto, separated from his family and sent to a concentration camp. Living through what no child should ever experience. His father managed to secure a spot on Schindler's list for the surviving family members. When Leyson was told his name had been crossed off the list he explains, "No words can express the absolute terror I felt. Having been given a little ray of hope, the loss of it was worse than not having had it all all. I knew I wouldn't survive the next month in Plaszow, let alone the next year. I was starving. I lived in constant fear."
As a 2013 Cybils Award winner and a 2014 ALA Notable Children's Books award winner, They Boy on the Wooden Box could be clusters with other nonfiction books on World War II and the Holocaust. Additionally other narrative nonfiction and historical fiction books that would pair well with this book include; The War that Save my Life, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and the Diary of Anne Frank. The Boy on the Wooden Box, along with the others listed could all lead to a classroom extension discussion on discrimination then and now. Students can also discuss what they think led Schindler in The Boy on the Wooden Box as well as other characters/persons in the other stories led their own silent and most often secretive revolution against the Nazi's. Are there other times in US history that battles against discrimination were fought?
Leyson, L. (2013). The boy on the wooden box. New York, NY: Atheneum.
Jennifer, this is a great post! I think you've picked a book that covers a topic that lots of teens are interested in reading about. We get requests for books on the Holocaust all the time at my library. I like that this is a narrative fiction title told in first person. I agree that this type of set up helps readers really live in the moment as best they can with the characters in the book. I think you've also set up some really good extension activities. I like how it leads to other battles of discrimination--you've really left the door open to learning and exploring so much history. I think talking about discrimination and the negative impacts of history can also help raise critical and empathetic readers who can better learn from history's mistakes. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great book to do a post about. You did a great job on your summary and the books that you suggest that are like it. It gave me chills to read your summary, but it is so important to have these books and have young readers read them because it is something that really makes you think. I still cry when I reach the end of Anne Frank's Diary because every time I wish for something different even though I know the outcome. This was such an emotional book to do a post about and I think you navigated it very well. Your questions to bring up to students are thought-provoking and appropriate. Well done!
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