This year marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. And while Remembrance Day will look different this year, I hope you take two minutes to pause and remember – and thank – those who fought and those still fighting.
Here are seven books that honour and help us learn more about what happened during the Second World War.
DK Findout! World War II (https://www.dk.com/ca/)
In this DK book, you learn about key highlights of the Second World War, the people and various elements of it, from wartime entertainment, to growing up during the war and living with the enemy. There is also information about animal heroes of the war, battles at sea and women during the war. All the chapters have lots of pictures from war as well as illustrations including maps and wartime memorabilia. There is lots of information, but presented in little pieces so you can learn a lot without feeling like you are reading a textbook.
displacement (Raincoast books, www.raincoast.com)
displacement is a graphic novel by Kiku Hughes that showcases the Japanese-Americans experience of being forced into internment camps during the Second World War. The first time I read about this part of the Second World War was from a book called Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban. displacement begins in present day San Francisco, where we meet Kiku who is displaced to the 1940s where she meets her grandmother Ernestina, who is being forced to relocate to camps. Kiku stays in the past for about a year, watching as people are “denied civic liberties by their own government, but still manage to create a community and commit acts of resistance in order to survive.”
displacement was a a great book. It taught me another aspect of the Second World War. I also loved the illustrations.
Hana's Suitcase (Second Story Press, https://secondstorypress.ca/)
In March 2000, a suitcase arrived at a children's Holocaust centre in Japan. On the outside were the words “Hana Brady, May 16, 1931, and Waisenkind,” which means orphan in Germany. The children wanted to know who is Hana Brady and what happened to her.
Fumiko Ishioka, the centre's curator, was tasked to find the answers.
“In a suspenseful journey, Fumiko searches from clues across Europe and North America. The mystery of the suitcase takes her back through 70 years, to a young Hana and her family, whose happy life in a small Czech town was turned upside down by the invasion of the Nazis.”
Holocaust books are always hard to review. They usually are great stories, but awful stories. I always learn something new (usually on the horrific level) and I am always amazed people can show such forgiveness.
Fumiko finds George Brady, Hana's older brother who immigrated to Canada. George passed away in January 2019 after touring with Fumiko spreading words of tolerance, respect and compassion. Hana was murdered when she was 13.
Hana's Suitcase was written by Karen Levine.
The Life of Anne Frank (A Firefly Book, https://www.fireflybooks.com/)
I was around Anne's age when I first read her diary and her story has remained in my heart all these years. I read everything I can get my hands on about Anne and her time in the Secret Annex.
I learned a few new things in this book including how they family tried to flee to the United States, but their documents were destroyed after the consulate in Rotterdam was bombed. I liked how the information was presented, a few facts placed over a picture important to Anne's life. In addition to learning about Anne, I also learned more about the other people in the Secret Annex and those who risked their lives to protect them.
Each time I read a new Anne Frank book, I learn a little bit more about this young girl's life.
The Lady with the Books, A Story Inspired by the Remarkable Work of Jella Lepman (Kids Can Press, https://www.kidscanpress.com/)
The Lady with the Books by Kathy Stinson is based on the true story of Jella Lepman, a German woman who had to flee her homeland during the Second World War because she was Jewish. After the war ended, she decided children in her homeland needed books to help them heal from the aftermath of war. So Jella wrote to various countries and asked them to send children's books to take on a travelling exhibit, understanding that books give hope and help people learn from each other. It is an absolutely beautiful book and I plan to read it to every child who comes through my house.
The Taste of Rain (Orcabooks, www.orcabook.com)
The Taste of Rain also shows a part of the Second World War I didn't know about. According to author Monique Polak thousands of children in Asia were imprisoned in Japanese internment camps, including the one that is featured in this book called Weihsien Civilian Assembly Center. Among the prisoners were about 140 students from a boarding school in Chefoo and their teachers.
“The teachers came up with an usual plan: to encourage their young charges to follow the Girl Guide Code of Conduct. By doing so, the teachers hoped to raise the children's spirits and to protect them from the harsh reality of imprisonments.”
I didn't realize – although I likely should have – that people on all sides had their own internment camps, and that abuse, neglect and starvation would happen at them as well. I am always shocked and horrified that adults would treat children this way. What I liked about this book, and others like it, is that it also shows that in the dark, there is often light and brave people trying to make the world a better.
Questions I am asked about the Holocaust (PCC Books, https://www.pgcbooks.ca/)
“There are no stupid questions, nor any forbidden ones, but there are some questions that have no answer.”
So begins Heidi Fried's book. The Holocaust survivor lectured at schools and universities, attempting to show students “the past leaves its mark on the present and casts its shadow over the future”. By teaching students about the Holocaust she hoped that the mistakes of the past aren't repeated.
Fried takes the most often asked questions and answers them in this book. Questions such as “Were there kind SS soldiers; How did you deal with your trauma; After everything, do you believe in God; Are you able to Forgive; and Could it happen again.
I read this book from start to finish and appreciated Fried's honesty and knowledge.
Other books:
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and the Boy on Top of the Mountain both by John Boyne
- Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
- Everything by Kathy Kacer: https://booktime584.wordpress.
com/2016/11/09/qa-with- toronto-resident-kathy-kacer- about-stones-on-a-grave/ - Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
- When We Were Shadows by Janet Wees
- The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
- The Brothers of Auschwitz by Malka Alder
Lisa Day is the author of two book blogs, Book Time, where she reviews a variety of books for a variety of readers and offers author Q&As, and followsummer.com
