I liked this book a lot. I think it captured a child's perspective well and was emotionally engaging. Definitely a good read for a younger reader.

This is a fairly high 3 stars. It's a very short "novel" (I listened to it on audio-3 discs) about a naive Jewish boy who's parents sent him away to a catholic orphanage in hopes that he wouldn't get caught and sent to a camp, or even know what Hitler and the Nazi's were. This boy constantly tells unrealistic stories to himself to keep himself happy and ignorant about the world, and to make other people feel better about their situation, or to try and improve their life.

For moments, I kind of hated the book, because this boys ridiculous stories at times seemed to be some attempt at a form of humor, when in reality horrible things were happening. Eventually the balance slips, and you know this little boy knows what's really going on and keeps telling himself lies only as a coping mechanism, and it no longer seems like it's supposed to be funny, it's just increasingly sad. By the end of the novel, this point is very effectively made. There were moments of cliche writing that bothered me, but overall, a thought provoking piece.

When I first started this book I was concerned. The story begins with a young man sharing many "insights" that are historically inaccurate and I worry that my middle school students would believe the insights. Let me say my concerns were quickly allayed. The story dismantles the mistruths in a logical way that shows how many young people would have been very confused, and upset, by the reality of that time.

Highly recommend this book.

A quick read and quite captivating...the repetition and storytelling strategy really works very well. It was pretty heartbreaking at times but that was something that made it connect with me so strongly...

Brilliant book but obviously quite upsetting, if you liked 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' the is definitely a recommended read.

I love this book to bits. I find it so sad that he doesn't know what's going in around him but still a great book that I couldn't get my hands off

Is a Holocaust novel ever an enjoyable read? No, and I actually avoided reading this for a while despite the praise for it because I didn't feel up to reading about it from a child's point of view. However, I picked it up one day and read it in one sitting. It's difficult to write a Holocaust novel that isn't affecting - in fact, I don't know that it's possible, since merely describing the events is horrifying in and of itself - but this one was affecting in a very specific way because of it's narrator's perspective, and that made it unique in both it's hopefulness and its absolute desolation.

Felix is a child, a small child who was sheltered from the realities of his situation for years. So when he escapes from the orphanage, he views the things he sees with naive eyes, assuming the best of people and seeing his task as difficult but within his ability to accomplish. And even as his eyes are opened, even as the horror because undeniable, he is able to help the children around him hold on to hope and life through the his ability to tell stories. Stories keep him alive, and they keep the other children alive. Even at the end, at the grimmest, darkest hour, stories are the small white light - even in the saddest possible way.

This was a difficult, painful book, potent and sucker-punch brief. I don't know if I'm glad I read it, but I do know I picked up the sequel at the library today because at this point, I can't look away. There's a power in that, the same power that Felix wields in this book.