Tapestry of Hope

August 1, 2003
Gr 6 Up-This wide-ranging collection includes powerful survivor statements, poetry, plays, and excerpts from novels as well as from nonfiction works, all published within the last five years. The pieces are thematically organized into nine sections, ranging from experiences of hiding, being exiled, selection in the camps, resistance, children hiding their identity or finding out more about their family after parents have been taken away, as well as a telling look at modern young people's reactions to the Holocaust. Much of the material reflects the reactions to and horror under the Nazi regime, going beyond Poland and Germany to include stories from Lithuania, England, Canada, Romania, Holland, and other countries. This title will give readers a further understanding of this unspeakable time in history, and will perhaps prompt them to read the excerpted writings in their entirety.-Leslie Barban, Richland County Public Library, Columbia, SC

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2003
Gr. 6-12. The editors of this fine anthology are Holocaust survivors whose own books, excerpted here, draw on their childhood experiences: Boraks-Nemetz escaped from the Warsaw Ghetto; Watts was sent to England on the " Kindertransport." They have also collected memoir, drama, story, poetry, and selections from novels by many other writers, who address everything from hiding and family secrets to life in the ghetto and in the camps. Introducing each section are the stark recollections by survivors, which are as moving as the longer literary entries. Of course, there are accounts of resistance and sacrifice and miraculous reunion; but, despite the word " hope" in the title, this is no upbeat collection; it can't be hopeful if it tells the truth about the genocide, which it does. With a useful time line and annotated bibliography of youth and adult books, this is an excellent basic resource for the Holocaust curriculum now being widely taught in junior highs and high schools across the country.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)