β Scribed by Monique Polak
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
Starred Review Growing up in a secular Jewish home in Holland, Anneke cares little about Judaism, so she has no faith to lose when, in 1943, her family is deported to Theresienstadt, the Nazi concentration camp. At 14, she suffers backbreaking labor and foul, unsanitary conditions along with more than 40,000 prisoners, who are all crowded into a town built for 7,000. Always there is the terror of being sent on the dreaded transports to the gas chambers. Based on the experiences of the authorβs mother, who survived two years in Theresienstadt but did not speak about it for more than 60 years, this novel is narrated in Annekeβs first-person, present-tense voice. The details are unforgettable: Annekeβs irritation with her pesky little brother; her friendship and romance with young people who are sent, later on, to the death camps; the hunger that drives her and her grandfather to eat the enamel in their cups; her shame and anger. The questions raised in the authorβs note will lead readers back to the parallel, heartbreaking issues in the fictional story. Why did the authorβs mother keep silent for so long? Was she ashamed that she survived because her father, a famous artist, helped the Nazis by prettying up the model camp for a Red Cross inspection? And why did the Red Cross fall for it? An important addition to the Holocaust curriculum. Grades 7-12. --Hazel Rochman
"Takes the reader to the heart of the horror by creating a character whose vivid confusion, disbelief, and innocence are immediate and powerful." (The Rover 20090401)
"Intriguing and quite unique...The reader will undoubtedly find much to think about. I would recommend What World is Left to anyone interested in this often-overlooked piece of history." (What If? Magazine 20090101)
no details (Jewish Book World 20090731)
"[This] realistic novel, written in memoir format, raises questions of moral principles and beliefs while it portrays the horrors of the Holocaust." (School Library Journal 20080926)
"The descriptive narrative is cohesive, well-constructed, and compelling and provides a different view of what a man deemed necessary to survive. (Tri State Young Adult Book Review Committee 20090201)
"Polak's story breathes life into a period fading from memory." (Montreal Review of Books 20081024)
"A very personal, thought-provoking and, ultimately, hopeful book." (The Jewish Independant 20081101)
no details (Manitoba Middle Years Association 20081109)
"Through Anneke's eyes, author Monique Polak presents an astonishing and depressing event." (CM Magazine 20081106)
[Starred review] "Heartbreaking. An important addition to the Holocaust curriculum." (Booklist 20081013)
"A powerful story of growing up in unspeakable conditions, of human suffering, loss and, ultimately, hope." (The Chronicle Herald 20090106)
"The underlying truth of what happened and how her family survived is really what makes this utterly compelling fiction I am so grateful to [Monique and other authors like her] who tackle these really difficult stories and write unflinching books for teenagers." (Nikki Tate "All Points West," CBC Radio One 20081201)
"[Offers] a candid look at a father's presumed collusion, a perspective rarely seen in YA literature about the Holocaust." (Publishers Weekly 20090101)
"The pressure and urgency of inspiration, not to mention tears and blood, is palpable everywhere." (The Montreal Gazette 20090101)
"This book certainly holds its own in the canon of Holocaust-based fiction for the young adult audience...Polak balances this [dark reality] with uplifting moments of friendship, family tenderness and even romance." (Resource Links 20090501)
"An excellent novelβa great tale of overcoming adversity in a time of such dark despair." (TeensReadToo.com 20090301)
"Recommended." (Tucson Unified School District 20090401)
"This well-written, painful story is a good addition to the genre of Holocaust fiction Recommended." (Library Media Connection 20090401)
"This book is well-written, the characters are developed so well you can relate to them, the setting is described such that you can picture it in your mind, and the action and suspense make you keep turning the pages." (YALSA YA Galley Teen Review 20090317)
"Full of hope...This volume makes for great reading and an excellent resource for a school library." (Canadian Children's Book News )
"Well written, thought provoking, and a solid addition to the canon of Holocaust fiction - perfect for reading lists and teens who enjoy historical fiction." (VOYA )
no details (Southwestern Ohio Young Adult Materials Review Group )
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