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backonthealex's review
4.0
It's May 10, 1940 and the Nazis have just invaded Belgium. For 14-year-old Maurice Fajgenbaum and his family - parents Adéle and Max, older siblings Adeline and soccer-loving Henri - that means having to leave Brussels, the only home they had ever known, as quickly as possible, packing only what they could carry and leaving the rest of their possessions for the Nazis to pillage. And simply because they are Jewish.
Luckily, father Max has business contacts in Paris and so the family heads there. Since there were warnings about the Nazi invasion, Max had already bought the train tickets his family would need. But after days on the train, the family is dropped off in a small village. Weeks later, father Max is almost rounded up with other refugees, and the family is quickly on the move again. This time, they find themselves in Pau, at the foothills of the Pyrenees in Vichy, France, the unoccupied so called free zone.
In Pau, life is a little easier for the refugee family and Maurice even begins school again, hoping to fulfill his dream of becoming a lawyer one day, comforting himself with his father's conviction that "the law will make us all equal." But once again, the Nazis begin to round up Jews, sending them to camps in Poland and Germany, and the Fajgenbaum family is on the run.
This time, they make it to port city Lisbon, Portugal, but only long enough to get the papers and passage on a ship that will take them to Jamaica. It is on the ship that they are separated from each other for the first time. Arriving in Jamaica, the Fajgenbaums, along with their fellow passengers, are taken to an internment camp indefinitely. Maurice, still dreaming of becoming a lawyer, finds teachers all over the camp willing to tutor him, including an English teacher who recommends he get permission to go to town to buy a dictionary.
Safe from the Nazis, Maurice continues to study hard, improving his English with the help of his tutor and his new dictionary, graduating high school and going on to college and law school in Canada.
Maurice and His Dictionary is a picture book for older readers told in graphic format, an homage based on the true story of the author's father's experience during the Holocaust. While this book may lack some of the hair-raising details of how Jews were treated by the Nazis and even the French, it is definitely a survival story, and the Fajgenbaum family proved to be very resourceful, especially Max, and they were lucky enough to meet enough kind people to help them escape the Nazis and Europe just in time.
The story is also a homage to Maurice's perseverance. He never wavered in his desire get an education and become a lawyer. And despite all the setbacks Maurice faced, he always followed his father's motto "Solve one problem, then the next, and then the next" which is how he finally finished high school.
The stylized illustrations, in sepia tones giving them a feeling of age, are simple but if you look closely you will discover all kinds of interesting details. The illustrations and the wide white borders around each page provide readers with lots of space to extend the story.
This is such an inspiring story, all the more so because it is a true story. Be sure to read the Author's Note for more information about Maurice, including photographs (there's even one of his dictionary).
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
Luckily, father Max has business contacts in Paris and so the family heads there. Since there were warnings about the Nazi invasion, Max had already bought the train tickets his family would need. But after days on the train, the family is dropped off in a small village. Weeks later, father Max is almost rounded up with other refugees, and the family is quickly on the move again. This time, they find themselves in Pau, at the foothills of the Pyrenees in Vichy, France, the unoccupied so called free zone.
In Pau, life is a little easier for the refugee family and Maurice even begins school again, hoping to fulfill his dream of becoming a lawyer one day, comforting himself with his father's conviction that "the law will make us all equal." But once again, the Nazis begin to round up Jews, sending them to camps in Poland and Germany, and the Fajgenbaum family is on the run.
This time, they make it to port city Lisbon, Portugal, but only long enough to get the papers and passage on a ship that will take them to Jamaica. It is on the ship that they are separated from each other for the first time. Arriving in Jamaica, the Fajgenbaums, along with their fellow passengers, are taken to an internment camp indefinitely. Maurice, still dreaming of becoming a lawyer, finds teachers all over the camp willing to tutor him, including an English teacher who recommends he get permission to go to town to buy a dictionary.
Safe from the Nazis, Maurice continues to study hard, improving his English with the help of his tutor and his new dictionary, graduating high school and going on to college and law school in Canada.
Maurice and His Dictionary is a picture book for older readers told in graphic format, an homage based on the true story of the author's father's experience during the Holocaust. While this book may lack some of the hair-raising details of how Jews were treated by the Nazis and even the French, it is definitely a survival story, and the Fajgenbaum family proved to be very resourceful, especially Max, and they were lucky enough to meet enough kind people to help them escape the Nazis and Europe just in time.
The story is also a homage to Maurice's perseverance. He never wavered in his desire get an education and become a lawyer. And despite all the setbacks Maurice faced, he always followed his father's motto "Solve one problem, then the next, and then the next" which is how he finally finished high school.
The stylized illustrations, in sepia tones giving them a feeling of age, are simple but if you look closely you will discover all kinds of interesting details. The illustrations and the wide white borders around each page provide readers with lots of space to extend the story.
This is such an inspiring story, all the more so because it is a true story. Be sure to read the Author's Note for more information about Maurice, including photographs (there's even one of his dictionary).
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
kimsbookmoon's review
5.0
A great graphic novel for kids!! Graphics were nice, colors too. I liked how it was told.
A wonderful story about a Jewish family in 1940, and the struggles they had to stay safe. Maurice was very resilient and wanted to continue his education.
Elementary children will be able to read this.
A wonderful story about a Jewish family in 1940, and the struggles they had to stay safe. Maurice was very resilient and wanted to continue his education.
Elementary children will be able to read this.
rainbowbookworm's review
3.0
The formatting of the ARC was very messed up and none of the speech bubbles were filled in so it was hard to tell what was going on.
However, this is a beautifully illustrated story. A paean to the author's father who was Jewish and had to flee from Belgium during World War 2 and ultimately settled in Jamaica. From what I pieced together Maurice moved around a lot and from what I read in other Goodreads review, he wanted to become a lawyer--I did see a letter that denied him admission to a school. I saw the titular dictionary in the Author's note section, but I have no idea why the dictionary is part of the title.
However, this is a beautifully illustrated story. A paean to the author's father who was Jewish and had to flee from Belgium during World War 2 and ultimately settled in Jamaica. From what I pieced together Maurice moved around a lot and from what I read in other Goodreads review, he wanted to become a lawyer--I did see a letter that denied him admission to a school. I saw the titular dictionary in the Author's note section, but I have no idea why the dictionary is part of the title.
oldsimoneaccount's review
5.0
Thank you, Netgalley, for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
This is a wonderful nonfiction graphic novel for children! This is not your typical story about Jewish refugees during the Holocaust/WWII. This story shows you a different kind of refugee, one family who lived because they made it to Camp Gibraltar in Jamaica. To be honest, I had never heard of Camp Gibraltar before, but this book peaked my interest, so I will definitely try to learn more about that. And I think that is what this book is all about ... it shows human fate, but also makes you want to know more.
This is a wonderful nonfiction graphic novel for children! This is not your typical story about Jewish refugees during the Holocaust/WWII. This story shows you a different kind of refugee, one family who lived because they made it to Camp Gibraltar in Jamaica. To be honest, I had never heard of Camp Gibraltar before, but this book peaked my interest, so I will definitely try to learn more about that. And I think that is what this book is all about ... it shows human fate, but also makes you want to know more.
elizabethlk's review
5.0
Maurice and His Dictionary is a short, beautifully done graphic novel about the journey the author's father took out of Nazi-occupied Europe as a Jewish child with his family. The story is incredibly moving, stressing Maurice's love for learning and his love for his family as they try to stay safe in tumultuous times. Children today will be able to learn about some of the impact of the Holocaust while also reading a story that they will be able to connect to the modern struggles of refugees. The art is lovely and toned down in a way that feels respectful to the story, accessible to children, and easy on the eyes of anyone who enjoys comics.
This is a comic book I would happily recommend to all ages.
This is a comic book I would happily recommend to all ages.
plexbrarian's review
4.0
Note: Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.
The story of a young Jewish boy who fled Belgium with his family during WWII in search of refuge.
Maurice's story is one of many who fled Nazi occupation, but that doesn't make his any less remarkable. Told in the form of a graphic novel, this tale woven with expressive illustrations and short, easy to digest speech bubbles expresses the heartbreak of being torn from one's homeland, not having a place to call home, finding the helpers in the midst of crisis, connection to family, and tenacity of the human spirit. A wonderful addition to any middle grade nonfiction collection.
The story of a young Jewish boy who fled Belgium with his family during WWII in search of refuge.
Maurice's story is one of many who fled Nazi occupation, but that doesn't make his any less remarkable. Told in the form of a graphic novel, this tale woven with expressive illustrations and short, easy to digest speech bubbles expresses the heartbreak of being torn from one's homeland, not having a place to call home, finding the helpers in the midst of crisis, connection to family, and tenacity of the human spirit. A wonderful addition to any middle grade nonfiction collection.
peyton_'s review
3.0
The true story about a boy trying to get educated during WWII.
This is a different narrative than most Holocaust books. It follows a family escaping to Jamaica and Maurice’s fight to get educated. I liked that I was different. I don’t find a lot of books about countries outside of Europe taking in refugees.
This is a different narrative than most Holocaust books. It follows a family escaping to Jamaica and Maurice’s fight to get educated. I liked that I was different. I don’t find a lot of books about countries outside of Europe taking in refugees.
briarsreviews's review
5.0
Maurice and his Dictionary is a haunting yet intriguing non-fiction, historical tale.
Maurice's family is fleeing from Belgium during World War 2. This story is their journey about how they escaped and how they settled in Jamaica. Maurice wants to be a lawyer and is working really hard to try to not only do well in school but to make sure his own life is safe.
The tale is tough to read as an adult, but I think it's a good introduction to history for younger readers. If you're teaching about the war, this could be used as an educational source. This is a graphic novel, but I could see this being used for middle schoolers and high schoolers to see a different version of the events from someone else's eyes instead of just their textbooks.
The back of the book has a picture of Maurice's family (the author's Father is Maurice) and has some wonderful pictures and documents to put a face to this story. It's really cool to read and really sad at the same time.
The illustrations and their dull colours give some really interesting effects to the story. This book is not meant to be the happiest book (it's based during war time), so the dull colours in certain pictures really hit home with the tone. It's nice to see colour theory being used in this story, even if it's for sad effects.
Overall, I think this is a very powerful and moving story! If you like non-fiction, historical books or graphic novels, this is a unique read!
Five out of five stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and OwlKids for sending me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
Maurice's family is fleeing from Belgium during World War 2. This story is their journey about how they escaped and how they settled in Jamaica. Maurice wants to be a lawyer and is working really hard to try to not only do well in school but to make sure his own life is safe.
The tale is tough to read as an adult, but I think it's a good introduction to history for younger readers. If you're teaching about the war, this could be used as an educational source. This is a graphic novel, but I could see this being used for middle schoolers and high schoolers to see a different version of the events from someone else's eyes instead of just their textbooks.
The back of the book has a picture of Maurice's family (the author's Father is Maurice) and has some wonderful pictures and documents to put a face to this story. It's really cool to read and really sad at the same time.
The illustrations and their dull colours give some really interesting effects to the story. This book is not meant to be the happiest book (it's based during war time), so the dull colours in certain pictures really hit home with the tone. It's nice to see colour theory being used in this story, even if it's for sad effects.
Overall, I think this is a very powerful and moving story! If you like non-fiction, historical books or graphic novels, this is a unique read!
Five out of five stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and OwlKids for sending me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
aklibrarychick's review
4.0
Top notch true story graphic novel. The art is great, and I am always a sucker for a holocaust story with a happy ending. Because, face it, most stories did not. A testament to the power of words, education and teachers, even in tumultuous times.
musicalknitter's review
5.0
I loved this book written about survival for Jews during WWII. It’s written in a positive way and from a different perspective which is wonderful!! The illustrations in this graphic novel picture book fit the text so well. What an inspiring story. Thank you for giving it to us!