A review by jodiswildgarden
Rose Blanche by Roberto Gallaz

5.0

This is an appropriately sad book about World War II from a young German girls perspective. I read it with the book, The Harmonica, about a Jewish boy imprisoned in a concentration camp. War and Human Rights atrocities are difficult subjects to tackle, but I have found that children are more concerned and more ready to talk about these difficult subjects than adults realize. I would use these as read a loud books for children in 4th through 6th grade who are studying World War II or who might be talking about current events in Ukraine or Gaza. They would offer additional perspectives to children reading The Diary of Ann Frank or The Summer of My German Soldier, in the concise format of a picture book but with the emotional and historical context of a more mature child. As a National Park Ranger, I gave tours to all ages at a civil rights national historic site for many years. Children are aware of and concerned about human rights and social justice issues much earlier than I think many parents expect. I think this pairing of stories help show the different perspectives of children caught up in atrocities they had no role in creating but are deeply impacted by.