cklassen 's review for:

Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz

3.0

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Yanek Gruener grew up in a loving, Jewish family in Warsaw, Poland. Unfortunately, his secure childhood was interrupted by the Nazi’s and World War II, and his father ignored the signs of the impending doom. The family lived in terror as the Nazi’s imposed strict rules, enclosed neighborhoods to create a ghetto, and ultimately sent the Jewish community to death and concentration camps. As Yanek’s family slowly disappeared, Yanek was also caught in the Nazi’s net and sent to the Plaszow Concentration Camp. The camp was full of hunger, cruelty, and death. Yanek did connect with one of his uncles who helped him learn how to survive in the camp, and how to avoid the demonic, murderous camp commandant. After barely surviving Plaszow, Yanek toiled his way through nine more concentration camps and several death marches. This book is based on the true, heartbreaking story of Jack Gruener.
A very popular book with my middle school students, and the winner of the Virginia Reader's Choice Book for Middle School.