Evaluating and Evaluating and Suggesting Suggesting

Holocaust Books for Holocaust Books for ChildrenChildren

NJLA Youth Services ForumNJLA Youth Services ForumOctober 15, 2009October 15, 2009

Presented byKathe Pinchuck, Chair

Sydney Taylor Book Award CommitteeAssociation of Jewish Libraries

www.SydneyTaylorBookAward.org

PhilosophyPhilosophy

PhilosophyPhilosophyTo expand readers’ horizon

To educate and inform

To inspire further pursuit of the subject

To draw from history and see present day parallels

To put events in context

NOT

To scare, to preach or to isolate

For me, the most important lesson about the For me, the most important lesson about the Holocaust is this: The issues that led and Holocaust is this: The issues that led and continue to lead to genocide—racism, bullying, continue to lead to genocide—racism, bullying, stereotyping, intellectual superiority, and stereotyping, intellectual superiority, and arrogance—are lessons that we can find in our arrogance—are lessons that we can find in our own history, in our own past and present. As the own history, in our own past and present. As the saying goes, all history is contemporary history. saying goes, all history is contemporary history. And unless we learn the lessons, they will be in And unless we learn the lessons, they will be in our future, too. We must continue to fight and our future, too. We must continue to fight and confront these issues—and give young people the confront these issues—and give young people the courage and resources to do so. The second courage and resources to do so. The second lesson is this: the Third Reich lasted 12 years. It lesson is this: the Third Reich lasted 12 years. It took only 12 years for our world to be changed in took only 12 years for our world to be changed in such a cataclysmic way.such a cataclysmic way.

----Susan Campbell Bartoletti----Susan Campbell Bartoletti

“It’s okay, Grandpa, “ I said. “It won’t be a secret anymore. I’ll always remember.”

Evaluation StrategiesEvaluation Strategies

Criteria for non-fiction – “Books of Criteria for non-fiction – “Books of information:”information:”

AccurateAccurate

EngagingEngaging

Well-written - clear, dynamic proseWell-written - clear, dynamic prose

Visuals – clear pictures, diagrams, mapsVisuals – clear pictures, diagrams, maps

Evaluation StrategiesEvaluation Strategies

Criteria for non-fiction – “Books of information:”Criteria for non-fiction – “Books of information:”

Authority of authorAuthority of author

Help of content specialist or expert adviceHelp of content specialist or expert advice

Organized in a logical sequenceOrganized in a logical sequence

Includes table of contents, index, glossaryIncludes table of contents, index, glossary

Documentation – sources of informationDocumentation – sources of information

Evaluation StrategiesEvaluation Strategies

Criteria for fiction:Criteria for fiction: PlotPlot

ConflictConflictPlot developmentPlot development

CharacterizationCharacterizationTypesTypesCharacter developmentCharacter developmentAuthentic VoiceAuthentic Voice

Evaluation StrategiesEvaluation Strategies

Criteria for fiction:Criteria for fiction: Point of ViewPoint of View Setting: integral to historical Setting: integral to historical

novels; often novels; often functions to clarify functions to clarify the conflict in the story.the conflict in the story.

Style/Literary DevicesStyle/Literary Devices ThemeTheme

Evaluation StrategiesEvaluation Strategies

Holocaust booksHolocaust books

Make young readers think about Make young readers think about their own livestheir own lives

Evaluation StrategiesEvaluation Strategies

Holocaust booksHolocaust books

Make young readers think about their Make young readers think about their own livesown lives

Connect history with other accounts of Connect history with other accounts of what racism can dowhat racism can do

Don’t exploit the violence or Don’t exploit the violence or sensationalizesensationalize

Don’t sentimentalize terrible situationsDon’t sentimentalize terrible situations Tell the truthTell the truth

Facts of atrocity and Facts of atrocity and genocide are hardly genocide are hardly

appropriate for small kids. appropriate for small kids. It is easier for authors to It is easier for authors to tell young children about tell young children about those who escaped – the those who escaped – the

survivors and the rescuers.survivors and the rescuers.

““What’s the point of desensitizing What’s the point of desensitizing them or frightening them with them or frightening them with depictions of bodies being depictions of bodies being plowed into mass graves. plowed into mass graves. They’re still children, for God’s They’re still children, for God’s sake!”sake!”

- Esme Raji Codell- Esme Raji Codell

Azrieli FoundationAzrieli FoundationHolocaust Survivors Holocaust Survivors

MemoirsMemoirs

http://www.azrielifoundation.org/mhttp://www.azrielifoundation.org/memoirs/emoirs/

K- 4 CurriculumK- 4 CurriculumCaring Makes a DifferenceCaring Makes a Difference

Grades K-1 : People are different and those differences make each of us special.

Grades 2-3 : Each person is strengthened and enriched by the differences they find and accept in others.

Grade 4 : It is important that people learn to work together and to respect each other so that we can avoid causing each other pain and suffering.

But inside their hearts are just But inside their hearts are just like yours, whoever they are, like yours, whoever they are,

wherever they are, all over the wherever they are, all over the world.world.

The Only One ClubThe Only One Club by Jane Naliboff by Jane Naliboff

I’m really glad everyone’s the only one of something.

Pass on kindness to others

Caring words fill buckets right up.

Some strength was important, some intelligence as well.

Do what you do, talk how you talk.There’s nothing wrong with being different.Individuality is a gift,So be proud and walk with it.

““Everyone Everyone appreciatappreciates a kind es a kind act no act no matter matter how bad how bad it smells.”it smells.”

The Golden RuleThe Golden Rule by Ilene by Ilene CooperCooper

The Golden RuleThe Golden Rule by Ilene by Ilene CooperCooper

Christianity says: You should love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Judaism says: What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow humans.

Islam says: Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.

Hinduism says: This is the sum of duty: to do nothing to others which would cause them pain.

Buddhism says: Do not do to others what would hurt you.

Shawnee Tribe says: Do not kill or injure your neighbor, for it is not he or she that you injure; you injure yourself.

Who today still speaks of the annihilation of the Armenians? - Adolph Hitler

Curriculum UnitsCurriculum Units

Prejudice and DiscriminationPrejudice and Discrimination

The World Changes: Rise of Nazism The World Changes: Rise of Nazism

Life in the Ghettos and Camps Life in the Ghettos and Camps

Hiding, Escape and Rescue Hiding, Escape and Rescue

ResistanceResistance

Survival, Liberation and Legacy Survival, Liberation and Legacy

Anne FrankAnne Frank

Janusz KorczakJanusz Korczak

Janusz KorczakJanusz Korczak

We all are brothers and sisters, children of the same earth. We have been preceded by generations that shared a common destiny for good and evil—one long common path. We get light from the same sun and our crops are destroyed by the same hail. The same earth covers the bones of our forefathers. We have known more sorrow than joy, more tears than laughter, and neither you nor we bear the blame for this. Let us all work together, let us educate ourselves together.

“They wanted to get rid of

people Who they thought

Polluted the gene pool.

This is called eugenics, Or ‘racial hygiene.’

Non-Jewish experiences Non-Jewish experiences during World War IIduring World War II

NICHOLAS WINTON

4 Important Lessons: One person can make a difference.

Doing good for others is a powerful way of showing thanks.

Winton’s story must be told to young Americans.

Winton deserves to be honored.

Lessons of the Holocaust Lessons of the Holocaust Learned by Eva Mozes Learned by Eva Mozes

Kor:Kor:1.1. Let us remove all hatred and prejudice Let us remove all hatred and prejudice

from our world – and let it begin with from our world – and let it begin with me.me.

2.2. Judge people on action and character.Judge people on action and character.

3.3. Never, ever give up.Never, ever give up.

4.4. Forgive your worst enemy – it will heal Forgive your worst enemy – it will heal your soul and set you free.your soul and set you free.

5.5. Give your parents an extra hug and kiss Give your parents an extra hug and kiss for us children who had no parents.for us children who had no parents.

If all this suffering does not help us to broaden our horizon, to attain a greater humanity by shedding all trifling and irrelevant issues, then it will all have been for nothing.

-- Etty Hillesum (died November 30, 1943 in

Auschwitz)