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Original Essays | December 12, 2009

Alexander McCall Smith: IMG The Courage of Others

0 comments By Alexander McCall Smith

I have recently written a novel about life in England during the Second World War. I felt some concern before I tackled this theme — the War... Continue »
  1. $16.76 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

    La's Orchestra Saves the World

    Alexander McCall Smith

Devil's Arithmetic Pmc 3.99 Promo (Puffin Modern Classics)

by Jane Yolen

Devil's Arithmetic Pmc 3.99 Promo (Puffin Modern Classics) Cover

ISBN13: 9780142404379
ISBN10: 0142404373
Condition: Standard
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Only 3 left in stock at $2.95!

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Hannah dreads going to her family's Passover Seder — she's tired of hearing her relatives talk about the past. But when she opens the front door to symbolically welcome the prophet Elijah, she's transported to a Polish village in the year 1942, where she becomes caught up in the tragedy of the time.

Review:

"Readers will come away with a sense of tragic history that both disturbs and compels." Booklist
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
crowyhead, March 27, 2007 (view all comments by crowyhead)
At first I had trouble getting into this novel, since I'm usually impatient with time-travel-esque storylines. Once I got a couple chapters in, though, I was utterly swept up in the story.

12-year-old Hannah Stern is frustrated with her family's insistence on remembering the Holocaust -- she's embarrassed when her grandfather becomes angry and yells in Yiddish at the mention of Nazis, and she doesn't understand why they must spend so much time "dwelling" on it. This changes when she is transported back in time and takes on the life of Chaya, a Jewish girl who is confined to a death camp.

The strength of this novel is its simplicity. Yolen is a skillful storyteller, and she knows that when it comes to events like the Holocaust, the events and experiences speak for themselves. It feels strange to say that I "enjoyed" this book, but the truth is, Yolen tells the truth so well that it allows you to taste the kernels of bravery and beauty within the bitterness of the events described.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780142404379
Author:
Yolen, Jane
Publisher:
Puffin
Subject:
Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General
Subject:
Jews
Subject:
Historical - Holocaust
Subject:
Holidays & Festivals - Jewish
Subject:
Time travel
Subject:
Children s All Ages - Fiction - Historical
Subject:
People & Places - United States - Other
Series:
Puffin Modern Classics
Publication Date:
20050421
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
Children/juvenile
Language:
English
Pages:
176
Dimensions:
7.04x5.12x.49 in. .29 lbs.
Age Level:
09-12
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