Moishe Moskowitz struggled with fitting in as a Jew in Kielce, Poland. This was even before the Nazis invaded. Then when they came in 1939, there were more rules and regulations and finally work camps that were then concentration camps. Moishe is separated from his family as the wolves draw closer to take away everything he holds dear. I have read many Holocaust survival stories, but this one is in verse. Each scene a short poem that conveys the different emotions and pains Moishe experienced during this time. The story that brings the title of warm bread does not come until the end, but it reminds us that even in the darkest places, there is hope. Somewhere there are people that care. This short story is worth reading even if you have read several Holocaust stories.
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William lived with his parents and six sisters in the village of Wimbe located in Malawi. His family struggled with famine and poor crops. William's father could not afford to send him to school. But William had a dream. A dream that started by picking up a library book and realizing he could use the wind for power. His experiments with wind were not without problem, but finally he was able to build a windmill that could power a light bulb. I love a great true story, and this is one of them. The Young Adult version that I read was easy to read and told a compelling story of a boy who overcomes odds to help his family and his village. I love William's humor and his scientific mind. He never lets anything keep him down and is willing to try new things until he finds a solution. I highly recommend William's TED Talks to learn more about his story along with the movie, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, to learn more about his story. Granted I watched the movie first, and I was a little disappointed that more about his sister (or actually six sisters) was not in the book. However, the book adds a lot to your understanding of how he was able to develop the windmill. Ernest Shackleton was not the first to reach the South Pole. That honor goes to Roald Amundsen in 1911. However, he and 27 other men would be the first to explore Antarctica. Things became dire when the ice freezes around their ship. Somehow these men were able to cross Antarctica, row to another island, and find rescue despite insurmountable odds. This piece of narrative nonfiction will make you cringe and keep saying, "No way!" That these men actually survived is nothing short of a miracle. Word of a warning: If you are an animal lover, there are some sad moments. What I appreciate about narrative nonfiction is that everything happened. You don't have to wonder if this was from history. Mark Twain wrote, "Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't." This book definitely fits that quote. |
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