08/10/2015
Toward the end of WWII, nine-year-old Adam accompanies his mother from the ghetto in which they live to the edge of the forest, where she leaves him, saying, “Don’t be afraid. You know our forest very well.” There, he meets his classmate Thomas, also left by his mother, and suggests they wait together. Days turn into weeks and months, and seasons change; the boys build a nest in a tree, forage for fruit, and have philosophical conversations about their parents, animals, dreams (“Was it a clear dream, or a mixed-up one?”), fitting in with others, and God. Mina, another classmate living with a peasant family, leaves them food, but they can’t thank her because “She’s living a hidden life now.” Each chapter begins with Dumas’s (The Story of Edward) spidery ink drawings, washed with pale blues and greens, which suggest a liminal state of being. Based on Appelfeld’s (The Conversion) own childhood, this simple yet profound tale conveys the astonishing power of thoughtful friendship to inspire generosity, compassion, and courage enough to withstand unthinkable horrors. Ages 8–12. (Oct.)

"Deeply moving and powerful: unforgettable." —Kirkus Reviews

"A fine addition to elementary and middle school libraries looking for tender friendship and survival stories set during the second World War." —School Library Journal

"Adam and Thomas is at once a finely wrought fable and a realistic tale of survival—a tale of resourcefulness, of friendship, of the kindness of strangers, of the mysterious ways of fate.  It’s a book that shows us how sheer will and hope can sustain life in the direst of circumstances.  It’s a book that teaches us to marvel at simple miracles: a piece of bread, a sip of milk, the sight of a familiar dog.  Most of all it’s a story of generosity, one that suggests that the act of giving may be as necessary to our survival as food or drink.  Thank you, Mr. Appelfeld, for the gift of this magical book." —Julie Orringer, author of The Invisible Bridge

"Aharon Appelfeld is a living legend, an artistic giant who has distilled his personal experience of absolute evil into a pure and powerful art." —Dara Horn, author of The World to Come and A Guide for the Perplexed

“A real masterpiece ... The best book of the year.” —Lire

"The story is one of quiet perseverance and growing friendship between two very different boys experiencing the world together in a horrific time and place." —Booklist

“Aharon Appelfield’s first book for children has the beauty of a classic tale, the woods/forest referring to the origins of the species and man. The adventure is enthralling, the words simple, the drawings by Philippe Dumans deeply touching. The questions, immense." —Telerama Enfants

“All the talent of Aharon Appelfeld is here in his way of tackling, in a calm and fragile voice, the great themes of our existence—what is love?, what is hate?, what is courage?—without our wishing for a second to close the book. Whether one is a child or not.” —Le Soir

“Aharon Appelfield chose to use his personal experience as inspiration (as a child he escaped from a concentration camp and survived a few months in a forest, after his mother was assassinated by the Nazis) without treating that experience in an overly dramatic way, and instead tells a tale in a simple and accessible style. A touching and captivating tale that will be appreciated by young readers and adults.” —Lecture

“A mind-blowing novel.” —L’independent

“A deeply moving tale that the delicate drawings by Philippe Dumas powerfully illustrate.” —La revue des livres pour enfants

07/01/2015
Gr 4–6—Originally published in France, this story is about two Jewish boys who have been left in the woods near their home by their mothers who must return to the ghetto. The boys survive by eating berries, foraging for food, and milking cows for fresh milk. Readers get a sense of the larger context of World War II through some minor characters, who make appearances as runaways or fugitives. There are several allusions to spiritual beliefs, but they are not overt. Dialogue is lyrical and a bit dreamlike, and the characters are sympathetic. The sentence structure and vocabulary are simplistic. Dumas's illustrations add to the dreamlike quality of the text. VERDICT An fine addition to elementary and middle school libraries looking for tender friendship and survival stories set during the second World War.—Melissa Etheridge, Siegel Middle School, TN

★ 2015-07-15
Two Jewish boys are caught up in the horrors of Nazi persecution. The story opens when 9-year-olds Adam and Thomas are each brought to a deep forest and left there with meager supplies. The boys find each other and soon realize that they will be in hiding for a very long time. Practical, resourceful Adam is very familiar with the forest, and quiet, studious Thomas learns to respect him and follow his lead. In order to survive hunger and cold and to avoid capture, they establish a hideaway in a tall tree and forage for food and water. From their aerie they witness Nazis chasing and shooting at other fugitives, and the boys give help when they can. There are a few miracles. Adam's dog, Miro, finds them bearing a note from his mother. Mina, a schoolmate now in hiding on a farm, bravely brings them food, as does Sergei, a peasant who becomes another helper. Throughout these harrowing ordeals, the children speak and act as adults, comparing philosophies and religion, encouraging each other, trying to comprehend the incomprehensible. With this story, Appelfeld recounts a version of his own history in descriptive detail, conveying suffering and lasting damage without self-pity. The fablelike tale ends without concluding; it is obvious that there is more uncertainty, fear, and hope to come. Finished, full-color illustrations not seen. Deeply moving and powerful: unforgettable. (Historical fiction. 10-18)