Yellow Star

by Jennifer Roy Narrated by Christina Moore

Overview

In 1939 the Nazis invade Lodz, Poland, forcing four-year-old Syvia Perlmutter and 270,000 other Jews into a ghetto surrounded by barbed wire and guarded by armed men. Scared and confused, Syvia and the others have no idea how terrible their lives will soon be. When the Nazis start removing children "to keep them safe," Syvia's father does not believe them. He does everything he can to protect Syvia, even hiding her in a graveyard. For years the family barely survives, until Russian soldiers liberate the ghetto in 1945 and free the remaining 800 survivors. Among the 800 are Syvia and only 11 other children. A Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards honor book, Yellow Star is a novelization in free verse of the true experiences of the author's aunt. It received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, VOYA, and School Library Journal, which proclaimed it a "standout in the genre of Holocaust literature." ". what sets it apart is the lyricism of the narrative, and Syvia's credible childlike voice, maturing with each chapter, as she gains further understanding of the events around her."-Publishers Weekly, starred review

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

In February 1940, four-and-half-year-old Syvia (later Sylvia) Perlmutter, her mother, father and 12-year-old sister, Dora, were among the first of more than 250,000 Jews to be forced into Poland's Lodz Ghetto. When the Russians liberated the ghetto on January 19, 1945, the Perlmutters were among only 800 people left alive; Syvia, "one day shy of ten years old," was one of just 12 children to survive the ordeal. The novel is filled with searing incidents of cruelty and deprivation, love, luck and resilience. But what sets it apart is the lyricism of the narrative, and Syvia's credible childlike voice, maturing with each chapter, as she gains further understanding of the events around her. Roy, who is Syvia's niece, tells her aunt's story in first-person free verse. "February 1940" begins: "I am walking/ into the ghetto./ My sister holds my hand/ so that I don't/ get lost/ or trampled/ by the crowd of people/ wearing yellow stars,/ carrying possessions,/ moving into the ghetto." The rhythms, repetitions and the space around each verse enable readers to take in the experience of an ordinary child caught up in incomprehensible events: "I could be taken away/ on a train,/ .../ and delivered to Germans/ who say that nothing belongs to Jewish people any-/ more./ Not even their own children." Nearly every detail-a pear Syvia bravely plucks from a tree in the ghetto, a rag doll she makes when her family must sell her own beloved doll-underscores the wedded paradox of hope and fear, joy and pain. Ages 10-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-9-In thoughtful, vividly descriptive, almost poetic prose, Roy retells the true story of her Aunt Syvia's experiences in the Lodz Ghetto during the Nazi occupation of Poland. The slightly fictionalized story, re-created from her aunt's taped narrative, is related by Syvia herself as a series of titled vignettes that cover the period from fall, 1939, when she is four years old, until January 1945-each one recounting a particular detail-filled memory in the child's life (a happy-colored yellow star sewn on her favorite orange coat; a hole in the cemetery where she hides overnight with her Papa). The book is divided into five chronological sections-each with a short factual introduction to the period covered. An appended author's note tells what happened to Syvia's family after the war. A time line of World War II, beginning with the German invasion of Poland, is also included. This gripping and very readable narrative, filled with the astute observations of a young child, brings to life the Jewish ghetto experience in a unique and memorable way. This book is a standout in the genre of Holocaust literature.-Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Syvia-the author's aunt-is too young to know what's happening, but she and her family have been evicted from their home and, with the other neighborhood Jews, have been relocated to the Lodz ghetto at the start of WWII. This novel-in-verse tells how Syvia and her family struggled to survive the war and describes their lives in the ghetto, Syvia being one of only 12 children who walked out at the end of the war. Poetry blends fact and fiction in a powerful format that helps make this incomprehensible event in history comprehensible for children. The fictionalized story is given context by brief nonfiction chapter introductions and is personalized by vivid characters who speak to a young-adult audience. Young readers will find this gripping tale that reads like memoir textured with the sounds, smell and sights of children in captivity. By telling this story so credibly and convincingly through the eyes of a child, the terror of the experience is rendered fresh and palpable for even the most jaded child reader. Classroom teachers might want to partner this book with Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed (2003). (Historical fiction. 10+)

School Library Journal - Audio

Gr 5–9—During the Holocaust, Nazi officials established the Lodz Ghetto in Poland, a desolate home to more than 245,000 Jews. Only 877 survived, including just 12 children. This story-in-verse (Amazon Children's Pub., 2008) offers listeners a glimpse of the experiences of Syvia Perlmutter, Roy's aunt, in the Lodz Ghetto from 1939, when she was just four years old, through 1945. Through Syvia's eyes, we learn of the loving family who tried to endure unbelievable deprivations, seeing conditions deteriorate and neighbors disappear daily. Roy recreated these vignettes from her aunt's taped narrative. Tavia Gilbert's narration brings Syvia, her family members, and friends to life. While some pronunciations are questionable (Chelm-EH-no, Ha-VAH), the overall effect is authentic. Though Holocaust study is usually reserved for older students, this personal account serves as a rare foray into the perceptions and impressions of a little girl amidst grave realities. Family love and support somehow overpower the heinous forces which would destroy all in the Ghetto, and Syvia manages to endure by cooperating with her courageous parents. Winner of several literary awards, this is a unique choice for understanding the dark years of Holocaust history, with a glimmer of hope emanating from one little girl who survived.—Robin Levin, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Teacher/Fellow, Ft. Washakie, WY

FEBRUARY 2013 - AudioFile

When the Lodz ghetto was liberated in 1945, only 12 children were among the survivors. The author's aunt, Syvia, was one of them. This harrowing first-person story follows Syvia from the time she is 4 until she is one day shy of her tenth birthday. However, narrator Tavia Gilbert's portrayal doesn't mature with the character. She sounds much the same at the beginning as she does at the end, and her voice quavers a bit too much, bordering on the overly dramatic. The novel is written in free verse, a style that doesn’t lend itself well to audio. The story itself is emotionally gripping, but the audiobook struggles. The author's note, time line, and background information are excellent. M.D. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170471997
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	09/26/2008
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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