Introducing Kids to the Holocaust with These 6 Books

The Holocaust is difficult to explain to young children, but it is vital to provide them with a basic understanding of this dark historical period. Fortunately, there are several books available that offer age-appropriate introductions to the Holocaust. Here is a list of 6 Holocaust books for kids that can help you teach your children about this tragic event.

The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs by Chana Stiefel and Illustrated by Susan Gal

This book was marvelous, the text was well-researched, and the illustrations were rich and poignant. Yaffa Eliach was born in Eishyshok, in what was once Poland. Yaffa’s family had lived in that town for over 900 years until the Nazi regime came to power. Forced to flee, Yaffa carried photographs, taken by her grandmother, hidden in her shoe. Long after the war, Yaffa would build a memorial to Holocaust victims at the US Holocaust Museum. The Tower of Life documents this journey. The Tower of Life is an excellent book to gently introduce this history to elementary-age children. Ages 6+.

Hana’s Suitcase: The Quest to Solve a Holocaust Mystery by Karen Levine

A small Holocaust education center in Japan seeking artifacts to teach children about the Holocaust received a suitcase marked “Hana Brady, May 16, 1931.” Curious to discover more about the suitcase owner, the center educator, and her students embark on a quest to discover Hana’s fate. I appreciated how the content is told in alternating chapters with an account of how the curator of a Japanese Holocaust center learns about the suitcase and Hana’s story. Ages 9+. 

The Tattooed Torah: A True Story of the Rescue and Restoration by Marvell Ginsburg and Illustrated by Lemelman Martin

Learn the true story of a small beloved Torah stolen at the beginning of World War II and how it found its way to a new home in Chicago decades later. The Tattooed Torah is a gentle introduction to young children to how the Nazis attempted to destroy Jewish communities. There is no mention of human violence in this book. Ages 5+. 

White Bird by R. J. Palacio 

Winner of the Sydney Taylor Award for outstanding books for children that portray a Jewish experience, White Bird by R. J. Palacio is a powerful graphic novel about a young girl’s experience hiding from the Nazis during World War II. White Bird is a spinoff of Palacio’s bestselling middle-grade novel Wonder (a must-read for all) and provides a backstory of Julian’s grandmother.

White Bird is an excellent introduction to the atrocities of the Holocaust and World War II for children in grades five and above. I recommend reading this book with your child and stopping when necessary to explain concepts and discuss themes in the book, such as bravery and kindness. 

Martin & Anne: The Kindred Spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank  by Nancy Churnin and Illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg

Born the same year and an ocean apart, Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Jr. lived very different lives. Never meeting, both individuals faced prejudice and injustice yet preached kindness and hope. Read this book and learn about the similarities between these two icons. Ages 8+.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Are you looking for an outstanding novel for upper elementary learners or middle school? Check out this powerful fictional account of the Danish resistance against the Nazis. Number the Stars is told from a child’s perspective and is a Newbery award-winning classic. I found this novel to be well-researched and very moving. Ages 9+. 

Why should we teach kids about the Holocaust?

One way to combat this evil is through education. Incorporating inclusiveness and teaching the history of the Holocaust and respect for all into conversations with our children at home and in the classroom will help us raise kind children. These compassionate upstanders will create a better world.

May we know a day when bigotry and prejudice are a thing of the past and peace and justice prevails.

XO, Sheryl

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