Across the Fence

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne 
reviewed by Andrea 

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a story about Bruno, a nine year old boy who lives in Berlin in 1944. He does not know about the changes that are about to come. All he knows is that his family is being uprooted from their comfortable home and moved to a place in the middle of nowhere where there is nobody to play with, intimidating soldiers, and mysterious buildings in the forest. He meets another boy who lives in those buildings and wears the striped pajamas. They meet and talk each day on opposite sides of their fences.

This book is very good for kids around 10-11 years old, as Bruno's naive childishness realistically leaves out the harsh facts of WWII. This is good for kids who aren't ready for Eva's Story. Bruno is friendly towards Shmuel, the boy in the striped pajamas and vice versa, so it is very powerful, that despite their circumstances, friendship overcomes the odds. This is very much a favorite of mine. The sense of dread and hope for the characters will take your breathe away.

Librarian's Note: What do the other reviewers say? Most of them agree with Andrea in their praise of the book. (idreambooks.com gathers professional reviews along with some written by highly regarded, vetted book bloggers.)