“In that moment, I realize the importance of hope, for without hope, there is no life” (John Freund, 1945). This is the underlying theme of Whispers from the Camps. Kacer and McKay have interviewed and collected the stories of child survivors from the Holocaust and collected them in a short reader. This book gives a personal face to the Holocaust. Through a collection of survivor accounts, readers are allowed a glimpse into the life in the ghetto, on transports, arriving at the camps, surviving, and being liberated. Each account is preceded by a photograph of the survivor as a child. One tells his story in poem form, and another tells his through a short script, although most accounts are short stories. Following each account is an update on the survivor, allowing for a personal connection to those who lived through the atrocities. The survivors tell of loss, hardships, and hope. There is no graphic detail; there are simply personal accounts of how these people, as children, survived the most horrible atrocities. For ages 11 and up.
Editor’s note: This book is part of a historical non-fiction series, including Whispers from the Ghetto.
