The Garden

Author: Carol Matas CAN

Publication: Markham, ON : Scholastic Canada, Inc.

Pub. Date: 1998

ISBN: 05920124900

Pages: 141

Summary: Ruth Mendenberg has survived World War II and the concentration camps, and her perilous journey to a kibbutz in Palestine. There she works in a garden, where she has found beauty and tranquility. But tensions build, and Ruth's garden is trampled by soldiers' boots. Ruth desperately wants peace, but finds herseld forced into violent situations in order to preserve her new life. How far will she go to make a new home?

Major characters: Ruth, Zvi (her boyfriend), Sima (a friend), Simon (Ruth's brother), Aunt Sophie (commander of the Palmach)

Comments: As the sequel to After the War, this book tells the story of a group of young Jews who decide to start a new life in Palestine and the lengths they go to in order to protect it. Set during the time of the partitioning of Palestine and the establishment of Israel, it follows the teenagers as they fight to defend the land they believe is rightfully theirs. The book describes the various factions of the Israeli forces and tries to explain how these people must have felt. Although the author seems to be more sympathetic to the Jews, there are moments during the story when they are shown in a less-than-flattering light, so an attempt is made to show both sides of the conflict.

Genre: Historical fiction

Age level: 10-15

Rating: 4/5

Maus: A Survivor's Tale

Author: Art Spiegelman


Publication: New York: Pantheon Books



Pub. Date: 1997



ISBN: 0679406417



Pages: 295



Summary: Maus is a book within a book. It tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust. Interspersed throughout the book, however, are glimpses into Vladek's relationship with his son.



Major characters: Vladek Spiegelman, Art Spiegelman, Anja Spiegelman





Comments: This is a very powerful book. Not only is it a great first-hand account of the atrocities of the Second World War, but it really examines family relationships. We all have those moments when our parents drive us crazy, but imagine how frustrating and guilty we would feel if our parents had survived the Holocaust and we couldn't stand to be around them. It's a very emotional book. The drawings are simple but effective as the characters are all drawn as animals (the Jews are mice, the animals are cats, etc.) As a Pulitzer Prize winner and a staple on recommended reading lists, this book should not be missed.





Genre: Historical Fiction/Biography/Graphic Novel





Age Level: 15+





Rating: 5/5

Palestine

Author: Joe Sacco

Publication: Seattle, WA: Fantagraphics Books

Pub. Date: 2001

ISBN: 156097432X

Pages: 285

Summary: This graphic novel is part travelogue, part investigative journalism. It tells the story of Sacco's visit to the Occupied Territories of Israel in 1991. His interviews with Palestinians from various towns and refugee camps describe what daily life is like in Palestine.

Major Characters: Joe Sacco

Comments: This is a very emotionally charged book. It is filled with tales of injustices done to the Palestinians and graphic accounts of torture. Naturally, it is heavily biased. No matter which side of the Israeli/Palestinian dispute you support, you'll soon find yourself thinking of the Israelis as monsters. Sacco's black and white drawings are highly detailed and his characters are filled with personality. Although the book is difficult emotionally to read, it is a real eye-opener. It is worth it to read the book just to learn about a segment of society that one rarely hears about in a positive light. Palestine won the American Book Award in 1996. Note: Contains strong language.

Genre: History / Politics

Format: Graphic novel

Age Level: 16+

Rating: 4/5