Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Lauren

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a historical fiction novel told in the perspective of a nine-year-old German boy named Bruno. When Bruno moves from his home in Berlin to somewhere new because of his father's job, there's no one to play with. His sister annoys him, like all siblings do, and he never really sees anyoe his age. To his surprise, when he looks outside his bedroom window, he sees a huge fence, and a small civilization of people in striped pajamas.

Bruno, who loves exploring, ventures out to the fence and meets Shmuel. Shmuel lives on the other side of the fence, and is exactly Bruno's age. They become fast friends. Everyday, Bruno treks over to the fence, bringing a snack with him for his new friend, who always seems to be very thin. Bruno asks questions about life on Shmuel's side of the fence, but even Shmuel doens't completely understand everything. All his says is that the German guards are really horrible and mean. As it turns out, Bruno's father is in charge of it all.

Bruno in his young age never understands who the "Fury" is, or what his family means when they say the people on the other side of the camp aren't human, but he does know that Shmuel is his best friend. When Shmuel's father goes missing, Bruno is determined to help his friend find him.

The story may not be understood in Bruno's eyes because he's so young, but it's meant for an older audience. Through Bruno's perspective, you can learn the innocence of the Jews in the concentration camp he lives near, and fully understand how horrible it really was. This book perfectly depicts the horror of the Holocaust.