The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Reader reviewed by Vicki

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a story about a 9 year old boy whose father is the Commandant to Hitler. A lot of reviewers had a problem with the naivete of the boys, and their lack of understanding of what the Holocaust was. At first I felt that way too, and after I finished the book I had to re-evaluate my thoughts. I think that the innocence of Bruno and Schmuel was a must in order to make this story work. Also look at the target audience, young adult. No story or book about the Holocaust could ever be easy to read or write, so I think you must consider this when reading this book. I also feel that their lack of understanding of what truly was happening shielded them from the horrors of the Holocaust. Of course, the boy in the striped pajamas was actually living in the camp so he saw firsthand what life was like for them. As for Bruno he was just a 9 year old boy trying to find friends to play with after moving to a new neighborhood and home. I enjoyed this book and it left me thinking about the events of the Holocaust

Reader reviewed by Ashley

Bruno lives in Berlin during WWII when suddenly he and his family must pack up everything and go to a house called Out-With. At Out-With, Bruno has no friends, which means he has no one to play with. He begins to dislike Out-With a lot until one day as he's walking along the fence he comes across a boy in stripped pajamas.

To be honest, I was very disappointed with this book. I had heard such great things about it! It was an okay book, but not something I'd eagerly pick back up. You should know that it is kind of sad though.

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.

Reader reviewed by KitKat

Bruno is nine years old. He doesn't understand why his family uproots from Berlin and moves to a place called - well, he is unable to pronounce it, but settles on "Out-With." I think we all know what he means. He also doesn't understand why Father is so important, why he has to salute soldiers all the time, what the red-and-black spider symbol they all wear means, and why Shmuel, his new best friend from across the fence, is so unhappy.

Poor Bruno, only nine years old during the Holocaust and unable to make sense of it all. The book was short, simple, and sweet, and I recommend it for its interesting perspective... but have those tissues ready.

Reader reviewed by Mary

This books is a beautiful books that tells the tale of innocence. Bruno is a young boy who is living during World War II. His father is fighting in the war and is relocated to a new area. Bruno is devastated as he is being separated from his best friends. Once reaching his new home he finds himself lonely and craving the company of other boys. Soon he finds a boy but between them is a wire. They get to know each other through the wire until Bruno's curiosity gets the better of him. He crosses to the other side...


John Boyne portrays Bruno's childlike innocence perfectly. Bruno doesn't know about the reason for the war, the Jews or Hitler. All he knows is that a wire is keeping him away from playing with his friend. The book is a moving story of the Holocaust.