Monday, June 18, 2012

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

Milkweed Book Cover
Milkweed is the 4th novel I've read by Jerry Spinelli and as usual, Jerry Spinelli's writing and storytelling doesn't disappoint!! I was captivated from the very first page, right through the last page & so will you!

Milkweed is a novel for young adults and it deals with the heavy and sad topic of World War II during the time when the Nazi's occupied Warsaw, Poland. 

The story is told through eyes of a young, orphan boy who is alone and trying to make sense of the world around him during this chaotic time. Milkweed is his journey to survive in the world, to find and belong to a family...

The following is a brief synopsis of Milkweed from Jerry Spinelli's website:
He's a boy called Jew. Gypsy. Stopthief. Runt. Happy. Fast. Filthy son of Abraham.

He's a boy who lives in the streets of Warsaw. Who steals food for himself and the orphans. Who believes in bread and mothers and angels.

He's a boy who wants to be a Nazi someday, with tall, shiny jackboots and a gleaming eagle hat of his own. Until the day that suddenly makes him change his mind.

And when the trains come to empty the Jews from the ghetto of the damned, he's a boy who realizes it's safest of all to be nobody.
Read Milkweed, see where the story leads you and how it all ends.

2 comments:

  1. I loved this book! I can't resist a book that deals with the Holocaust and I love Jerry Spinelli's writing anyway. So I wasn't surprised that his book looked at the Holocaust through a different perspective. Wonderful book.

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    Replies
    1. What other books have you read by Jerry Spinelli? Which of his novels is your favorite?

      In addition to Milkweed, I've read Maniac Magee, Stargirl, and Wringer. I's say Stargirl & Wringer are my favorite Jerry Spinelli books to date.

      I have a copy of Spinelli's novel, Eggs, which will be the next I read of his.

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