Some events are hard to talk about, and the Holocaust and genocide are amongst those that, as parents and educators, can be challenging to share with young people whom we want to protect from evil in the world. We know that young people must be aware of what has happened, yet in the face of the brutality of events, we can struggle to know how much to share. This is where reading can help. Below I have chosen some books which are recommended to give children an insight into events of the past with sensitivity and to build understanding in an age-appropriate way. On Holocaust Memorial Day on Thursday 27th January, a day which marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, we are encouraged to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust alongside the millions of other people killed under Nazi persecution of other groups and in genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. At Edge Grove we are marking the day with a series of events spread over this week, organised by Miss Piper, including listening to a five-part story by author Tom Palmer, called ‘Them’, appropriate for years 5 to 8. Tom Palmer has worked closely with the National Literacy Trust, The Anne Frank Trust and The Holocaust Exhibition and Learning Centre to create a range of resources to help children and their families mark Holocaust Memorial Day. https://tompalmer.co.uk/holocaust-memorial-day-2022/ The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust states, ‘The Holocaust threatened the fabric of civilisation, and genocide must still be resisted every day. Our world often feels fragile and vulnerable and we cannot be complacent. Even in the UK, prejudice and the language of hatred must be challenged by us all.’ Here are some book recommendations for children to help them understand the events of the past and empathise with those affected: Age 3-8 Benno and the Night of Broken Glass by Meg Wiviott, illustrated by Josee Bisaillon Benno the cat lives in Berlin, sleeps in the basement of an apartment building inhabited by Christian and Jewish families, and wanders his neighbourhood getting scraps (and ear scratches) from the local businesspeople. He is “welcomed by all.” But then men in brown shirts burn books in the streets and smash the windows of Jewish-owned businesses, and Benno’s world is irreparably changed. Age 5-8 The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking through Anne Frank’s Window by Jeff Gottesfeld, illustrated by Peter McCarty Anne’s story is told by a chestnut tree that grows in the courtyard of the factory where Anne and her family are in hiding. The tree observes Anne’s activities and changes through the seasons. But this is also the tree’s tale — one that is touching, surprising, and proof of the importance of bearing witness and sharing stories. Age 6-9 Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust by Loïc Dauvillier, illustrated by Marc Lizano, coloured by Greg Salsedo Through captivating pictures and poetic language, a grandmother tells her granddaughter the story of how her non-Jewish neighbors in Paris kept her hidden after the Nazis sent her parents to a concentration camp. Age 8+ After the War: From Auschwitz to Ambleside by Tom Palmer Summer 1945. The Second World War is finally over and Yossi, Leo and Mordecai are among three hundred children who arrive in the English Lake District. Having survived the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps, they've finally reached a place of safety and peace, where they can hopefully begin to recover. But Yossi is haunted by thoughts of his missing father and disturbed by terrible nightmares. As he waits desperately for news from home, he fears that Mordecai and Leo - the closest thing to family he has left - will move on without him. Will life by the beautiful Lake Windermere be enough to bring hope back into all their lives? Age 10-12 Palacio, R.J. White Bird (graphic novel) Julian is best-known as Auggie Pullman’s classroom bully in the novel ‘Wonder’. White Bird reveals a new side to Julian’s story, as Julian discovers the moving and powerful tale of his grandmother, who was hidden from the Nazis as a young Jewish girl in occupied France during the Second World War. An unforgettable, unputdownable story about strength, courage and the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives. Age 10-13 Prisoner B3087 by Alan Gratz Survive. At any cost. 10 concentration camps. 10 different places where you are starved, tortured, and worked mercilessly. It's something no one could imagine surviving. But it is what Yanek Gruener has to face. As a Jewish boy in 1930s Poland, Yanek is at the mercy of the Nazis who have taken over. Everything he has, and everyone he loves, have been snatched brutally from him. And then Yanek himself is taken prisoner -- his arm tattooed with the words PRISONER B-3087. He is forced from one nightmarish concentration camp to another, as World War II rages all around him. He encounters evil he could have never imagined, but also sees surprising glimpses of hope amid the horror. He just barely escapes death, only to confront it again seconds later. Can Yanek make it through the terror without losing his hope, his will -- and, most of all, his sense of who he really is inside? Based on an astonishing true story. Age 11+ Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl Annelies Marie Frank (12 June 1929 - February 1945) was a German-born diarist and writer. She is one of the most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Her diary, The Diary of a Young Girl, which documents her life in hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II, is one of the world's most widely known books and has been the basis for several plays and films. Other reading lists of books can be found here below (Parents are advised to be mindful of age recommendations): https://www.booktrust.org.uk/booklists/h/holocaust-childrens-books/ https://www.booktrust.org.uk/booklists/h/holocaust-memorial-day/ https://www.theschoolrun.com/best-childrens-books-about-holocaust