New ebooks From Canadian Indies
Description
★ “Heartbreaking. An important addition to the Holocaust curriculum.”—Booklist, starred review
A pampered child used to having her own way, Anneke Van Raalte lives outside Amsterdam, where her father is a cartoonist for an Amsterdam newspaper. Though Anneke's family is Jewish, her religion means little to her. Anneke's life changes in 1942 when the Nazis invade Holland and she and her family are deported to Theresienstadt, a concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. Not only are conditions in the camp appalling, but the camp is the site of an elaborate hoax: the Nazis are determined to convince the world that Theresienstadt is an idyllic place and that European Jews are thriving under the Nazi regime. Because he is an artist, Anneke's father is compelled to help in the propaganda campaign, and Anneke finds herself torn between her loyalty to her family and her sense of what is right. What World is Left was inspired by the experiences of the author's mother, who was imprisoned in Theresienstadt during World War II.
The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Contributor Notes
Monique Polak is the author of more than thirty books for kids and young adults and the three time winner of the Quebec Writers’ Federation Prize for Children’s and YA Literature. In addition to teaching at Marianopolis College in Montreal, Monique is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in Maclean’s Magazine, the Montreal Gazette and other Postmedia newspapers. She is also a columnist on ICI Radio-Canada’s Plus on est de fous, plus on lit! In 2016, Monique was the CBC/ Quebec Writers’ Federation inaugural writer-in-residence. Monique lives in Montreal.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 12 to 18
- Grade:
- 8 to 12
- Reading age:
- 12 to 18
Awards
- Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
- Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
- , Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award (MYRCA)
- Commended, American Library Association (ALA) Best Books for Young Adults
- Winner, Quebec Writers' Federation (QWF) Literary Awards - Janet Savage Blachford Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature
- Commended, Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth
- Commended, Resource Links, The Year's Best Books
Editorial Review
“Polak writes authentically...An unusual Holocaust novel told through the eyes of a cognizant, questioning teen.”
— Kirkus Reviews
