The best part about this book is that it offers a unique narrative perspective on World War II and the holocaust -- that of a nine-year-old boy whose father is a high-ranking Nazi official. Because of the nine-year-old's naive questions, the reader is left constantly wondering "How folks are possibly gonna explain this one." The point of view drives home the senselessness of the holocaust, while his friendship with a Jewish boy in a concentration camp drives home the "sameness" of those on both sides of the fence. Since many of the questions are not adequately answered, and because those pieces which the boy doesn't understand or doesn't want to remember are eliminated from the narrative entirely, it wouldn't serve as a good introduction for kids/teens to the holocaust, unless the reader could read between the lines well enough to glean information for further research.

I felt the occasional head-hopping interfered with the integrity of the child's point of view, especially since the reader wasn't even given the benefit of the "real" names of things, but only the child's understanding of them. I also got hung up on the central premise -- a friendship "across the fence" of a concentration camp, as I wondered whether the fence would have been unguarded enough, and the soldiers indifferent enough, to allow the friendship to happen and to continue for an entire year. The ending is depressing, but it certainly makes its point.

Overall, it was a worthwhile read, but for me, it didn't live up to the hype. ( )

Story of naive German boy who befriends a jew in concentration camp and their adventure. For ages 10 and up. ( )

A terrible book. It is Poorly written and impossible to believe. It also perpetuates many Holocaust myths. It seems to be written by a young adult, not for them.
Starting with the unbelievable. We are expected to believe a nine year old that grew up in Nazi Germany does not know who Hitler is and can’t pronounce Furher. Also he has never heard of Jews and does not even know what to call himself when he finds out about Jews. And this is not just any boy, this is the son of the Commandant of Auswitch, (but of course they never call it that it like many things is given a cute name because Bruno, the innocent, can’t pronounce it) who has a Nazi tutor that foucuses on history. But even Bruno’s teen sister can’t answer the question, “If they are Jews what are we?” Really? In an SS house with a teacher that only teaches history “German” or “Aryan” never came up? Even at nine Bruno does not recognize the people on the other side of the fence are being mistreated. Yeah, yeah, we get it is for kids, it is symbolic, blh, blah. That is no excuse for the lack of historical accuracy and phony characters.
The myths it perpetuates are worse. It is one thing to be an obvious, predictable, contrived story, but spreading common misconceptions about history is worse. Here is a list of some things.
1. That the Holocaust was some type of big secret. Boyne references Hitler’s Willing Executioners in the interview in the paperback version, but it appears he missed that part of the book. Bruno recalls in great detail his old neighborhood in Berlin but some people must have surely disappeared. He should have seen a Star of David before getting to Auswitch and probably a Star Armband too. German kids did Math problems about removing unwanted people from society, etc. Germany knew, all of Germany knew. It was a convenient Cold War myth, and it makes people sleep better, but the jews were not killed in secret by a few fanatics.
2. Bruno’s father says he has to take the assignment to the death camp or be hurt or punished. Hogwash. Many Germans refused to participate and some were promoted for their strong moral standing. There is not a single documented case of anyone being killed for refusing to hurt Jews.
3. The book spreads the misandry that war and violence are purely male. All of the women in the book are shocked and against the Holocaust, but shuffle sadly, out of the way as the bad evil men do their work. Even Eva Braun is portrayed in a positive way. Poor Eva such a victim! Some of the most brutal camp guards were the SS women, but in the book the children are lead by male soldiers. In the real camps women were in charge of the gassing of children.

Avoid this book. There are much better things to read to find out about. Or teach young people about the Holocaust. Young people can read Eva Brewster’s Progeny of Light. Much better, and true. ( )

Bruno is a little boy in the tradition of little boys: hates his big sister, looks up to his dad, loves exploring and reading adventure stories, all combed hair and shorts. Bruno's father, unlike others in the tradition of little boys, is a Commandant under Hitler. When Bruno and his family are taken away from their lovely home in Berlin to a grim new house, his life is turned upside down. There is no one to talk to and no one to play with, there are unpleasant soldiers hanging around the house at all hours of the day, and right outside Bruno's bedroom window is a huge wire fence, stretching as far as the eye can see. On the other side hundreds of men and boys live in huts, being told what to do by the soldiers, all wearing grey striped pyjamas and little cloth hats. Who are they, and why does no one like to talk about them? Exploring the fence boundaries one day, he comes across a little boy sitting on the other side of the fence, and he and Schmuel strike up a strange but devoted friendship that changes both their lives.

One thing I would say is that although this is marketed as a young adult novel, I certainly wouldn't place it in that category. It is written in a childish style, but the themes and the undercurrents are decidedly adult. Like 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time', much of the heartbreaking sadness of this novel comes from the fact that the reader has a much greater awareness than the main character of what is really happening around him. Bruno calls his home 'Out-With' and Hitler 'The Fury' because he can't pronounce them properly, and he assumes that the salute 'Heil Hitler' means 'Well, goodbye for now, have a pleasant afternoon.' His struggle to understand what the reader already knows is devastating to read, and the inevitable tragedy of the novel is even worse than I had expected. (Not really a spoiler - it was hardly going to be a happy sending, set in Auschwitz, after all...). I was sat in bed at 1.30am sobbing and had to get up to compose myself before I could sleep! I wouldn't recommend it to a child under, say, 14 or 15.

There was a long section of the novel at the beginning where Bruno is a tad irritating in his complete naivety, and Schmuel doesn't actually appear for a long time, but ultimately I thought it was a brilliant book. There may have been inaccuracies, there may be things that just wouldn't have happened, but it was still a brutal reminder of the capacity for human cruelty and the horror of one of the worst atrocities in our history. Bruno's sister's change in attitude from uncomprehending to profoundly anti-Semitic also clearly demonstrated the way children's natural innocence can be so easily corrupted by the views of the adults around them.

Highly recommended... ( )

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne is a story of friendship told through the eyes of Bruno, the nine-year-old son of a concentration camp Commandant. Uprooted from friends and the only home he’s ever known, Bruno hates his new home in “Out-With,” his mispronunciation of Auschwitz, and makes sure everyone knows it. But one day, when he goes out exploring the area around his house, he meets a boy his own age on the other side of the fence where everyone wears striped pyjamas all day. The two quickly become friends, and meet as often as possible at the same time and spot everyday from then on.

One of the things I like about this book is Boyne’s layered subtleties. Bruno, the naive and sheltered innocent, passes along clues of his mother’s infidelity, drinking and depression, as well as the competition that goes on between Gretel, his twelve-turning-thirteen year-old sister, and his mother for the attention of the young Lieutenant Koltor. Bruno witnesses but can’t quite grasp the difference between him and his family and the people on the other side of the fence, asking different people about it with varying degrees of failure to get a satisfactory answer. His father tells him the others aren’t people -not really, not in the way we think of. The Lieutenant calls them a derogatory name that is never passed along in the book. Gretel comes the closest to answering him, failing only because she herself doesn’t understand it, either, telling him that the people on the other side were Jews and they were The Opposite, and The Opposite hate the Jews.

Boyne’s storytelling in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is reminiscent of Scout’s recounting in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, though not as well-done nor is Bruno as developed as a character as Scout was. In Boyne’s attempt to reach as broad an audience as possible, the story is a bit like thin gruel. Everyone can digest it, but it hasn’t got very much flavor. If you are looking for a good book that glimpses the lives of the people during Nazi Germany, I’d recommend The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The writing is magical, the storytelling point-of-view is unique, and the depth of even the tertiary characters are better than Bruno’s.

Click for full review: http://thekoolaidmom.wordpress.com/20... ( )

Absolutely tragic, stunning and simple. This book gives you a view of the tragedy of the holocaust from the perspective of children. ( )

This was a very touching story about the Holocaust told in the perspective of a German boy whose father was the commander in charge of Auschwitz. It is an easy read as it is youth fiction but I loved the way the author kept in the mindset of a nine year old boy. I highly recommend this novel to anyone. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. ( )

Enjoyed the film more than the book. Did not like the simplistic writing style, found the boy irritating and naieve. ( )

Nine-year-old Bruno loves living in his five-story house in Berlin, playing with his three best friends for life, and exploring, and he is devastated when his father’s promotion to commandant means that the family must move to “Out-With, ” where the house has only three stories, and there are no friends to play with. The only thing he has left to do is to explore, and so he goes against his parents wishes and starts exploring. Before long, he meets Schmeul, another 9-year-old boy. Schmeul lives on the other side of a fence that surrounds a large camp filled with people who wear striped pajamas with matching caps all day. Bruno and Schmeul become close friends, meeting every day at the same spot in the fence.

As an adult with the benefit of historical hindsight, you can probably figure out what’s going on here. This novel, which author John Boyne has called a fable, tells a story of the Holocaust through the eyes of a child who lives outside the fence and whose only window into the truth is another child. It’s an interesting exercise that was, for me, at times perplexing and at times moving. Now that I’ve finished the audiobook, I can’t quite make up my mind about it.

I loved the idea of looking at the Holocaust through the eyes of a German child. Bruno is a complete innocent. He doesn’t know what’s going on, and on the few occasions that he gets any whisper of actual information, he has no way of processing it. Who really could, unless they are forced to? But there were times I couldn’t quite believe Bruno’s naiveté. He knows nothing about Jews, he calls Hitler the “Fury,” and he doesn’t actually know what Hitler does—just that’s he’s powerful. About all he knows is how to give the Nazi salute. For the son of a Nazi commandant to be so ignorant seems unlikely, and as a result, the story itself feels artificial.

The artifice problem also comes up in Boyne’s choice not to ever name Auschwitz itself. Bruno mispronounces it as “Out-With,” and even when other characters correct him, Boyne never gives the actual name. In the interview on the audio version, Boyne says that this was because he wanted to universalize the theme, but it feels tricksy to me, and it took me out of the story every time. Evil is universal enough; naming the camp wouldn’t make the horror of it less relevant, especially when you’ve already sort of named it anyway.

Despite these criticisms, I did find the story moving, and the ending was a punch in the gut. That’s the part I’m really of two minds about. Holocaust stories are tragic stories, but there are a few aspects of the tragedy here that felt like they were there for shock value and not because they are necessary to the story. The ending was deeply affecting, but also rather manipulative. The book will stick with me because of the ending, but I’m not sure it will stick with me in the best way.

See my complete review at my blog. ( )

An easy read. Sad twist to story at the end and very thought provoking. Highly recommended.

The Boy In the Striped Pajamas is a Children's Book that isn't really a Children's Book. It's a "fable" that touches on Nazi concentration camps in World War II and is told from the point of view of a naive nine-year old boy. Short enough to finish in a sitting, it is an interesting story concerning a dangerous friendship between two little boys during World War II. One of the boys is Jewish and the other is not. The fable seems to say that genocides occur because people are naive to what is happening around them. I have trouble believing that anyone, even an eight-year old boy, could be that guileless. I understand the literary tool that his naivete serves for the fable, but think that acts of evil are perpetrated not just because people don't understand what is happening around them but because many people are complicit or are willfully ignorant out of convenience. The fable does, at a more subtle level, seem to touch on the idea of people being aware of an evil being perpetrated and participating anyway. Those vile characters seem to have concern for nothing and no one beyond themselves; blinded by their own needs and hatred, they are naive to the extraordinary consequences their actions have for the innocent. ( )

This is a great book to read when you have nothing to do. This book would make you cry or make you feel sorry for the jews. When you read this book you would want to compare yourself to Bruno or shamuel. I would recommend this book to any junior high school student that enjoys about history. I would give this book ***** stars. ( )

In the book " The boy In the

This is a great book to read. The movie is not better than the book. Bruno moves to a place called Out-with. Then Bruno makes a Jew friend that no one knows about. Then the adventures begins. I recommend this book for sixth graders and up. ( )

"The boy in the striped pajamas" is a book that has gloomy events. This book is amazing and fantastic. The lesson to be learn in the book is that all people are equal. I would recommend this to teenagers and Jr. highs. Also i dislike the part when Shmuel ( )

This story is not like other stoys. Instead of having a joyfull ending ( )

"The Boy In The Striped Pajamas"is a very heart warming and very touching story about two boys and hoe their two worlds come together. This book show that it doesn't matter what religion you are friendship goes above all that. You will feel how hard it was for the two boys and their friendship. Throughout the book you will in some parts see how hard it was for one of the boys. When you read about how they used to treat Jews you will see how much our nation has changed. I recommend this book for 7th graders and adults. You will love this book!

The book was depressing jews suferd a lot with the nazis .i think its true that you can be friends with any one no matter what.I think this book is good for middlie scholl students if they want to laern more about jews.

"The Boy In The Striped Pajamas" Shmuel relates to the main character Bruno. Because they are forced to move to a new place.You could relate to this character because you could have been threw the same things. I recomend this book to 6th-8th graders.

"The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas" is a simauliting fable of sorrow and adventure. It is a whrillpool of feverishly drama that has happened in history. This book is like a soap opera describing the past and how people suffered during that era. . This book is also about a forbidden friendship between a German and a Jew. Even though one is German and one is Jew they see each other the same, not differently. I highly recommend this book to Jr. High Students ( )

''The Boy in the Striped Pajamas'' is an outstanding book. This book really open my eyes to all the nazis that killed the jews. This reminds me of the holocaust and other horrifying things that the nazis did. The theme is the whole world is a family it doesn't matter what religion or what color you are. I recommend this book to middle school students. ( )

The book "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is an outstanding book. The main character Bruno is an amazing character along with his new riend Shmaul. Bruno and Shmaul are awesome when it comes to their irst nd inal adventure. The part I adored the most is when Bruno's parents and soldiers try to ind him. I disliked the part when Bruno and his riend Shmaul die inside the gas room. i recommend this book or people have experienced moving to a place they dislike. i give this book ive stars. ( )

The story "The Boy In Striped Pajamas"is a heart warming story. This book is great because it teaches that you still can be friends with Jews. The book shows care and friendship between the characters. This book will ley your inner emotions out! I recommend this book for 7th graders and up that want to learn about our nations history of Jews. ( )

The story ''The Boy in the Striped Pajamas'' is a depressing story. But you will want to read it over and over again. I think this book is very interesting. I never got lost during the book. The theme is to be frinds with who ever you want even if their a different race. ( )

The book "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is an intresting book because it talks about a boy that becomes friends with a jew.This book also has glooming events like when both of the best friends die. This book is also great because its tell you about a kid moving to a new house. This book also shows you that you can be friends with anyone you want. I would give this book 4 1/2 stars. ( )