I've read very few authors who can, regardless of plot, move me so much as Spinelli does. The is a book about the Holocaust, but he focuses more of the story on the main character. ( )

A serious book from Jerry Spinelli about Nazi Germany told from the perspective of a young orphaned Gypsy boy. Sad and lovely and important. ( )

Milkweed is the story of a poor Polish orphan at the beginning of World War II. The main character, Misha Pilsudski, has always wanted to be a Nazi soldier. All he thought it was were the fancy, shiny boots and the long warm coats. When he meets a fellow Jew, Janina, she tells him of all the horrors the Nazis are doing. Nevertheless, Misha still wants to be warm, fed, and comfortable. After the Nazis come and move all Jews into the ghettos Misha realizes just how awful they are. Since Misha and Janina are poor they have to steal food, water, firewood, and clothes sometimes just to get by. One day when Misha and Janina were going on their daily routine of stealing, Janina's father warns them to run away and never come back. Janina is intent on going back to see her father but she is captured on the streets by a train while Misha was able to escape. Misha goes to America where he can finally be safe. He marries a woman named Vivan but she is upsetted by his strange ways and leaves him. The book ends with him planting milkweeds in his garden, safe and sound.
This book was definitely one of my favorites. I love books about World War II and I think this is probably my second favorite book about the topic. Milkweed is a good book to read when you just want to read. It's interesting and keeps you reading. I finished this book in I think a day because I was just so intrigued. I would recommend this book to anyone. Probably from 5th grade would be a good level to read a book like this. I think everyone would love Milkweed. ( )

This book gives children an insight of what living in Warsaw was like during world war 2. A young boy is the narrator and he goes through a lot teaching us how horrific it was. I would keep this book at a 6th grade level and up since there is a lot of talk about death. ( )

Milkweed is based around a young Jewish boy who knows nothing about his past life. Misha (The Jewish boy) is very naive and innocent. In this story Misha is hiding away in a barn with three other boys. Misha doesn't know what he is hiding from but he keeps hiding anyways. Later, Misha find himself scrounging for food and often stealing. One day while Misha is going from house to house trying to find an unlocked door he finds a young girl by the name of Janina. Misha and Janina become friends instantly. Until one day Misha is taken away to a place called "the ghetto". There he finds that nothing matters besides survival. Within a day of being in the "ghetto" Misha locates Janina and her family. After only a short amount of time he finds out that the people keeping him in the ghetto are tying to starve him. Misha finds a small hole in the wall just small enough to sneak through, then he finds himself sneaking out every night to go find food in houses and even a hotel. Then one day a train arrives at the ghetto, Misha knows not to get on it and he has to escape somehow, but he needs to stop Janina from getting on it as well. While trying to find Janina in the jam of people boarding the train, Misha gets shot and knocked out. Later he wakes up on the train tracks with the train no where in sight. He begins to walk down the track in hopes to find his lost friend. Then he finds himself working at a farm until he is released 7 years later. When he is free he moves to America.

Overall, this book was very good and was constantly keeping me turning the pages. Misha being so naive kept the story entertaining with a side of mystery. Spinelli did a very good job of telling the story in a way that made it compelling. Along with the side of loyalty. ( )