Irena Sendler was a diminutive Polish social worker who helped spirit more than four hundred children out of the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. Using toolboxes, ambulances, and other ingenious measures, Irena Sendler defied the Nazis and risked her own life by saving and then hiding Jewish children. Her secret list of the children s real identities was kept safe, buried in two jars under a tree in war-torn Warsaw. An inspiring story of courage and compassion, this biography includes a list of resources, source notes, and an index.
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Arresting oil paintings pair with vivid prose to tell the story of a Polish social worker who concealed Jewish children from the Nazis. . . . A haunting and unflinching portrait of human valiance.
(Publishers Weekly )A moving tribute to a courageous woman.
(Booklist ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.About the Author
Bill Farnsworth’s illustrations for The Flag with Fifty-six
Stars: A Gift from the Survivors of Mauthausen by Susan
Goldman Rubin were called “nothing short of extraordinary”
by PW in a starred review. He lives in Florida.
Stars: A Gift from the Survivors of Mauthausen by Susan
Goldman Rubin were called “nothing short of extraordinary”
by PW in a starred review. He lives in Florida.
Susan Goldman Rubin’s award-winning books for children
include Fireflies in the Dark, a Sydney Taylor Award Honor Book, a Golden Kite Honor Book, and a Booklist Top Ten Art Book for Youth. She lives in California.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By AJL Reviews
Format:Hardcover
She was a little woman, less than five feet tall, but if height were measured by courage, heart and spirit, she would be a giant. Sendler, a young Catholic social worker, did her best to tend to the wounded and bring bread to the hungry; but as soon as Poland surrendered to Germany, she joined Zegota, a resistance movement that helped rescue Jews. Infiltrating the ghetto disguised as a nurse, she saw starvation and sickness, and as the Nazis began to empty the ghetto, she began to smuggle out the children. Her story is told in an oversized illustrated book, a column of generous-sized black text against a white background placed adjacent to the dark, doom-laden paintings. The few hopeful images have a lighter background - for instance as Sendler gently teaches a little Jewish girl her new name and the Catholic prayers she must learn to save her life; and also when Sendler buries the jars containing the assumed Polish and Jewish names of the children under a tree in a friend's yard, looking forward to the future--when the names will be turned over to a Jewish Zionist organization. Only an artist as fine as Farnsworth could manage to represent the damage and doom of the ghetto, the horror of the Nazis seizing Sendler, and the Warsaw Uprising; and only an author as talented and knowledgeable as Rubin could tell a story like this in a way that will be understood by children from grades 4-6, without diminishing its impact. Irena's story remained untold for many years, because the Soviets who took over Poland regarded her as a traitor since Zagota was supported by the anti-communist Polish government in exile. Sendler says that she was taught by her father that when someone is drowning, you don't ask if they can swim, you just jump in and help.
The author has a distinguished history of writing children's picture story books about the Holocaust, among them: Fireflies in the Dark: The Story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis and the Children of Terezin; The Cat with the Yellow Star: Coming of Age in Terezin (with Ela Weissberger); The Anne Frank Case: Simon Wiesenthal's Search for the Truth; and The Flag with Fifty-six Stars: A Gift from the Survivors of Mauthausen. Ostensibly for ages 6-10, books of this type are best used with children from 9-11 and may also serve as an entry point for older students. Bill Farnsworth has worked with Goldman on The Flag with Fifty-six Stars, and with David A. Adler on A Hero and the Holocaust: The Story of Janusz Korczak and His Children.
Marcia W. Posner
The author has a distinguished history of writing children's picture story books about the Holocaust, among them: Fireflies in the Dark: The Story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis and the Children of Terezin; The Cat with the Yellow Star: Coming of Age in Terezin (with Ela Weissberger); The Anne Frank Case: Simon Wiesenthal's Search for the Truth; and The Flag with Fifty-six Stars: A Gift from the Survivors of Mauthausen. Ostensibly for ages 6-10, books of this type are best used with children from 9-11 and may also serve as an entry point for older students. Bill Farnsworth has worked with Goldman on The Flag with Fifty-six Stars, and with David A. Adler on A Hero and the Holocaust: The Story of Janusz Korczak and His Children.
Marcia W. Posner
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Irena Sendler was a young Catholic social worker in Warsaw, Poland when the Nazis invaded her country in Sep, 1939. Irena had been taught by her father that "when someone is drowning, you don't ask if they can swim, you just jump in and help." This philosophy led to Irena risking her very life in order to save persecuted Jews in Warsaw, especially Jewish children who were completely helpless in the face of a great evil in the form of Nazi Germany and their plan of exterminating the Jewish race, what came to be known as the Final Solution.
Irena's position as a social worker enabled her to get in and out of the Warsaw Ghetto, the infamous area where thousands of Jews were confined. It was basically a prison where many Jews were cramped into close living quarters, and many suffered from starvation and disease. Under the guise of providing medical assistance, Irena made plans to smuggle out as many Jewish children as she could out of the ghetto and to the Aryan side of Warsaw.
Irena was aided by the Council for Aid to Jews, which was an underground organization. Together with like-minded people, Irena was able to save at least 2,500 Jewish children who would otherwise have most certainly met an untimely death at the hands of the Nazis. This was because of frequent selections by the Nazis where unlucky Jews were picked to be deported to camps, and many of these deportees met a grisly end at extermination camps like Auschwitz.
The story includes first-hand accounts by Jew who had been saved by Irena when they were children. The accounts of rescue make for riveting reading and one can only imagine how afraid these children must have been at the time. Babies were smuggled out in potato sacks, suitcases, and tool boxes!
This is an inspiring read of a courageous woman who stood up to the Nazis and saved many lives during the Holocaust. Recommended for upper elementary students and up.
Irena's position as a social worker enabled her to get in and out of the Warsaw Ghetto, the infamous area where thousands of Jews were confined. It was basically a prison where many Jews were cramped into close living quarters, and many suffered from starvation and disease. Under the guise of providing medical assistance, Irena made plans to smuggle out as many Jewish children as she could out of the ghetto and to the Aryan side of Warsaw.
Irena was aided by the Council for Aid to Jews, which was an underground organization. Together with like-minded people, Irena was able to save at least 2,500 Jewish children who would otherwise have most certainly met an untimely death at the hands of the Nazis. This was because of frequent selections by the Nazis where unlucky Jews were picked to be deported to camps, and many of these deportees met a grisly end at extermination camps like Auschwitz.
The story includes first-hand accounts by Jew who had been saved by Irena when they were children. The accounts of rescue make for riveting reading and one can only imagine how afraid these children must have been at the time. Babies were smuggled out in potato sacks, suitcases, and tool boxes!
This is an inspiring read of a courageous woman who stood up to the Nazis and saved many lives during the Holocaust. Recommended for upper elementary students and up.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Marni Hall
Format:Hardcover
This is the story of Irena Sendler, a heroine during WWII who risked her safety time and time again to save Jewish children in Poland. Her stories only surfaced after 1989, so Irena is fairly unknown. Thanks to Susan Rubin, her story can have a wider audience.
While this book shares many of the risks she took, it also gives a picture of the children's side. One child mentions he'd already had 32 mothers from being moved so much, and another child mentions that after being reunited with his own mother, he recognized her only after he made it on a train and she didn't, because of how tightly she clung to him and cried when they were together again. Little glimpses like that are heart wrenching, but are a great help in stepping into their shoes a bit.
I loved the book. We need to hear about great men and women like Irena Sendler more often. Looks like Susan Rubin has written about several others; I'm looking forward to reading them too.
While this book shares many of the risks she took, it also gives a picture of the children's side. One child mentions he'd already had 32 mothers from being moved so much, and another child mentions that after being reunited with his own mother, he recognized her only after he made it on a train and she didn't, because of how tightly she clung to him and cried when they were together again. Little glimpses like that are heart wrenching, but are a great help in stepping into their shoes a bit.
I loved the book. We need to hear about great men and women like Irena Sendler more often. Looks like Susan Rubin has written about several others; I'm looking forward to reading them too.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ok
This was a gift for an older child (11) -- I hesitated over the picture book format and was even more concerned when the book arrived as it was larger than I expected. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Silver Rose
5.0 out of 5 stars
A brave young lady risked her life to save children from communist.she...
She was very brave. I wonder if young people in our country would have what it takes to lay their lives on the line to protect little kids who cannot defend themselves!
Published 1 month ago by SJC
2.0 out of 5 stars
misunderstanding
I was looking to find an adult version of the Irena Sendler story. The description of this book at the time of my purchasing it did NOT stress that it was a CHILDREN'S BOOK. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Rhonda J. Baim
3.0 out of 5 stars
Children of the Warsaw Ghetto
In your ad the book looks like a regular size book It is too large in size. I was not at all expecting such a large size book. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Happy Colorer
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointed
I assumed that this was a adult book however it is more like a book from a Elementry Liabrary. I gave it to my 5th grade nephew that has recently visited a Museum and was learning... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michelle
5.0 out of 5 stars
Can't go wrong
This picture book and another one: "Irena's Jar of Secrets" Irena's Jars of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan are both great. Can't go wrong with either book. Read more
Published 5 months ago by M. Heiss
5.0 out of 5 stars
Irena Sendler and the Children of the Warsaw Ghetto
This is a beautifully written and beautifully illustsrated story of a not so well known hero. Although it is a children's book (older children) I still found it very well written... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Sylvia Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars
The cost of courage
This is an excellent movie and depicts the bravery of one caught in the web of evil all around. She met adversity with integrity and courage and paid the price but did not back... Read more
Published 9 months ago by A. Plant
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful Book With Some Disappointments
As a professional educator, I am especially concerned about accuracy in books that children read. I found this book to be uplifting. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Jan Peczkis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Over 2,500 children saved!
Above book description is woefully incorrect when stating the number of children saved by Irena Sendler. Read more
Published on May 9, 2011 by D. M. Barron-kraus
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