Customer Reviews

Luba: The Angel of Bergen-Belsen (Jane Addams Honor Book (Awards))

5 star:		(8)
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This beautifully illustrated children's book addresses the strength of human character that can emerge during even the worst of times. The presentation of this story engages it's young reader while effectively educating them about a very important time in history. I was impressed with Luba's ability to elicit empathy in the people she dealt with, allowing them to become more decent and humane. The story of Luba's loving and heroic soul belongs every school library.

Truly a rare addition to classic children's literature. McCann's ability to interpret this complex history of human tragedy into a meaningful children's story is unique. Daily the world reminds us of the terrible things that people do to each other. It is more important than ever, that children learn the world needs heroes.

This book is so touching. The illustrations are so beautiful. Luba had lost her husband and son in the Roundups and murders of Jews. She had survived and was alive in the concentration camp for the first night. She hears children crying. She gets up and goes outside to find 54 children in the field.

This is a story of her brave acts to save these children. Learning who she could and could not trust in the camp. It is nothing short of a miracle that 52 of them survive to be liberated.

Read it with your children and grandchildren. Talk about it and how they/we have the power to never let this happen again.

I really enjoyed this beautifully illustrated, touching children's book, a great gift for children and adults. Should be part of a any good book shelf, next to the other intelligent and artful children's books.

I really enjoyed this beautifully illustrated, touching childrens book, a great gift for children and adults. Should be part of a any good book shelf, next to the other intelligent and artful childrens books.

This is quite possibly one of the most inspiring tales I've read about the Holocaust, and believe me, I've read many. Though I've taught Holocaust history in the past and have read hundreds of books on the subject, I had never heard of Luba and her heroism during the Holocaust until recently, when I came across this book in my local library (I am purchasing it for my home library so that I may share it with my 5-year-old in the near future).

Luba Tryszynska was a young Polish Jew who had suffered oppression under the Nazis, and the harrowing pain of being separated from her husband and young son in Auschwitz, an extermination camp. Somehow, Luba then found herself deported to Bergen-Belsen. Though Bergen-Belsen was not an extermination camp, the inmates suffered deplorable living conditions - starvation and disease were rampant, and amidst this squalor, Luba found something truly remarkable one winter's night. Fifty-four children, shivering and starving were huddled together in the cold, dark night at the back of Luba's barracks. They were children of Dutch workers who had been taken away to work as diamond cutters for the Third Reich, and the children had been targeted for extermination. Fate had intervened when one of the Nazis charged with killing the children balked at this gruesome and merciless task and had abandoned the children instead. Luba and her fellow barracks' mates were now in a conundrum - to harbor the children would seal their own fate and they would be executed, yet Luba determined that she would do all she could to keep the children safe from discovery and starvation.

The means by which Luba went about keeping the children fed and safe (with the help of the other women in the barracks) is nothing short of miraculous! I loved reading such an inspiring tale of a true heroine of the Holocaust, who in spite of her own desperate circumstances, put herself at risk repeatedly, in order to care for the abandoned children. I cried during many parts, especially during the birthday 'party' scene where the children save up their meager daily bread ration so that they can all get Luba something special for her birthday. This is a tale that inspires with its message of selflessness and hope - that even in those dark days of the Holocaust, there were people like Luba who kept hope alive and gave, even when there was hardly anything left to give. This has become my favorite picture book on the Holocaust with its amazing message and story, and the beautiful illustrations which bring the story to life. Highly recommended for ages 9 and up.

the book luba is one of my favorite books. It shows people what bravery is and why you should be brave. This book encourages people to help others that are in need.

when i first picked up this book i thought it was about a woman and her children dancing. Instead it was way better. This was an very easy book but some parts I didn't understand.

This book is a vey great book to read if you are teaching younger students about bravery.

I am a second year college student and I recently read this book in my youth literature class and I was astonished by how enagaged I was with the story. I did not expect a children's book to capture my attention the way that it did. Luba is a real life hero and I think anyone of any age can appreciate that.