Daniel's Story

Jean Free, formerly an elementary-school teacher-librarian, is currently
a library consultant in Ontario.

Daniel, a 14-year-old Jewish boy living with his parents in Frankfurt,
is deported along with his parents and young sister, Erika, to
internment camps at Lodz, Auschwitz, and Buchenwald. His story is
presented as a dramatic series of pictures in his mind—pictures of
tragic events including the death of many of his relatives.

Set between 1933 and the end of World War II, Daniel’s Story tells of
the refusal of other countries (including Canada) to accept Jews, the
unwillingness of Germans and Poles to admit what was already well known
about the camps, and the violent cruelty of the German soldiers.
Daniel’s love for his friend Rosa and his strong family heritage give
him the strength to cling to life. Finally, he and his father are able
to join a resistance movement and harass their captors.

This important book (nominated for a 1993 Governor General’s Award)
is suitable for intermediate grades, and would be a useful addition to a
curriculum unit on war. Though much has been written about the
Holocaust, Daniel’s Story will help young-adult readers understand the
insidious small steps with which it began. The book was published for an
exhibit in Washington called “Daniel’s Story: Remember the
Children,” and is dedicated to the hope that all children will live in
a peaceful world. A chronology of events from 1927 (when Daniel was
born) to 1945 is included. Highly recommended.