FICTION

Adam and Thomas

by Aharon APPELFELD
tr. from French by Jeffrey Green. illus. by Philippe Dumas. 160p.ebook available. Seven Stories. Oct. 2015. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781609806347.
COPY ISBN
Gr 4–6—Originally published in France, this story is about two Jewish boys who have been left in the woods near their home by their mothers who must return to the ghetto. The boys survive by eating berries, foraging for food, and milking cows for fresh milk. Readers get a sense of the larger context of World War II through some minor characters, who make appearances as runaways or fugitives. There are several allusions to spiritual beliefs, but they are not overt. Dialogue is lyrical and a bit dreamlike, and the characters are sympathetic. The sentence structure and vocabulary are simplistic. Dumas's illustrations add to the dreamlike quality of the text.
VERDICT An fine addition to elementary and middle school libraries looking for tender friendship and survival stories set during the second World War.
Reviewed by Melissa Etheridge, Siegel Middle School, TN
During WWII, nine-year-old Adam and his classmate Thomas are led by their parents from their ghetto home into the forest to survive. They build a sort-of nest for shelter and wait, passing time by discussing war, religion, and philosophy. The lyrical, parable-like story takes place nearly outside time and place (there are occasional key markers); a fascinating author's note describes Appelfeld's own WWII experiences.
 , Jul 01, 2015

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