International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945. Share these titles with young readers to commemorate those who perished and to ensure that the horrors of the Holocaust are not forgotten.

 The Shelter and the Fence: When 982 Holocaust Refugees Found Safe Haven in America by Norman H Finkelstein. Chicago Review. ISBN 9781641603836.
Gr 7 Up–Early in World War II, polls indicated that a very low percentage of Americans were in favor of admitting large numbers of immigrants to the United States. President Roosevelt was finally persuaded to “do something” to alleviate the suffering and persecution of the Jews in Europe. His solution was to issue an executive order permitting 1,000 refugees to enter the country on a temporary basis. 

Signs of Survival: A Memoir of the Holocaust by Renee Hartman with Joshua M. Greene. Scholastic Nonfiction. ISBN 9781338753356. 
Gr 5-8–This title is a transcribed compilation of video interviews from the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University. Hartman narrates her early experiences (at age 10) with the Nazis and other people who were antisemitic. Each short chapter is alternated with that of her younger sister, Herta.

The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe. illus. by Loreto Aroca. Holt. ISBN 9781250842992.
Gr 9 Up–Based on Iturbe’s novelization of Dita Kraus’s experiences during World War II, this graphic novel details Kraus’s early life in Czechoslovakia, her love of reading, and the unusual existence of a family camp and classroom (of sorts) for children within Auschwitz-Birkenau, where Kraus and her family arrived in 1942. 

Under the Iron Bridge by Kathy Kacer. Second Story. ISBN 9781772602050. 
Gr 7 Up–An in-depth, albeit fictional, depiction of the Edelweiss Pirates. Paul Ritter is a 15-year-old German boy living in the late 1930s who is challenged to join the Hitler Youth. He doesn’t agree with the group’s beliefs and yearns to effect change in his community, and joins the Edelweiss Pirates. What ensues is Paul’s journey with the group.

 When the World Was Ours by Liz Kessler. Aladdin. ISBN 9781534499652.
Gr 4-7–Inspired by her family’s history, Kessler tells a story of the Holocaust from the point of view of three children: Elsa, Leo, and Max, best friends who live in Vienna. This is a well-researched story that portrays life as it was during the horrors of World War II in Europe. 

I Will Protect You: A True Story of Twins Who ­Survived Auschwitz by Eva Mozes Kor with Danica Davidson. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316460637. 
Gr 3-7–Eva Mozes Kor and her twin Miriam were transported to Auschwitz, where the twins were taken to Dr. Mengele for experimentation. Eva and Miriam endured starvation, medical experiments, and countless other atrocities. Many Holocaust books make a passing reference to these twin experiments, but Kor gives readers a firsthand and disturbing account.

Just a Girl: A True Story of World War II by Lia Levi. tr. from Italian by Sylvia Notini. illus. by Jess Mason. Harper. ISBN 9780063065086.
Gr 3-7–Lia Levi tells the story of her childhood as a young Jewish girl living in Italy and Rome during World War II. Levi’s story is perfect for young children who want to learn more about the Holocaust, but aren’t ready for the more horrific details.

 Chance: Escape from the Holocaust by Uri Shulevitz. Farrar. ISBN 9780374313715.
Gr 5-8–Shulevitz, a Caldecott Medalist and celebrated author of children’s literature, offers a profoundly honest memoir that chronicles his childhood during the time of the Holocaust.  Shulevitz’s darkly captivating memoir admirably recollects how art became his guiding light in the darkness. 

 The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs by Chana Steifel. illus. by Susan Gal. Scholastic. ISBN 9781338225891.
Gr 3-5–There are many picture books about the Holocaust, but this one stands out with Gal’s beautiful watercolor pictures and the shattering true account of one woman’s goal that her community never be forgotten.

 American Shoes: A Refugee’s Story by Rosemarie Lengsfeld Turke and Garrett Turke. 352p. Atria/Beyond Words. ISBN 9781582708522.
Gr 7 Up–In 1935, when Rosemarie was four years old, she and her parents went to Germany to visit family. Thus, Rosemarie and her parents were unluckily dwelling inside what would turn into World War II and the Nazi regime. An unforgettable YA historical nonfiction book, written in an exquisite manner.