The boy in the striped pajamas : a fable

This a heartwarming tale of a young boy who moves with his family right outside a concentration camp during WWII. Bruno, who is 9 years old, misses his friends back home in Berlin. One day as he is trying to escape his loneliness, he starts exploring the fenced in camp he sees from his bedroom window every day. As he walks along the fence he meet a young boy his same age with the same except birthday and they become fast friends.

Because the story is told through Bruno, his innocence is reflected as he tries to imagine why his friend and hundreds of other people are living inside the fence and why they all wear the same black and white striped pajamas. He eventually learns that they are Jewish and he is not, but he still never seems to understand the reason they are divided. The friendship they form is sweet and innocent, although his Jewish friend knows more than he lets on to Bruno but somehow doesn't seem to want to frighten or disappoint his new found friend.

This book will open questions as to what really happened during this time in our history, but is a great introduction to discussing the impact of World War II on citizens of every age, race and religion. A great story with a surprise ending!

this is a great book, wonderfully written! the ending is really sad, but its a must-read!

Such a sad book, it shows how the families relationship at first is kind of ripped apart, until the youngest son makes a new friend who turns out to be a jew. They become best friends but the ending is so sad...