From the prize-winning author of The Three Escapes of Hannah Arendt, a stunning graphic narrative of newly discovered stories from Jewish teens on the cusp of WWII.
When I Grow Up is New Yorker cartoonist Ken Krimstein’s new graphic nonfiction book, based on six of hundreds of newly discovered, never-before-published autobiographies of Eastern European Jewish teens on the brink of WWII—found in 2017 hidden in a Lithuanian church cellar.
These autobiographies, long thought destroyed by the Nazis, were written as entries for three competitions held in Eastern Europe in the 1930s, just before the horror of the Holocaust forever altered the lives of the young people who wrote them.
In When I Grow Up, Krimstein presents the stories of these six young men and women in riveting, almost cinematic narratives, full of humor, yearning, ambition, and all the angst of the teenage years. It’s as if half a dozen new Anne Frank stories have suddenly come to light.
He frames the book with the dramatic story of the documents’ rediscovery. Beautifully illustrated, heart-wrenching, bursting with life, Ken Krimstein’s newest work shows us how the tragedy about to befall these young people could easily happen again, to any of us, if we don’t learn to listen to the voices from the past.
Map. “Some sources and suggestions for further reading.” Two-color illustrations.
In today's classroom, Common Core is king and this level helps support the need for quality nonfiction for teen readers. These stimulating informational texts invite teen readers to question assumptions and engage in high-order thinking while providing examples of excellence in research and presentation. The 14 books in this category will attract browsers as well as report-writers. May include some books written for adults.
14 books per Year
$302.40 per Year
Interests
Diversity, Mature Readers, Nonfiction, Biographies, History
Illustrations/Images: Blood/Gore,Illustrations/Images: Disturbing Imagery,Language: Strong Language,Violence: Gun Violence,Violence: Sexual Assault/Rape,Violence: Torture,Violence: War/Harsh Realities of War
Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism,Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: Reference or Discussion,Language: Strong Language,Social Issue: Political Viewpoint/Satire,Violence: General,Violence: Sexual Assault/Rape Reference/Discussion