This fictionalized memoir follows 14-year old Marek in Nazi-occupied Warsaw. Marek's step-father profits by smuggling items in and out of the Jewish ghetto through the labyrinth of sewer tunnels, often bringing Marek with him. As anti-Semitic feelings grow outside the Ghetto, Marek finds himself shaking down an escaped Jew along with two other boys. Wracked with immense guilt, Marek seeks to help Jozek, a polish Jew who has lost his hiding place in the city. Suddenly, the Jews living in the ghetto began an uprising, and Jozek is determined to sneak back into the ghetto to help. Marek takes him through the sewers, but is trapped on the Jewish side with one of the tunnels collapses. Faced-paced and interesting, Marek is a character whom many teenagers could relate to. He has found himself in an awful environment and feels conflict and guilt over his actions. ( )

Step into the sewers of Poland where you will meet 14 year old Marek and his step father as they climb into a man hole and trudge through the underground pipes to bring food and munitions to Jewish prisoners in the Warsaw Ghetto.

Step into the life of Marek where you find a young man who accompanies his father in helping malnourished Jews -- not for the sake of resisting the Germans -- but for the love of the money provided.

Step into the Catholic church with Marek and his family as they pray every Sunday while living in a very anti-semitic society.

Step into the mean streets with Marek and his near-do-well friends as they rob a Jewish man who escaped the ghetto, taking his money and thereby eliminating his chance of survival.

Walk with Marek as his mother discovers his evil deed and encourages and enables Marek to make restitution by helping Pan Jozek, a Jewish man who desperately needs assistance.

Walk with Marek and Pan Jozek as together they form an unbreakable bond.

Observe that Marek discovers Jews are indeed wonderful, strong, courageous, sensitive, and very undeserving of hatred.

As Marek leads Pan Jozek back to the Warsaw ghetto via the route his step father taught him, go with them and then step out of the sewer gutters and into the Warsaw ghetto as the Jewish people fight back with every stick of ammunition and dignity they possess.

Watch as Marek learns that all people crave dignity, freedom, food, shelter and a belief system to sustain them in times of comfort and trouble.

Watch as Marek learns the men, the women and the children from the other side aren’t so different after all.

The recipient of many prestigious awards, including the 1996 Hans Christian Anderson award, The Batchelder Award and the 2006 Blalik Prize, Orlev draws from his own real life experience to write this YA book.

Highly recommended! ( )

Een katholieke Poolse jongen raakt tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog ongewild betrokken bij gebeurtenissen in en om het ghetto in Warschau en maakt de heroïsche opstand van de joden tegen de nazi's mee.
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