Website of the Sir Bernard Lovell School
Oldland Common, Bristol, UK
Author:
John Boyne
Genre:
Reviewed By:
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is about nine-year-old Bruno who lives in Germany during World War II. His dad is a soldier and when he gets a new, more important, job, Bruno and his family move to a new home at a place called Out-With.
But when Bruno gets there he’s homesick. His new home is smaller, full of soldiers and there is no-one to play with. And he is forbidden to explore.
But his curiosity becomes too much and so he investigates his new home and meets Shmuel, who lives on the other side of the fence.
Although Bruno comes from a Nazi family and Shmuel is Jewish, they become friends and meet at the same spot and talk whenever they can.
As a result Bruno learns more about where he lives, how other people live and the effect of the war.
Bruno is the main character, his mother and father and 12-year-old sister, Gretel, who he doesn’t always get on with.
There’s also Shmuel, the maid Maria, Lieutenant Kotler who is the soldier he doesn’t like and his grandmother and grandfather.
You really get to know Bruno’s character and he makes funny observations and remarks about people (especially his sister who he thinks is a “hopeless case!”)
The plot also keeps you guessing a bit and when you finish reading, it will make you think about history and the Holocaust.
Bruno is quite a naive character at times.
As this book is about a serious and upsetting subject, you might not want to read it alone.
Yes. Even though it is about an upsetting subject, it’ll keep you entertained and you’ll want to read on and find out what happens to Bruno and Shmeul.