Elie Wiesel: Holocaust Survivor and Messenger for Humanity

Gr 5–9—This biography chronicles Wiesel's life from a happy boyhood in Romania, through an unflinching description of his experience in concentration camps (especially his father's death at the hands of an SS officer), to the many accolades for his written works and humanitarian projects, including a Nobel Peace Prize. Sidebars offer primary-source quotations and factoids of interest; individual pages and spreads interspersed throughout explain larger-concept issues, such as the yellow-star rule or the many resistance organizations, adding historical context. Controversial topics, such as Wiesel questioning his faith or the role of Holocaust deniers, get a mention, as do Wiesel's ties to modern figures like Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, and Bernie Madoff. Captioned black-and-white photos, many of which depict life in the prison camps, appear on nearly every page and emphasize the bleakness of his adolescence, as do the grayscale graphics. End materials include a chronology of Wiesel's life through 2010, a detailed glossary, a multimedia list of further resources, and an index. This informative, engaging read is an excellent resource for students studying Wiesel's works, authors, or World War II in general.—Rebecca Dash Donsky, New York Public Library