Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Boy Behind the Door) through Ascot Media Group. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 
For those who don’t know, I love history (it’s not the only think I love, but it’s up there eh?). Anyways, books that tell a story, bringing history life… makes for a very good read you know? The Boy behind the Door is a tale sending us into the life of a short Jewish Lad. We take a front-row seat to his experiences as Germany swarmed over The Netherlands. We see his bewilderment as growing restrictions are placed upon the Jewish population. Learn how Salomon Kook escaped the Nazis in this short, historically-based, fiction read.
The Facts
Title: The Boy Behind the Door: How Saloman Kool Escapes the Nazis.
Publisher: Amsterdam Publishers
Reviewed For: Ascot Media Group
Pages: 194
Format Received: Softcover
Genre: History, WW2, Teen and Young Adult Survival, Jewish Literature, WW2 Fiction
Intended Audience: Teen, Young Adult
Author Information:
David Tabatsky is a writer, editor and performing artist based in New York City. David’s two passions have driven his career as a performer and writer. He has performed as an actor, clown and juggler around the world, in venues such as Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre, throughout Europe and Japan, and most notably at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The Story:
Inspired by a real boy and real events shares the story of a Dutch teenager who survived World War II by eluding the Nazis time and time again as German forces occupied the Netherlands. Learn the story of Salomon Kool and how through the kindness of others, and his own ingenuity, he survived in Nazi invasion of The Netherlands.
Looking More Closely at The Boy Behind the Door
Short chapters and careful character development fill the pages of this quick read. I won’t say the reading is always easy. But it was very much eye-opening. I had not considered the war from the perspective of a Jewish family, particularly that of a young man. Seeing through the eyes of a just past childhood all the limitations and dislike Jewish families faced. Seeing how the Nazis worked to destroy families. Not always easy. But then seeing, oh, seeing people willing to help. People willing to risk everything for people they didn’t even know. How careful they had to be, and yet, risks taken.
Written from the point of view of Salomon so you get to understand the ramifications of Nazi “enforcement policies” on the Jewish population. Imagine not being able to play in a park, or watch a movie, go to visit your favourite barber, or not being able to walk on the sunny side of the street. Things that affected real children in a dangerous time in history. So very hard.
Should you read it?
Despite the plethora of WW2 literature invading the bookshelves lately making it hard to choose what to read, The Boy Behind the Door shows a different perspective. Seeing the war through the eyes of a child-man is eye-opening. Well worth reading, particularly if you want to learn more about the war.
This would be a great addition to students learning about the war. I can see teens reading and then discussing or writing papers about various topics raised. It’s not always easy, but you know what? War and the brutalization of a people is NOT an easy topic. Learning about how hard it was perhaps might open eyes and ears so it never happens again! Wouldn’t it be good if we could prevent THIS history from happening again?
This looks like it is a very good one and I’ll be on the lookout for a copy to read. Thanks!
Thoroughly enjoyed this one! Good read.