Hearing that Neal Shusterman was coming out with a graphic novel full of stories about the Holocaust was a welcome surprise. If anyone could convey engaging and interesting stories about one of the darkest moments in human history, Shusterman certainly could. So I did not hesitate to grab a copy of Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust, with illustrations by Andres Vera Martinez.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a graphic novel containing five fully illustrated stories about the Holocaust. While the stories in the book are fictionalized, they are based on real events in history that took place during World War II, when the Nazis regime attempted to eliminate all Jewish people in Europe. In one story, a window tends to disappear from a house, while also occasionally offering a view of an entirely different world or universe. In another, a young girl receives a strange gift from her dying grandmother, one that allows her to see what might have been if the war had ended differently. And in yet another, a rabbi calls upon a golem to free prisoners from a concentration camp. In between the stories are brief lessons and tales of hope from what actually happened during WWII, allowing for a book that both educates and entertains.
My Verdict: I think I will always lament how graphic novels can be read so quickly and easily. What Shusterman and Martinez have provided are five wondrous stories that are indeed full of hope, while also portraying one of the greatest tragedies to ever happen. It is an interesting feeling to root for the heroes in the these fantastical stories, while also knowing what really happened. I wanted the walking house from the third story to overtake the Nazis soldiers that were attempting to stop the resistance. And my heart hurt for the little girl who simply wanted to look out of window and into a strange universe, though doing so could alert the Nazis to her and her family's presence as they hid. Both kids and adults alike would benefit from these stories.
Favorite Story: I loved the third story, "Spirits of Resistance," in which a group from the resistance is aided by fairy tale and mythical characters such as Baba Yaga, The Great Ziz, and the Chelmites.
Recommended Reading: I recommend The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland, as well as Dry, also by Neal Shusterman.
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