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Black Radishes by Susan Lynn Meyer

Book

Black Radishes

Susan Lynn Meyer

Random House Children's Books · Paperback · November 8, 2011

Reading lane: Holocaust Stories

Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winner Black Radishes is a suspenseful WWII/Holocaust story, in which one boy learns what it means to be Jewish and French at a time when everything is changing.

At a Glance

Why This Clicks

Tension and Identity

A suspenseful wartime story brings questions of Jewish and French identity into sharp focus.

Come here for

  • A young boy’s changing sense of identity
  • The risks and resolve surrounding the French Resistance

Expect

  • A tense narrative shaped by occupied France
  • Questions of identity, equality, and belonging

Book Details

Authors
Susan Lynn Meyer
Publisher
Random House Children's Books
Published
November 8, 2011
Format
Paperback
Theme
Holocaust Stories · Holocaust Stories for Teens
Reading lane
Holocaust Stories

Affinity

Publisher Categories

  • Historical Europe

  • Holocaust Stories

  • Jewish Religious Stories

About This Book

Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winner Black Radishes is a suspenseful WWII/Holocaust story, in which one boy learns what it means to be Jewish and French at a time when everything is changing. Gustave doesn't want to move from the exciting city to the boring countryside, far from his cousin Jean-Paul and his best friend, the mischievous Marcel. But he has no choice. It is March of 1940, and Paris is not a safe place for Jews. When Paris is captured by the Nazis, Gustave knows tha...

Read full description

Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winner Black Radishes is a suspenseful WWII/Holocaust story, in which one boy learns what it means to be Jewish and French at a time when everything is changing. Gustave doesn't want to move from the exciting city to the boring countryside, far from his cousin Jean-Paul and his best friend, the mischievous Marcel. But he has no choice. It is March of 1940, and Paris is not a safe place for Jews. When Paris is captured by the Nazis, Gustave knows that Marcel, Jean-Paul, and their families must make it out of the occupied zone. And when he learns that his new friend Nicole works for the French Resistance, he comes up with a plan that just might work. But going into Occupied France is a risky thing to do when you are Jewish. And coming back alive? That is nearly impossible. And don't miss Skating with the Statue of Liberty , the gripping and poignant companion to Black Radishes, which follows Gustave as he embarks on new adventures in New York City. Praise for Black Radishes " Full of tension , this coming-of-age story presents a picture of life during the early days of World War II."- Bulletin “ An excellent recent novel that can introduce readers to a wider world . . . . Meyer builds the tension by using real-life events (detailed in an author’s note) and creates in Gustave a very believable boy who behaves bravely when he must.”– The Horn Book " Meyer shines light on the bravery of Resistance fighters, and her story...[is] a gripping read comparable to Marilyn Sachs's classic A Pocket Full of Seeds , Carol Matas's Greater Than Angels , and Norma Fox Mazer's Good Night, Maman ."- SLJ "Partly based on Meyer’s father’s experiences, the story derives its credibility from the vivid details...[a] fine first novel. " -Booklist " This debut novel, loosely based on the author's father's experiences,...raises important questions about nationalism, equality and identity and fills a void in Holocaust literature for this age group."- Kirkus Reviews A Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winner A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year An Instructor Magazine Best Kids' Historical Fiction Book A Massachusetts Book Awar Must-Read Book

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