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The Boy Who Jumped off the Train

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This beautifully illustrated rendition of Malka Adler's acclaimed The Brothers of Auschwitz is a child-friendly retelling of one of history's most important stories, specially adapted for young readers.

Itzhak is a young teen in Hungary when the Nazis barge into his home one day and force him and his family to leave everything behind and get on a train to a concentration camp. When Itzhak is separated from his entire family, he is left feeling scared and alone.

With no one to talk to and no one to look after him, Itzhak knows that he will have to be strong – and very brave – to survive the war and be reunited with his family. But can he manage to do it on his own?

80 pages, ebook

First published April 9, 2022

71 people are currently reading
204 people want to read

About the author

Malka Adler

8 books60 followers

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5 stars
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4 stars
30 (31%)
3 stars
13 (13%)
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4 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
34 reviews1 follower
August 3, 2022
Remember what they went through.

I love that this is a true story. I have visited many of the concentration camps and have read many book of the horror so many lived through.
I think all children should read this book and learn the holocaust tales of sadness and bravery.
This is a simple story, telling a tender story of what so many went through.
72 reviews
June 29, 2022
We must never forget

An unusual perspective about the Holocaust. Very well written. About grandparent s that are willing to share their most inner feelings about what happened to them during this terrible time in history.
Profile Image for Keela Gregg.
16 reviews1 follower
February 4, 2024
Very short but cute little book. More of a children’s story of the Holocaust.
Profile Image for Grady.
Author 51 books1,824 followers
June 1, 2022
A fine book to safely inform young minds about the Holocaust

Israeli author Malka Adler Earned her degrees in educational counseling from Bar Ilan University and serves as a family and couples’ therapist. She is a prolific writer and her books to date include THE POLISH GIRL, THE BROTHERS OF AUSCHWITZ, TOGETHER OUT OF THE NAZI INFERNO, and this novel that shares the Holocaust with children – THE BOY WHO JUMPED OFF THE TRAIN.

While there are many books explaining the Holocaust and the lasting effects on survivors and their descendants, the subject is more difficult to share with children: the ‘never, ever forget, always remember’ aspect of that historic event may be difficult for children to understand, but the importance to remember requires informing them. Malka has achieved that hurdle by relating the Holocaust through the eyes of a child and allows children to enter this important arena of history. Her book is enhanced with illustrations by Jaakov Guterman.

Condensing the story line follows: ‘Itzhak is a young teen in Hungary when the Nazis barge into his home one day and force him and his family to leave everything behind and get on a train to a concentration camp. When Itzhak is separated from his entire family, he is left feeling scared and alone. With no one to talk to and no one to look after him, Itzhak knows that he will have to be strong – and very brave – to survive the war and be reunited with his family. But can he manage to do it on his own?’

An excerpt from the book – as Grandpa relates his Holocaust experience to his grandson – indicates the sensitivity of Malka’s writing: ‘When I was a boy, Hungary was going through bad times. The Nazis got into power in Germany and declared war on other countries, The Germans occupied Hungary, and they threw us, the Jews, out of our homes. They transported us in trains to a concentration camp and there they separated the families. They sent me, papa Israel, and my older siblings, Sarah, Abraham and Dov to work in labor camps in different places. We had to work very hard. Mama Leah and my grandfather and grandmother, together with all the old people, were left in the concentration camp…’ With that degree of cautious explanation, this book informs children of the history in a manner that allows them to absorb without trauma.

The book is well written and provides an exceptionally accessible way to explain the Holocaust to children. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Allison.
41 reviews32 followers
June 2, 2024
Gently written account of such horrific events

Perfectly written in a manner that gently introduces elementary aged children to the Holocaust. Jew and Gentile children alike will learn a true account of one family's experience while seeing the world wide ramifications of the Nazi party's actions.
22 reviews
August 9, 2023
More of an Israelie story

Kind of disjointed. You don't really get a full story about what happened to people, or in their locations. Intellectually you know what happened all over Europe during WWII , but you only get little scraps of stories about these particular persons.
5 reviews
April 10, 2023
Yofii

A great child's book.

Remember and do not forget the 6 million. It would be a sin to forget history
Profile Image for Sierra Winfield.
130 reviews5 followers
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January 18, 2026
I really have no idea how to rate this one and what really to say. It’s a really easy read length wise anyway. The subject of the book is tough and this is the kids version. I honestly think for me personally I’d rather read the adult version but this one is good for kids who are just starting to learn about the Holocaust. However I won’t rate this one because I simply don’t know how too. I prefer more adult version of books like these but this will be good to keep for my sons when they start learning about this time period
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews

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