The Circlemaker

by Maxine Rose Schur

Czar Nicholas's soldiers enter all the Russian villages and seize the Jewish boys for the military, but Mendel, only twelve years old, knows he is too young to fight and makes a desperate attempt to reach the border in order to flee to safety. Reprint.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Jewish

Paperback

First published February 1, 1994

About the author

I am an author of several award-winning children’s books and I also teach children’s book writing. As recipient of the Sugarman Award given by the Washington Independent Writer’s Legal and Educational Fund, I was appointed the Guest Lecturer on Writing for Children to the Humanities faculty at Case Western Reserve University.

I have twice won the Sydney Taylor Award for the most outstanding contribution to Jewish Children’s literature. Also, I have worked full-time as a children’s writer for Addison-Wesley and wrote children’s fiction and non-fiction for Hampton Brown, Scholastic, Houghton-Mifflin, Harcourt Brace, The American Girl’s Collection, Heinemann, Radio New Zealand and the BBC.

This year I have two new children’s books coming out. The first is The Word Dancer, a middle grade fantasy novel that both explores and celebrates the power of words. The second one, Brave with Beauty, is an advanced picture book about Queen Goharshad who some historians now believe was the most powerful woman in world history. In the 14th century she reigned from her throne in Herat in what is now Afghanistan and sponsored a spectacular renaissance of science and the arts.

And, by the way, if you love Paris as much as I do, please check out the adventurous tale of a fashion-designing mouse who takes Paris by storm! Marielle in Paris is a fun picture book and a beautifully illustrated homage to Paris.

Reviews

[Ejayen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not perhaps the most intricate and detailed historical fiction ever, but it gets the point across in a fairly memorable way. I learnt some and enjoyed it all.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting story about the plight of the Jews in Russia during the Czar's regime - a good recommendation for middle graders and possibly young adults who need historical fiction. There are some small scenes that are fairly bloody but not too bad. The horrors of the Czar and his military and the resistance is mentioned. Mostly this is about a young religious Jewish boy forced to leave his family and home to avoid conscription and to try to make his way to America.

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of a young Jewish boy named Mendel. He and his family are experiencing cruelty during the reign of a Czar. The officers are being rewarded for recruiting the children. Being the only son, he knew he needed to escape. With final words from his father, he started his journey to see his aunt. With a bit of help from strangers along the way, he still doubted that he made the right decision to cross the border. When the surprise of a map presented itself, Mendel found hope.

This story of war, and escape is perfect for readers who love a good thought-provoking history novel. Parents and teachers can discuss the rule of a Czar and the culture and integrity of Jewish people.

[Phoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am definitely not the target demographic for this book but I still enjoyed it. Overall I enjoy Schur's writing style and I think younger readers could definitely latch onto this tale. I think it ends a little too soon for my liking, but that ambiguity could open opportunities for discussion as to what readers think happens next. Very charming read.

[Keri McWhorter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maxine has a remarkable gift for bringing stories to life. I love how she weaves historical facts into her storytelling, making history both engaging and educational.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed from the South Pasadena library.

[Melody Geiseman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story about the hard times Russian Jews had under Nicholas l.