The Holocaust: The Origins, Events, and Remarkable Tales of Survival

by Philip Steele

During World War II, six million Jewish men, women, and children lost their lives under the Nazis, in one of the darkest events of modern history. The The Origins, Events, and Remarkable Tales of Survival is a thought-provoking new book that explores the circumstances that led to the Holocaust, examines what life was like in concentration camps, and retells incredible stories of heroism in a sensitive and accessible way for a young audience.

Featuring full-color illustrations, historical photographs, and maps and charts, this large format book is perfect for parents and teachers who want to introduce this subject to young readers. Eyewitness accounts and real-life stories of loss, courage, and survival bring a humanity and immediacy to the facts and images, making The Holocaust a compelling and invaluable read for a new generation.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Holocaust

96 pages, Hardcover

Published September 13, 2016

About the author

Philip Steele was born in Dorking, Surrey, England. He attended University College, Durham, where he studied modern languages. In the 1970s he worked as an editor for various publishers, including Hodder and Hamlyn. In 1980 he moved to the Isle of Anglesey, in North Wales, where he now lives. He has written on a wide range of topics, especially in the fields of history, junior biography, peoples, and cultures.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and comprehensive insight into the Holocaust and its atrocities, though it lacked some essential details.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this is a children's book, I HIGHLY recommend that EVERYONE read this book! It is that well done!

Everything is in color. There are maps, photos, copies of primary records, and more! Information is organized and displayed in an easy to understand format. If I didn't know better, I would think this book was produced by DK.

Things that I enjoyed learning a bit more about: Kindertransport, the refugee situation, Israel, and the memorials that have been erected.

On my bucket list: a trip to Auschwitz.

A great piece of literature to remember an event that never should have taken place.

A MUST READ!

[Pamela Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate to give a book about the Holocaust 5 stars because of the subject matter, but this one is very well done. It explains the origins in European history and takes the reader through the basics of the rise of Hitler, World War II, and then the aftermath as the world became aware of just how bad things were. The book is simple enough for upper elementary, but has enough information for older students and adults as well.

[Sue Seligman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent middle grade book depicting the history of the Holocaust. The author uses photographs, paintings, and extensive vocabulary and explanations to introduce upper elementary and middle school aged children to the background and events of the Holocaust. Many of the photographs can be seen at Holocaust museums around the world. Highly recommend this book to be used as a reference when teaching Holocaust units in the classroom.

[Tina Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book about the Holocaust for grades 5 to 7. A reminder of a time and philosophy that must never happen again. Unfortunately it does still happen. With the continuing struggle in almost every country, one group proclaiming that they are the best and those that aren't aren't worth living. More people need to read and understand that this line can be crossed so easily

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steele does a wonderful job tackling this horrendous period in history. The frank text is accompanied with quotes, photos, and images that reveal this unfathomable period in history. Back matter holds: Glossary, Index, Photo Credits.

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous, well-informed overview of a horrific time in History. Images that have impact & snap shots of well-written research which provide a clear viewpoint & a good starting place for further research. A must for school libraries.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up wanting a brief refresher course on the events leading up, having recently read a couple of fiction novels from the time period.

This is a good overview for kids, but I’ll have to read something of deeper detail for myself.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and educational.

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parts of this book have very disturbing images;

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an informative and thought provoking book. It includes a glossary to help readers understand important terms.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for work, with no obligation to leave a personal review.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

The Holocaust is one of the most important events to remember in our history, if a difficult one, so it was welcome to see an easily accessible format that younger readers could pick up. This book mostly has shorter bursts of text with lots of maps, photos, charts, and illustrations. Obviously the details of the Holocaust are grim--it's the Holocaust--but I thought Steele did a good job balancing telling the truth of what happened, without making it so graphic that a younger reader would not be able to handle it. I also thought he did a fairly good job trying to maintain a fairly balanced, neutral stance on several contentious topics, like Zionism.

This took me longer to get through than I expected, partially because of the heavy subject matter and partially because I went on vacation the day after I started it, but I admired it nonetheless.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If all history books were written and layed out like this one, more kids read them. I have several students who are intrigued by this period in our history, and I think this will be an excellent addition to our library.

[Kimmie]

Interesting start to get young ones to study more in-depth of the atrocities of the Holocaust. It brought tears to my eyes to think of humans treating other humans in these ways. It wasn't so long ago either.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reviewed for professional publication.

[Hali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quick read for students who are unfamiliar or would like to learn more about the Holocaust. There were even a few bits of information that was new to me as an educator as well.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Wonderful, oversized design and layout. Succinct and factual and told in a manner in which a school-age child can understand and handle.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe a little too textbook-like, but a good overview.

[Chloe Kennedy]

I really likes this book because, the Holocaust is something that a lot of people like to read. Also this book is really interesting because of the marks and the concentration camps. I like the part about Anne Frank, I think it is really cool that she wrote a diary.