Gideon

by Chester Aaron

2009 Moonbeam Book Award Silver Medalist “The important thing, Gideon, is to survive. In any way at any cost, survive. By surviving you can not only fight back, you can carry the story of what is happening in this ghetto. You are of no use to our people dead.” The words of his father ring in Gideon’s ears. They haunt him on the Nazi-patrolled streets of the Warsaw Ghetto where he and his family are trapped; on the Aryan side, “cleansed of Jews,” where he and a ruthless gang of smugglers form an uneasy alliance; and finally at Treblinka, a concentration camp where every day is a brutal nightmare of vanishing hope and systematic death. Gideon must bury his identity, his religion, and every emotion he possesses to simply stay alive. “Survive, Gideon.” But can he?

Genres: Historical Fiction

190 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1982

About the author

Chester Aaron was a prolific American author for both children and adults, and wrote novels, stories, and memoirs. Born in 1923 in the coal-mining town of Butler, Pennsylvania, he was educated at Butler Senior High School, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and San Francisco State University. He saw combat in World War II, and was with the troops that liberated Dachau. Following publication of his first novel in 1967, he was an x-ray technician at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, CA. He joined the faculty at Saint Mary’s College, retiring as a full professor in 1997. For twenty-five years he cultivated ninety varieties of exotic garlic on his farm in Sonoma County, becoming a world-renowned expert, and publishing a number of books on the subject. He died in 2019.

Reviews

[Books Kids Like · Rating 3 out of 5]

A street-wise Jewish boy struggles to stay alive even though it may cost him his identity and religion. Confined to the Warsaw ghetto since his thirteenth year, Gideon uses his Aryan features and his sharp wits to survive. He sneaks out of the ghetto and joins a gang of Gentile thieves. He brings much-needed food, supplies, and money back to the poor starving Jews. In retaliation, the Nazis shoot Gideon’s father and take the rest of his family to the gas chambers. His father’s admonishment to survive rings in his soul as he joins the Jewish Fighting Organization in their final fight against the soldiers, tanks, and artillery.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Alycia Boyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that follows a young boy who must hide who he is in the turbulent times of the holocaust. This book is great for showing a chlid's perspective in sch a large historical event. This book would be a great tool to show how someone their age went through the holocaust.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the Warsaw ghetto a young boy, Gideon, hides his identity to survive on the streets and in the concentration camp. This is a good novel and good for discussion with young people. Gideon uses any means to an end and the novel is sometimes graphic but well done.