Moving Historical Children’s Books About The Holocaust and World War II

The only way kids can understand World War II (WWII) and the Holocaust is to read historical stories, both fiction and nonfiction stories, that immerse them in the experiences of people who lived through it.

It’s been said before but here is the truth. In order not to repeat the past, we must understand it. We must know. We must remember.

Here are some picture books and chapter books for children about the Holocaust and World War II that will teach them more about this dark period in history.

Picture Books About The Holocaust & World War II

Benno and the Night of Broken Glass by Meg Wiviott, illustrated by Josee Bisaillon
A neighborhood cat observes the changes in both the German and Jewish families in its town during the period leading up to Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, the true beginning of the Holocaust.

The Whispering Town by Jennifer Elvgren
In a small Danish fishing village, a Jewish family must escape in pitch blackness. The townspeople guide the fleeing family with whispers. It’s a simple picture book but gets the message across about how people were escaping and others were kind.

The Cats in Krasinski Square by Karen Hesse, illustrated by Wendy Watson
During World War II, this children’s picture book tells the story of a Jewish girl and her cat friends who trick the Gestapo at a train station in Warsaw.

Stone Angel by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Katie May Green
Set during the Nazi occupation of Paris during World War II, we follow a little girl and her family as they flee for their lives. The Stone Angel in the girl’s building gives her hope and courage.

Six Million Paper Clips by Peter W. Schroeder and Dagmar Schroeder-Hildebrand
School children now days can hardly imagine how many people were murdered during the Holocaust so they decide to collect six million paperclips. This is a popular choice for classrooms to read when learning about WWII.

The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco
Sevrine hides from the Nazis in Monique’s basement until both families are forced to flee from the Nazis during World War II.

Jars of Hope: How One Woman Helped Save 2,500 Children During the Holocaust by Jennifer Roy, illustrated by Meg Swenson
This inspiring narrative nonfiction picture book about World War II honors Irena Sendler, a Polish social worker who helps smuggle babies and children out of the ghetto before they’re sent to the camps. Irene kept lists of the children’s original names and their new names which she buried in jars, hoping that maybe after the war she could reunite families. She risked her life and saved over 2,500 children.

 

Chapter Books About World War II and the Holocaust

Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust by Loic Dauvillier, Greg Salsedo, illustrated by Marc Lizano
ages 6 – 10 (graphic novel)
Now a grandmother, Dounia tells her granddaughter about when she was a young girl and hid from the Nazis with her neighbors. This is a gorgeous historical graphic novel chapter book.

 

When the World Was Ours by Liz Kessler
ages 9 – 12
Inspired by the author’s family history, three friends from Vienna, Leo, Max, and Elsa, can’t imagine the direction their lives will take separating them by war, location, and ideology. Leo and Elsa are Jewish so their path includes ghetto housing, escape for one of them, and prison camp for the other. But, Max is not Jewish and his main goal is to get the approval of his brutal Nazi father. To do so, he gladly pursues Nazi beliefs and actions, despite the nagging voice that reminds him that his friends weren’t “dogs” or less than human. The story’s conclusion weaves together their stories in a heartbreaking, beautiful ending that will leave you with a lot to discuss about humanity, morality, hope, and love.

Survivors of the Holocaust: True Stories of Six Extraordinary Children by Kath Shackleton, illustrated by Zane Whittingham
ages 10+
Holocaust survivor stories like these MUST be told. Because these six children started just like any of the kids reading their stories, they were ordinary kids who experienced the hardest things a child could face…being torn from their homes, separated from family, captured as a prisoner, and/or forced to hide. Graphic storytelling with unique artwork supports the clear, compelling narratives that will stay with you. It’s pretty sad to witness the tragedies in these children’s lives. Powerful, emotional, deeply disturbing that leaves us with a sense of loss, even with their survival. We need more books like this. We must never forget. Buy this book for your classrooms and libraries!

 

 
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
ages 10+
Death narrates the story of Liesel, a girl lives in Munich during the time of Nazi Germany. Through impossibly hard times, she has a burning desire to read. Her first stolen book, which her foster father uses to teach her, is The Gravediggers Handbook. Many people love this powerful story of growing up, friendship, and the human condition. It wasn’t my favorite historical fiction story about World War II — it felt tedious to read, the narrator bothered me, and I didn’t like all the swearing.

 

Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
ages 8 – 12
Without a doubt, this memoir is the most popular and iconic first-person account of the Holocaust, Anne writes about her time in hiding from the Nazis.

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
ages 8 – 12
Maybe Jew or a Gypsy but the main character is definitely a street kid and a thief. He’s taken in by other orphans and wants to belong — perhaps to the Nazis. Until he sees something that will change his mind…

The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett
ages 8 – 12
Tissue alert — this breathtaking historical book is essentially a fable set in Nazi Germany. We follow three Gypsy siblings who have witnessed the capture of their family and friends. While walking and searching for food, they find an abandoned zoo, with talking animals. That’s all I’ll reveal. You NEED to read this beautiful historical story. It will change your life.

Survivors: True Stories of Children in the Holocaust by Allan Zullo
ages 8 – 12
Each of these children’s true stories will inspire readers to learn how these kids all faced the horrors of the Holocaust with courage and bravery.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
ages 8 – 12
Lowry does an excellent job at writing about WWII in a way that isn’t too scary or inappropriate for kids. Annemarie’s best friend hides Annemarie’s Jewish family. The tension is high as the Nazis are everywhere looking for Jews or Jewish sympathizers. It’s challenging to hide knowing that every day you could be caught and sent to a death camp. Finally, the family escapes to Sweden where they will be safe from the Nazis.

 

Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation adapted by Ari Folman, illustrated by David Polonsky
ages 12+
SOOOO good! Initially, I felt skeptical that an adaptation could work but it really does. The diary bits and dialogue are well-balanced into a cohesive story that feels seamless, well-written, and insightful. Anne’s personality really shines through as she sets the historical context and describes her daily life in hiding which isn’t always very exciting but does result in a romance with the boy her age who lives there, too.

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
ages 8 – 12
A wonderful, heartwarming historical fiction story with close-knit siblings who stick together and eventually find their forever home. (If you like the Vanderbeekers, you’ll love this book, too!) Three siblings join the groups of children leaving London during WWII for safety. But in their case, their neglectful grandmother has recently died and they need to find a new home. Unfortunately, their placements are horrid. It’s only the library and the kind librarian who help them survive the bullying and hunger. What’s worse, the librarian is deemed “unsuitable” to be their foster mother since her missing husband is German. However, when things go from bad to worse in their latest home, the children demand to live with the librarian no matter what.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
ages 8 – 12
A Newbery Honor winner!!! Ada and her brother escape their mother’s abuse when the London children are evacuated during WWII and go to live with a grieving woman in a small country town. It’s difficult for both the woman and children to trust each other but slowly the trust grows. As it does, all three regain something lost — hope and love. I can’t recommend this book enough, it will touch your heart at such a deep level. Don’t miss the equally amazing sequel: The War I Finally Won.

Resistance by Jennifer Nielsen
ages 8 – 12
Chaya is a Polish Jew who decides to fight back against the Nazis in honor of her siblings. She becomes part of a resistance group that, among other things, helps smuggle supplies to the ghettos. She’s a determined, flawed young woman who fights for justice all the while knowing she won’t make huge changes but that at least some resistance actions are better than doing nothing.

Soul Lanterns by Shaw Kuzki
ages 8 – 12
An important, multi-layered story of a Japanese girl’s understanding of Hiroshima, grief, family, and the healing power of sharing stories.
When Nozomi’s art teacher, Mr. Yoshioka, leaves the school due to sickness, she and her friends plan a festival in his honor called “Hiroshima: Then and Now.” They interview people close to them about their experiences during the bombing (which they call “the flash”), learning many unknown stories including that Mr. Yoshioka lost his beloved and stills visits her grave. As the kids learn about their family and neighbor’s lives and deaths, their stories impact the way the kids’ view things now and their hope for the future, which they each share artistically in the festival.

Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood
ages 8 – 12

The Watcher by Joan Hiatt Harlow
ages 9 – 12
American-raised Wendy’s Nazi-spy mom takes her to live in Germany during World War II. Wendy doesn’t even speak the language and feels overwhelmed with her mother’s zeal for Hitler. When Wendy starts working at Lebensborn, the place where only Aryan children live — many who were forcibly removed from their parents — she learns from her new friend about standing up for what’s right.

 

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
ages 13+
Deftly written, this is the story of a girl named Henneke who becomes part of the Dutch resistance during WWII. It’s also a coming of age story during the horrific Holocaust time in history.

Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation adapted by Ari Folman, illustrated by David Polonsky ages 12+
What an amazing graphic novel adaptation of Anne’s diary about her hidden time during the Holocaust! The diary bits and dialogue are well-balanced into a cohesive story that feels seamless, well-written, and insightful. Anne’s personality really shines through as she sets the historical context and describes her daily life in hiding which isn’t always very exciting but does result in a romance with the boy her age who lives there, too.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
ages 14+
Frankl talks about his time in the Nazi Concentration Camps. But more than that, he reflects that those who survived did so because they had a purpose (meaning) in their lives. Incredible and thought-provoking. (This isn’t a children’s book but I think it’s appropriate for mature teens.)

Night by Elie Weisel
ages 14+
Elie’s memoir shows the horror of his life at two different Concentration Camps during World War II. It’s short, well-written, and life-changing. (This also isn’t a children’s book but I think it’s appropriate for mature teens.)

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, & Steven Scott, illustrated by Harmony Becker ages 13+
Both history and memoir, this is an important, no, essential story during WWII when the US government declares war on Japan and subsequently all Japanese people, forcing anyone of Japanese descent, including children, into detention camps…George’s family leaves behind a two-bedroom house in Los Angeles, taking only what they can carry. They are transported first to a cramped, smelly horse stable and then to a bare-bones, overcrowded barracks surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards. George and his brother adapt well –mostly because they have amazing parents but this story also shows the reality for the adults in their new, unfair situation. It shows George’s parents’ resiliency and perseverance. When World War II ended, leaving the camps isn’t an easy, happy ending for any of the detained families. As you can imagine, they have nothing– no jobs nor bank accounts and are returning to a world of prejudice.

Desert Diary Japanese American Kids Behind Barbed Wire by Michael O. Tunnel
ages 10+
Essential all libraries, this book takes a deep dive into the Japanese Internment Camps of WWII from the beginning of internments to the aftermath of leaving the camps and starting over. It’s filled with facts, photographs, and artifacts (letters and newspaper articles.)