Jars of Hope: How One Woman Helped Save 2,500 Children During the Holocaust

by Jennifer Roy, Megan Owenson (Illustrator)

Overview

Amid the horrors of World War II, Irena Sendler was an unlikely and unsung hero. While many people lived in fear of the Nazis, Irena defied them, even though it could have meant her life. She kept records of the children she helped smuggle away from the Nazis’ grasp, and when she feared her work might be discovered, she buried her lists in jars, hoping to someday recover them and reunite children with their parents. This gripping true story of a woman who took it upon herself to help save 2,500 children from the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust is not only inspirational; it's unforgettable.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623704254
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	08/01/2015
Series:	Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books Series
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

Jennifer Roy is the author of the modern classic Yellow Star, the true story of her aunt’s survival during the Holocaust; the award-winning Mindblind about a teen with Asperger’s Syndrome; and the best-selling Trading Faces series co-authored with her twin sister, Julia DeVillers. Jennifer and her family currently reside in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Meg Owenson is an Illustrator and concept artist who works from her small seaside studio in Scarborough, UK. Since graduating with a degree in fine art she has worked on everything from computer games and film to books and apparel.

Interviews

1. nonfiction narratives that bring stories to life 2. social studies in story form 3. rich supplemental materials that support the text, including glossary, bibliography, recipes, Common Core tools, and more

Editorial Reviews

07/20/2015
Structuring her story as eight vignettes, Roy recounts how Irena Sendler helped transport thousands of Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto. The bulk of the story takes place between 1940 and 1944 as Sendler joins Zegota, a Polish Resistance organization, and smuggles children into orphanages, convents, and foster homes, eventually being imprisoned by Nazis herself. Roy includes source notes for a few quotations, but most of the dialogue appears to be invented. Paintlike smudges soften Owenson’s digital illustrations, which strike some off notes (a cartoonish fox dashes in front of Sendler while she hides in a zoo). Even so, text and art convey a strong sense of the poor conditions within the ghetto, as well as the dangers faced by Jews and those who tried to help them during WWII. Ages 9–12. Author’s agent: Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Trident Media Group. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

09/01/2015
Gr 3–6—Roy tells the story of Irena Sendler, a Polish nurse and social worker who saved many Jewish children during World War II. Sendler took the advice her father once gave her to heart ("If you see someone drowning…you must jump in and save them, whether you can swim or not") when she smuggled food, medicine, and supplies to Polish Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto and helped get Jewish children out. Sendler kept meticulous records of each of the 2,500 children she saved. She buried the lists in jars in her friend's backyard in the hope that the children could be reunited with their parents after the war. Though she was arrested and tortured by the Gestapo, she refused to reveal any information. Readers learn from the afterword that Sendler survived the war and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize but that she never considered herself a hero, merely someone doing the right thing. Roy's text is enhanced by the somber, expressive illustrations, created digitally and traditionally drawn. Back matter is included, but readers will need to be familiar with World War II and Holocaust history to fully understand the risks that Sendler took and the profound impact of her actions. Susan Goldman Rubin's Irena Sendler and the Children of the Warsaw Ghetto (Holiday House) is more detailed and provides more historical context, while Marcia Vaughan's Irena's Jars of Secrets (Lee & Low, both 2011) is another illustrated biography similar in scope and content. VERDICT While effective, Roy's version does not offer anything new or different and isn't an essential purchase for libraries that already own the aforementioned titles.—Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

School Library Journal

2015-05-18
The brave work of Irena Sendler, one of the righteous gentiles of World War II, is succinctly depicted in this new picture book. "There are two kinds of people in this world, good and bad." As a child, wise words from her father gave Irena a guiding principle to live by and prompted the adult Sendler to find ways to save 2,500 innocent Jewish children and babies from the horror of their Holocaust fate. She worked with a network of smugglers and shelters to hide them in carpentry boxes, vegetable sacks, and laundry piles, transporting them to orphanages and the homes of willing Christian foster families, recording the children's names so they could be found later and burying her lists in the titular jars. And when she herself was imprisoned by the Nazis, Zegota, the Polish resistance group, bribed guards to free her so she could continue her important work. Digital and traditional art in opaque dark browns and grays illustrates the sinister period and shadowy existence of these saved children. Roy's chronological narrative concentrates on the period from 1940 to 1944 and stresses Sendler's heroism; it also includes invented scenes and dialogue, marking it as fiction. A sensitive, discussable access point for children learning about Holocaust history. (afterword, author's note, glossary, index, source notes) (Picture book. 8-10)

Kirkus Reviews

This gripping story of a real-life World War II hero who helped to save 2,500 children from near certain death is sure to inspire young readers.

"Telling Her Story: 40 New Books for WomenR A Mighty Girl

...this book teeters between adventure, stark sadness, and daring, “almost-got-caught” moments that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. . . .Although Jars of Hope is a dark and tragic picture book, Ms. Roy’s prose shines with the ultimate triumph of good over evil. Artist Meg Owenson’s illustrations are detailed and precise, and her talent is not hidden despite the fact that the colors must, by necessity, be much darker than those shared in the typical picture book.

New York Journal of Books

Each book in the Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books series follows the life and work of a notable woman in history, framing her story in a way that young readers can understand. . . .Though careful not to take too many liberties with a historical text, these read like fiction and will spark the interest of many young readers. Each installment has a different illustrator, giving them all a unique flavor, and all have some sort of back matter that recaps the facts gleaned from the story. They vary somewhat in audience ranges but this is an interesting concept with an effective, highly visual approach.

Booklist

History is full of stories about women whose love for people they didn’t even know changed hundreds or even thousands of lives. During World War II, Irena Sendler helped save 2,500 Jewish children from the Holocaust. . . .Meg Owenson’s illustrations will make you feel like you are right there beside Irena as she evades the Nazis and rescues children.

"Lacey Recommends" New Moon Girls

A beautiful inspiring story that tugs at the heartstrings and makes me want to read more about this fascinating woman. Grab it for your library and classroom and share it!

YA Book Nerd

This inspiring narrative nonfiction picture book on 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. . . .I love stories like this, true courage in the risk of great danger.

Imagination Soup

The dialogue is fictionalized but based on actual events. The illustrations are grey and brown hues of oil paint signifying this dark and dangerous period in history. Mary Skinner, the Director and Producer of the PBS documentary “Irena Sendler: In the Name of Their Mothers,” was a content consultant. . . .recommended where there is a demand for illustrated biographies on the subject.

Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews

The evocative illustrations, created digitally and traditionally drawn, filling this illustrated biography add depth to this moving story while making it more accessible to young readers.

A Mighty Girl