Milkweed

Jerry Spinelli

Sep 2003 · Sold by Knopf Books for Young Readers

About this ebook

A stunning novel of the Holocaust from Newbery Medalist, Jerry Spinelli. And don't miss the author's highly anticipated new novel, Dead Wednesday!

He's a boy called Jew. Gypsy. Stopthief. Filthy son of Abraham.

He's a boy who lives in the streets of Warsaw. He's a boy who steals food for himself, and the other orphans. He's a boy who believes in bread, and mothers, and angels.

He's a boy who wants to be a Nazi, with tall, shiny jackboots of his own-until the day that suddenly makes him change his mind.

And when the trains come to empty the Jews from the ghetto of the damned, he's a boy who realizes it's safest of all to be nobody.

Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli takes us to one of the most devastating settings imaginable-Nazi-occupied Warsaw during World War II-and tells a tale of heartbreak, hope, and survival through the bright eyes of a young Holocaust orphan.

Ratings and reviews

My 11-year old son loves all things Jerry Spinelli. This is the first book he and I have read together, though, that brought both of us to tears. The story of life in the Warsaw ghetto told through the ever-innocent eyes of Misha is one of the most powerful accounts of systematic oppression and violence I have ever read. One of my favorite things about the book is Misha's relationships with the adults in his life. These relationships progress from indulgence of his whims and innocence, to reliance on his resilience for their very survival. As Misha's surroundings grow ever more horrific, and as he adapts to the new realities of life in the Jewish Ghetto, readers experience the inexorable degradation of the lives and dignity of the residents of the Ghetto. Misha's response to his new reality is at the heart of the book. Adult readers will appreciate the challenges of the grownups in the Ghetto, and young readers will enjoy Misha's adventures, even if they don't exactly know the history behind the Warsaw Ghetto. The War is a peripheral character in Milkweed, as odd as that may sound. Readers are exposed to the War through Misha's eyes, and through his limited understanding of and interest in world events. I found myself stopping occasionally to explain events to my son that Misha would have no understanding of as we read Milkweed. To me, that is one of the most effective narrative decisions that Spinelli made in the book. Readers understand exactly as much as Misha understands, letting his innocence and his big heart be their guide to the Ghetto. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is a conversation-starter, and one that my son and I still rehash together.

Through many years of reviewing Holocaust material, I have read plenty of books that are filled with facts about these rough times and that give graphic details leaving you often sad or disgusted. Milkweed is the exception to the rest of the books that I have read about this topic. It makes you realize how some people may have thought during the sad times of the Holocaust. This little boy just wants to have a good time and live his life with fulfillment. The book has helped me see that I can have fun in even the most dreadful times. Such a great book with an epic ending that puts it all together. One of the top three books that I have ever read.

the book is called milkweed. I read this book wheni was in eighth grade with my reading teacher.I thought the book was interesting because it tells you how voilent people were against the jews.Iwould recommend this book to who ever loves violence or just like to read about how things were back in the day. it all started out with the nazis hating the jews so much that they got the army to go in to all the jewish homes and take the parents and the children out of there town. the nazis tookthem to a place were there was no shade and there was no water or food. after a couple of dats the jews started getting sick and people were running out of medication and they was starving so much that they would jump the tall fence and stole food from other people because they were hungry. one night the nazis cought him walking down the street and hung him because he was jewish and they put a sign on him saying this is what i get for trying to still food for my family. at that time there was a little boy in the mans home eating peaches.

About the author

JERRY SPINELLI is the author of many novels for young readers, including Dead Wednesday, The Warden's Daughter; Stargirl; Love, Stargirl; Milkweed; Crash; Wringer; and Maniac Magee, winner of the Newbery Medal; along with Knots in My Yo-Yo String, the autobiography of his childhood. A graduate of Gettysburg College, he lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, poet and author Eileen Spinelli.