by Leon Leyson
copyright 2013
Atheneum, New York
ATOS Level: 7.0
Lexile level: 1000
Interest level: Grades 6+
Description
This is a moving memoir of the author's experiences during the Nazi occupation of Poland and later at concentration camps, until he was freed at the end of World War II. His was one of the names on Schindler’s list and he credits his family surviving to Schindler. This somber retelling of actual events will astound the reader with how this boy and his family survive six years of horrific treatment at the hand of the Nazis. It ends on an upbeat as we learn about his life after the war (he emigrated to the United States with his parents and become a well-loved teacher and father). Like many holocaust survivors, Leon Leyson spent many years avoiding talking about this time in his life, but after nearly 50 years of silence he began to speak of his experiences. These talks were the source of this memoir which was published shortly after he died. While other primary sources reveal the heinous history of the Holocaust, Leyson's memoir, though still filled with horrific details, is written in a manner that younger readers can understand.
Qualitative Analysis
Structure
- Leyson's story is retold in simply-constructed sentences, in chronological order.
Language Demands
- The memoir reads as if Mr. Leyson were speaking to us in easily understandable language.
Knowledge Demands
- Background knowledge of the Holocaust is essential before reading this book.
Levels of Meaning
- This memoir will be understood as a primary source on the Holocaust.
Text Complexity
The Boy on the Wooden Box may be read independently by the intended audience as long as there are regular teacher-led discussions to help deal with the harrowing topics.
Curriculum Connections (Social Studies/History)
If you have never taught with primary source materials before, this may be a good first choice. The memoir is a very readable, straight-forward, first-hand account of life under the Nazis. Pre-teach with an introduction to the Holocaust (such as that from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. at https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005143). Then while reading The Boy on the Wooden Box, lead discussions about how information from these sources differ. Why read a primary source? Do you learn anything different? The Holocaust Memorial Museum (resource link below) has a comprehensive website with primary source materials, guidelines for teaching and lesson plans. This could be your main source for finding age-appropriate materials for teaching about the Holocaust.
Related Resources
Teaching About the Holocaust from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
https://www.ushmm.org/educators/teaching-about-the-holocaust/age-appropriateness
Standards (examples for Grades 9-10)
English Language Arts Standards > History/Social Studies
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
English Language Arts > Reading: Informational Text
Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person's life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.
Final Thoughts
As heartbreaking as it is, The Boy in the Wooden Box is must-read for students learning about the Holocaust and a lesson in the value of primary source materials.
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