Milkweed is about a young boy who grew up during the terrible time of the Holocaust, into a life of stealing and pilfering. When he is accepted into a gang of boys, he is named Misha, and his job continues; until one day everything changes. Bombs rock the town, Jackboots and their marvelous attire march the streets, and winter closes it's grip on the town. When the Jews are forced into a ghetto, he must steal during dangerous conditions to get food. And when disaster strikes, he must learn to survive on his own. This book was both heart- breaking and humorous; it was both terrible and funny to see the world in innocent little Misha's point of view. What really struck me was the ending, to see Misha struggling with his memories of the past. Like all other books on the Holocaust, Milkweed was (and still is) both sad and inspiring.
Milkweed (Random House Reader's Circle)
By Jerry Spinelli
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 7 - 12 | Grades 1 - 8 | Y | 3.6 | 49864 |
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.
Book Reviews (16)
I love this book soo much I recomemd it to older proficient readers and anyone who likes historical books! Just read it once you get to the later chapters you won't put it down!# QIERIDA!đź’‹
i want to read this!
This is another book about the Holocaust. It is about a boy who doesn't remember who he is. He meets a boy named Urie and he takes him in and gave him a name and back story. After a while the boy meets a girl and she is Jewish. She and her family get sent behind Hitlers wall and soon the boy starts stealing food for her. I don't want to say anymore because it will spoil the book so i will leave you to read.
i read this book in my book club. i thought you might want to know some stuff about it to understand the book. it is about the haulocaust. main. hittler and himmler are in it. it is very sad.
Milkweed is a book filled with emotions. I could barely read it without occasionally crying, laughing out loud or getting super angry. It also made a great book report!