This is a child-focused historical account of persecution, concealment and courage during the Holocaust. Its central contrast is between a community’s ridicule of Anton and his decision to protect Jewish neighbours at great personal risk.
More about this book
Milek and his brother, Munio, live in a sleepy village in Poland, where nothing exciting seems to happen. They have a kind and gentle neighbour named Anton, but the people of the village laugh at Anton and call him the village fool because he talks to animals and only eats vegetables. When the war brings Nazi soldiers to town, life changes. The Nazis begin rounding up Jewish boys like Milek and Munio. Anton worries about them and comes up with a plan to hide the whole family in his own home, putting his life at risk without a thought. Based on a true story. The back of the book outlines what happened to Anton and the others after the war, and includes photographs. Anton was honoured both by Poland and by the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, where he was named one of the Righteous Among the Nations.
community attitudesdifferenceacceptanceantisemitismwarforced removalriskcompassionhumanitarian action
Non-fictionPicture book
◎
Themes in Context
Prejudice and social judgement
Anton is mocked and labelled the village fool because he talks to animals and eats only vegetables.CriticalCritical: the book challenges or disapproves of this theme.Critical: the book challenges or disapproves of this theme.
How the book presents it: The ridicule is set against Anton’s kindness and later courage, inviting readers to question quick judgements about difference.
Talk about: How might the villagers’ view of Anton change, and what does the book suggest about judging someone by unusual behaviour?
Holocaust persecution
Nazi soldiers round up Jewish boys, while Jewish people are forced from their homes and may be separated from family members.Strongly criticalStrongly critical: the book clearly condemns this theme.Strongly critical: the book clearly condemns this theme.
How the book presents it: The book treats this strongly critically.
Talk about: What might the book help readers understand about how discrimination can become organised persecution?
Protective courage
Anton hides the whole family in his home and risks his life to protect them.FavourableFavourable: the book presents this theme approvingly or positively.Favourable: the book presents this theme approvingly or positively.
How the book presents it: His decision is framed as selfless protection and later remembrance honours him for saving people during the Holocaust.
Talk about: If someone chooses to help while afraid, what kinds of courage might that involve?
✦
Why It May Be Worth Reading
The book offers an accessible starting point for discussing how prejudice can affect both individuals and communities, while its photographs and post-war account connect the narrated events with historical remembrance.
!
What Deserves Attention
The wartime setting includes Nazi round-ups of Jewish boys, hiding, fear, deprivation, terror and loss. Illustrations are described as shadowed and ominous, so the emotional weight may extend beyond the straightforward wording.
↔
A Conversation Worth Having
How does the book invite readers to think about people who are treated as outsiders, and whether courage requires certainty? What might the photographs add to your understanding of the people involved?
◇
Reading Approach
Read together if possible, pausing to name feelings without demanding a response. Before the photographs and post-war account, explain that the ending moves from the narrated events into further historical information.
Confidence & Basis
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
What remains unconfirmed
Prejudice and social judgement: The full range of villagers’ motives and later reactions is not established.
Holocaust persecution: The extent and detail of the historical events shown in the main narrative are not established.
Protective courage: The book’s full treatment of Anton’s thoughts, alternatives and consequences remains unclear.
Book information
Limited information
Relevant to: Prejudice and social judgement; Holocaust persecution; Protective courage
Suitabook