Senior Maya Thompson is reading “The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas” by John Boyne for her British Literature class.

“It basically follows these two boys, Bruno, whose father just got promoted to a Nazi concentration camp… and the other, Shmuel, who is a Jewish boy in a concentration camp,” Thompson said.

The story centers on a young boy named Bruno who moves from Berlin to Poland and attempts to make friends near the camp where his father works. He meets Shmuel, and the two develop a bond despite being separated by a physical and metaphorical barrier.

John Boyne is an Irish novelist known for writing historical fiction that often explores complex and tragic themes. “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” became his most famous work, eventually being adapted into a well-received film in 2008.

“[I would recommend this book to] any person who likes historical, realistic fiction, anyone who kind of likes to feel different or changed after reading a book. And anyone who’s okay with tragedy, I guess,” Thompson said. 

The book explores the devastating impact of the Holocaust through the eyes of children, highlighting themes of innocence and the physical barriers created by prejudice. It serves as a reminder of how individuals are affected by the tragic history of World War II.