Review of Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz

A True Story Retold

I would like to thank Netgalley and Scholastic Press for the opportunity to read the book for an honest review.

Prisoner B-3087 is the true story of Jacob Gruener or "Yanek Gruener" (only told with creative license by Alan Gratz) who survived 10 concentration camps during World War II.

The story is what a young Yanek Gruener goes through when Poland is invaded by Germany in the 1930's. The story is told well by Mr. Alan Gratz, with heart-wrenching details of how Yanek is torn apart from his family and learns to survive through horrible conditions that were put upon him and so many millions of Jews during that period in time. I had the pleasure and privilege of hearing a Holocaust survivor tell her story to us in high school when I was a sophomore, everything she told us about came rushing back to me when I read this book. The little joys and precious moments that both survivors, Mr. Gruener and Mrs. Rose Eliot lived in the face of atrocities are the hope that they held onto to survive.I cried during her speech and I cried when I read this book. It is raw and real, no holds barred about the cruelty and harshness of their treatment at all the camps. I just wish that Mr. Gruener had allowed his tale to be told frankly without the creative license. It is a good read for high schoolers but not sure for middle schoolers. The cover is haunting.

Rating 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Side Note: I want to take a moment and honor the memory of Mrs. Rose Eliot who came to my high school and told us of her life before, during, and after the camps and war. May she rest in peace. Gone but never forgotten.