TREE OF LIFE: HOW A HOLOCAUST SAPLING INSPIRED THE WORLD

THE TREE OF LIFE by Elisa Boxer. Illustrated by Alianna Rozentsveig

This amazing story is one of my TOP PICKS for the year!

Located in Czechoslovakia during WWII was a prison camp for the Jews called Terezin. Terezin was a propaganda camp which means it was established as a pseudo camp for the Red Cross to investigate the treatment and conditions of the Jewish prisoners by the Nazis. Once the investigation was over, the majority of the prisoners were shipped to Auschwitz and put to death.

The Tree of Life is the true story of a teacher who lived in Terezin and risked her life to have a small sapling snuck in to the camp. This small sapling brought hope to the prisoners, and they each willingly sacrificed a few drops from their very limited water supply to keep the young tree alive. Born from that tree are 600 saplings spread around the world to remind us of the prisoners from Terezin and to give us hope.

HEADS UP- This picture book is not going to be for a sensitive or a young child. While the book does not go into detail, it is very clear that a group of people is being mistreated and held against their will.