The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
In the early 1940s, Auschwitz, the biggest concentration camp of World War Two began to process Jews, criminals, political protesters and enemies of the Nazi regime. In such a horrible place, especially one which embodies such evils, it seems that it would be hard for love to flourish…
While making their way through parts of Europe, the Nazis demanded that each family give one person over the age of 18 to work for the German Army. Heroically, Lale Sokolov decided that he would work for the Nazis if it meant his family would be safe.
After being packed into a train carriage with countless other Jews, Lale spends days straight without any water or food, being herded around, not knowing final destination. Sometimes he can see through gaps in the train and see fields or towns as they travel by. Eventually their train comes to a final halt and Lale, along with everyone else, is forced off the train. Lale is processed and a number – 32407 – is brutally tattooed onto his forearm.
Lale is in Auschwitz, a concentration camp ran by Nazis. He’s quickly learnt to do everything he is told. Those who don’t learn quickly meet a quick demise… Lale eventually gets a job as a tetovierer (tattooist). It is his job to tattoo numbers onto ‘prisoners’ arms.
One day, while etching numbers onto the skin of new prisoners, he comes across Gita Furman. He immediately falls in love… In Auschwitz, undoubtedly one of the cruelest and most inhumane places to ever exist, Lale has founded love. Sill though, he and everyone else in the camp must continue to struggle and fight for life and maybe one day, if they’re lucky, they’ll be free…
AGE RATING: 13+
TEEN RATING: 4.1/5
TEEN OVERVIEW: Although often harrowing, the novel is a beautiful story based on the true life of Lale Skolov, ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’. Heather Morris creates an all to real tale of the horrors of the concentration camps and how a resilient person seemingly defied their situation and found love. Fans of Schindler’s List and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas need to read The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
