The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews During the Holocaust

Title: The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews During the Holocaust

Author: Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland DeSaix

Illustrator: Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland DeSaix

Peach’s Picks Rating:
  



Year of publication: 2009

City of publication: New York

Publisher: Holiday House

ISBN: 9780823421596

Author website: http://www.hiddenonthemountain.com/bio.htm

Illustrator website: http://www.hiddenonthemountain.com/bio.htm

Media used for illustrations: Oil paint applied with brushes, paper towels, and fingers

Annotation: The Grand Mosque of Paris was used as a hiding place and escape route for Jews and others during the Nazi occupation. The Muslim Arab community united to aid those in danger.

Personal reaction to the book: This is a timely work of nonfiction that could be used effectively when discussing the current strained relations between Muslim Arabs and Jews. It tells the story of North African Muslim Arabs sheltering and helping Jews and others during the Holocaust. I found the story riveting and was interested to learn about the Grand Mosque and the aid extended. The authors have done an excellent job researching and verifying information. The investigation proved difficult; since the operations were clandestine, few written records were kept, and people directly involved have passed away. Readers unfamiliar with mosques will learn that they are not only a place of worship but cultural centers providing information and education, as well as other social services. Extensive notes, references, and an index are provided at the conclusion. A glossary is also included, but it lacks a pronunciation guide. Readers unfamiliar with the pronunciation of Arabic names and words may find the book awkward to read aloud. While reading the book aloud to students, I strive to correctly pronounce names and words. I appreciate a phonetic pronunciation guide for words outside the English language, especially in a book designed to be read aloud. The full-color oil paintings are attractive and keep the reader’s interest, but do not extend the text. Some of the text is difficult to read because it is printed over illustrations, e.g., page 8, where the text is printed on a blue cloudy sky. The pages are numbered which is uncommon in a picturebook, but helpful. While the book is text heavy, the information is interesting and pertinent, providing many discussion points. It reads aloud well. Illustrations can be seen by a group of students.  I recommend it for use with grades 4-8 when studying persecution or the Holocaust. Four stars are given because the illustrations do not extend the text.

General curricular connections:

• History / World War II, France, Holocaust
• Muslim Arab-Jewish relations
• Persecution
• Use in conjunction with the books Hidden on the Mountain: Stories of Children Sheltered from the Nazis in Le Chambon by Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland Desaix; Number the Stars by Lois Lowry; The Yellow Star by Carmen Agra Deedy

Specific example of curricular connection matched to State Standards:
Subject: History

Grade level: 10

Standards:

History-Social Science Content Standards for California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve

Grade 10

World History, Culture, and Geography: The Modern World

10.8 Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II.

5. Analyze the Nazi policy of pursuing racial purity, especially against the European Jews; its transformation into the Final Solution; and the Holocaust that resulted in the murder of six million Jewish civilians.

Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends the book for grades 4-6

Booklist recommends the book for grades 3-6

Peach’s Picks recommends the book for grades 4 and up

Awards/Recognitions:

Library Media Connection starred review
ALA Notable Best Books, 2010

Metaphor: Page 5, “During the war, fear, hunger, and loss became everyday companions.”

Metaphor: Page 11, “The man at the heart of the mosque was its rector…”

Simile: Page 8, “The Grand Mosque shimmered like a mirage…”

Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.holidayhouse.com/title_display.php?ISBN=9780823423040