Illustrator: William Low
Peach’s Picks Rating:
Year of publication: 2006
City of publication: New York
Publisher: Philomel Books
ISBN: 0-399-23483-7
Author website: No website available
Illustrator website: http://www.williamlow.com/
Media used for illustrations: Mixed media; the author discusses his creative process and provides a video at http://www.williamlow.com/process/
Annotation: A friendship develops between Max, a Jewish boy, and Willie, a Gentile, in Antwerp, Belgium during World War II. The friendship lasts a lifetime even though the boys are separated by the war.
Personal reaction to the book: This is a heartwarming story of friendship with a bittersweet ending. Willy, a shy Gentile boy, living in Antwerp, Belgium during World War II becomes friends with Max, a shy Jewish boy, the same age. Willy’s father owns an antique shop where he displays a striking portrait of a woman. Max’s father is drawn to the portrait and comes into the shop to purchase it. While the transaction happens, Willy and Max become friendly and engage in a game of hide-and-seek in the shop’s basement. Their friendship grows as does the threat of war. One day while playing in the park, Willy and Max have their picture taken. They smile into the camera with arms draped around each other. Danger to Jews is imminent. Max and his father must flee the city. Late one night they knock on Willy’s parents’ door explaining that they must leave Antwerp. The painting of the lady is returned to Willy’s father for safekeeping. Willy hides the painting in the statue of an angel. Unbeknownst to him, the photo of the two boys is tucked in with the painting. Shortly after, Nazi soldiers come to the antique shop looking for the painting. They do not find it, but one soldier admires the angel and takes it. Willy never sees his friend again, but often thinks of Max through the years. Willy does not see the painting again until, as an elderly man, a museum curator contacts him. She has the painting and has located him through the picture of two boys. At Willy’s urging she searches for Max. She finds that Max has died, but has family nearby. Willy is reunited with Max’s son and his family and gives the portrait of the woman to Max’s family. The story is fiction, but is told so convincingly that I searched for footnotes about the factual back story. The text flows smoothly. It reads aloud well and has a balanced blend of dialogue and narration. However, the text set in Calson Antique can be difficult to make out. An author’s note is included that addresses issues surrounding the provenance of artwork stolen by Nazis. The illustrations are full two-page spreads. They appear to be highly textured oil paintings, however, at the illustrator’s website he reveals his creative process saying he uses oil paints and computer generated artwork. The color palette uses somber using earth tones. Reds and yellows are used as accents and emphasize content, for example; pages 1-2 the painting is introduced to the viewer displayed within a rich red window frame.
General curricular connections:
- Holocaust
- Friendship
Specific example of curricular connection matched to State Standards:
Subject: History
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 civiliansRecommended grade levels:
School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 3-6
Booklist recommends this book for use with grades 2-4
Peach’s Picks recommends this book for use with grades 3 and up
Awards/Recognitions:
California Young Reader Medal Nominee, 2010
Allusion: Page 21; “…Max wore a little yellow star on his coat.” This alludes to the yellow Star of David that Nazis required Jews to wear as identification.
Repetition: “Friends forever” found on pages 11, 23, 32
Repetition: “as precious as friends” found on pages 2, 24, 36
Repetition: Willy is included at erev Shabbos (Sabbath dinner) with Max’s family on pages 13-14 and 35-36
Symbolism: The angel is chosen as the hiding place for the painting. The angel symbolizes safety.
Simile: Page 26; “The officer’s voice was like ice.”
Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.williamlow.com/william-low-books/
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