The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Puffin Books
Publication year: 1990
ISBN number: 978-0142401095

Reader’s Annotation
Hannah is tired of her family’s annual Passover gathering, but her wish to leave manifests too literally when she finds herself in Poland in the year 1942. Being transported to a concentration camp is terrifying for everyone, but even more so for the girl from the future who knows exactly what will happen.

Plot Summary
Middle schooler Hannah Stern is more interested in celebrating Easter with candy and friends than attending her family’s Passover Seder, which her mother reminds her is all about remembering. Hannah grudgingly attends, and while participating in the traditional opening of the door for the Prophet Elijah, she is transported through time and space to a country farmhouse. The residents of the house are a brother and sister who insist Hannah is their niece, her name is Chaya, and that she recently recovered from a near-fatal illness that took her parents’ lives. Chaya/Hannah’s Jewish family and friends are taken by the Nazis while waiting to attend a wedding, and with her knowledge of the Holocaust imparted by a family of survivors, Hannah is the only one who knows the horrors they are about to face. Chaya’s memories as modern-day Hannah begin to fade as the days in the concentration camp drag on. She becomes friends with three girls her age, and together the group does their best to remain optimistic and keep themselves alive.

Critical Evaluation
Jane Yolen has achieved something incredible with this novel. The writing style paints a vivid picture in the mind of young readers who might otherwise never be able to picture the horrors of concentration camps. The fantasy aspect of time travel and the main character becoming someone else adds a touch of whimsy to an otherwise dark story, which helps make the book appropriate for a younger audience. The short structure of chapters is easy for readers of all ages to follow and understand.

Author Information
Jane Yolen is an author of children’s books, fantasy, and science fiction, including Owl Moon, The Devil’s Arithmetic, and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

She is also a poet, a teacher of writing and literature, and a reviewer of children’s literature. She has been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop of the twentieth century.

Jane Yolen’s books and stories have won the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, two Christopher Medals, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards, the Golden Kite Award, the Jewish Book Award, the World Fantasy Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Association of Jewish Libraries Award among many others. This website presents information about her over three hundred books for children. It also contains essays, poems, answers to frequently asked questions, a brief biography, her travel schedule, and links to resources for teachers and writers. It is intended for children, teachers, writers, storytellers, and lovers of children’s literature.

Source: http://janeyolen.com/about-site/

Genre
Historical Fiction
Curriculum Ties
Social Studies
World History

Booktalking Ideas
Give a very brief overview of the purpose of concentration camps, then segue into why this is important to modern Jewish culture. Give a brief overview of the beginning of the book and Hannah’s character, emphasizing that she keeps her knowledge of the future while she lives the life of someone from the past. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Amazon: Age 10 and up, grade 5 and up
Publisher’s Weekly: Age 12 and up
School Library Journal: Grades 4-8

Challenging Issues
Murder
PTSD

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
This book has been on my list of personal favorites since I discovered it in fourth grade. It was around this time that my interest in the Holocaust began, and I feel The Devil’s Arithmetic is an excellent introduction to the cruelty and intensity of concentration camps for children and young adults who have never been educated about it. Although the reading level is slightly below the target for young adults, I chose this book for my collection because Yolen tells an engaging story that encourages readers to respect and appreciate their family and its traditions set against the harrowing backdrop of one of Hitler’s concentration camps.