Reading Order
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Reading Order
John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2006) is the short novel narrated by Bruno, the nine-year-old son of the new commandant of Auschwitz, who befriends a Jewish boy named Shmuel through the camp fence without understanding what the fence separates. One of the most widely read Holocaust novels for young readers, it is taught in schools across the world. Boyne has been both celebrated for making the Holocaust accessible to young readers and criticized for historical inaccuracies and for its fable-like approach to a historical event.
Where to start
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Complete The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Book List
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
John Boyne·2006·Start here — the complete standalone novel. Boyne has published many other novels for adults and young readers, none of which are sequels.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas — Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas appropriate for children?
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is widely taught in middle schools (ages 11-13) as an introduction to the Holocaust. However, critics have noted that its historical inaccuracies — the premise that a commandant's son would not understand what Auschwitz was, the existence of a section of the camp fence accessible for unsupervised play — make it a fable about the Holocaust rather than an accurate representation. Teachers often pair it with Night by Elie Wiesel or The Diary of a Young Girl to provide historical context.
What should I read next after The Boy in the Striped Pajamas?
Readers continue with Night by Elie Wiesel and The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank for more authentic Holocaust testimony. For readers who want more John Boyne, his novel The Absolutist (2011) deals with conscientious objectors in WWI. For readers who loved the child's-eye perspective on extreme historical circumstances, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry and When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr are strong companions.
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