TEREZÍN

During World War II, a Czechoslovakian town named for an empress of the Austro-Hungarian Empire became a Nazi ghetto renamed Theresienstadt. It was planned to deceive the outside world, particularly the Red Cross, by appearing as a model village. In this cogently designed book, Thomson provides a concise history of the German war against European Jewry and Theresienstadt’s special place therein. What set this town apart was the large number of gifted artists and writers, both adults and children, who were imprisoned there and who left a poignant legacy of writings, drawings and music. Historical exposition, diary excerpts and visual materials are placed side by side to make a compelling narrative. Period photographs, color photographs of the town as it stands today and such archival illustrations as reproductions of menus, identity cards and theater tickets and posters provide a close-up portrait of daily life. Death may have prevailed through disease and transports to concentration camps, but a life-affirming spirit survives. An excellent and accessible title that is an informative companion to Brundibar, by Tony Kushner and Maurice Sendak (2003), and The Cat with the Yellow Star, by Susan Goldman Rubin with Ela Weissberger (2006). (timeline, glossary, source notes, index) (Nonfiction. 10 & up)