Run, Boy, Run

Title: Run, Boy, Run
Author: Uri Orlev
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books
Year of Publication: 2003
Reader's Rating: 3.5

In a Nutshell: Srulik Frydman is a young Jewish boy living in the streets of Poland, in the Warsaw ghetto, to be exact. His father was nowhere to be seen, along with his brothers and sisters. On a plan to escape the ghetto, his mother suddenly disappears, leaving him alone in the world to care for himself. He sets off and, miraculously and accidentally, runs into his father.

Excerpt: "Srulik, there's no time. I want you to remember what I'm going to tell you. You have to stay alive. You have to! Get someone to teach you how to act like a Christian, how to cross yourself and pray... The most important thing, Srulik," he said, talking fast, "is to forget your name. Wipe it from your memory... But even if you forget everything---even if you forget me and Mama---never forget that you're a Jew."

And so Srulik Frydman becomes Jurek Staniak, a blond Gentile Pole. Remembering his father's words, he soon finds himself joining a gang, living in the forest, and even working from farm to farm, posing as a Gentile---anything to stay alive. Follow Srulik on his journeys and adventures as he keeps one step ahead of the Nazis, trying to survive.

The Good Stuff: It was an absorbing read. I couldn't put the book down. This book is full of suspense and action.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: Run, Boy, Run was filed in the Young Adult section, and for a good reason. This isn't one of those books you could read to ten-year-old's. A lot of scenes are described violently, and because only Jews were circumcised at that time, there are some mentions about male anatomy and stuff that isn't for young children. A lot of WWII books also usually contain swear words and this was one of those books. :((

Reader's Say: I liked this book (only the not-so-good stuff were really a turn-off). It was kind of a horrifyingly awesome story and, as you know, I love World War II books, so it was really nice. It went third in my favorite WWII books, with Behind the Secret Window as second and Number the Stars as first. All in all, it was a good read (it's just really those not-so-good stuff that bother me!)