The Librarian of Auschwitz
- Genre: Fiction; young adult historical
- Originally Published: 2012 (in Spanish), 2017 (English translation)
- Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 940L; grades 9-12; college/adult
- Structure/Length: 32 chapters; approximately 425 pages; approximately 13 hours, 39 minutes on audio
- Protagonist/Central Conflict: The protagonist is Dita Kraus, a 14-year-old girl in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp who takes charge of the few books smuggled in and becomes the “librarian.” The central conflict revolves around Dita's struggle to maintain hope and a semblance of normalcy through books amidst the horrific conditions of the camp.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Graphic descriptions of the Holocaust; violence; death; themes of genocide and racism; profanity; sexual content
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:
- The Power of Books to Give Life Meaning
- Love Is Stronger Than War
- In War, Nothing Is as It Seems
STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:
- Develop an understanding of the social and historical contexts that impact the central conflict of Dita, Fredy, and others including the setting of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during the Holocaust.