Upon the Head of a Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1939-1944

Rating:
Summary: Awesome But Sad Book
Review: After many years of using The Diary of Ann Frank, teachers now have a chance to use an equally exciting book by Aranka Seigal, Upon the Head of the Goat. This book describes the trials and tribulations in the life of Piri Davidowitz, a young Hungarian girl of the Jewish faith, during the terrible years of World War II. Piri is unusual in that her grandmother lives in Ukraine, her father is from Czechoslovakia, and her mother is Hungarian. This book allows teachers and students to study the Holocaust and the geography of the region and cover the national standards in geography, history, and language arts. Students will learn about Piri and the hardships she and her family suffer, and they will discover that like many people of the Jewish faith, Piri and her family are sent to a concentration camp. Piri's life slowly desintegrates as Jews receive more and more restrictions with the coming of the Arrow Cross, the Hungarian fascist group, to power in Hungary. As more restrictions come into play, Piri loses friends and family, chances for education, and freedom. Students will enjoy the suspense that is in the novel and will learn a valuable lesson on the Holocaust.

Rating:
Summary: Understanding the Holocaust in the Middle Grades
Review: After many years of using The Diary of Ann Frank, teachers now have a chance to use an equally exciting book by Aranka Seigal, Upon the Head of the Goat. This book describes the trials and tribulations in the life of Piri Davidowitz, a young Hungarian girl of the Jewish faith, during the terrible years of World War II. Piri is unusual in that her grandmother lives in Ukraine, her father is from Czechoslovakia, and her mother is Hungarian. This book allows teachers and students to study the Holocaust and the geography of the region and cover the national standards in geography, history, and language arts. Students will learn about Piri and the hardships she and her family suffer, and they will discover that like many people of the Jewish faith, Piri and her family are sent to a concentration camp. Piri's life slowly desintegrates as Jews receive more and more restrictions with the coming of the Arrow Cross, the Hungarian fascist group, to power in Hungary. As more restrictions come into play, Piri loses friends and family, chances for education, and freedom. Students will enjoy the suspense that is in the novel and will learn a valuable lesson on the Holocaust.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome But Sad Book
Review: I really enjoyed this book. Piri, the main character, is a young girl who lives in Hungary with her family in WWII. Her family consists of her mother, 2 sisters and her brother. Her father is off at war, fighting in favor of the Germans. Piri and her family are Jewish. If you have studied the war you know that the Germans (Nazi) were against Jews and wanted to kill them all. This is a novel about the hardships of Piri and her family.