Review: Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto by Tilar J. Mazzeo

Title: Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto
Author: Tilar J. Mazzeo
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: September 27, 2016

Irena's Children: A True Story of Courage by Tilar J Mazzeo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Irena's Children is the story of a young woman who saved at least 2,500 Jewish children from almost certain death in Warsaw, Poland, during World War II, by putting together a network of people to get these children to safe homes to await the end of the war. She, herself, took great risks to save these children, and suffered torture at the hands of the Nazis, not to mention living in unspeakable conditions as Warsaw was decimated. What is so striking is that Irena Sendler was a young woman who lead an ordinary life as a Polish citizen, and yet, she undertook this heroic effort.

Tilar J. Mazzeo has told Irena's story as well as the stories of many of her friends and those who worked with her, brilliantly, in my opinion. I have always been extremely interested in World War II and the Holocaust, especially. The emotional impact of the crimes perpetrated by the Nazis still staggers me. And it is even more compelling when you consider the number of people killed by the implementation of Hitler's final solution plan.

Note: The edition I read is the hardcover edition, not the edition for young readers, but the links provided here take you to the young readers edition.