Parents' Guide to

Milkweed

By Matt Berman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Disturbing book on Holocaust provokes discussion.

Book Jerry Spinelli Historical Fiction 2003
Milkweed Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 12 parent reviews

tuxracing
tuxracing Adult
October 14, 2021
age 14+

Good read

Im saying in this review that there is too much smoking, because apparently, according to this website, theres no smoking in the book, but this is false, one of the main characters, Ferdi, is known for always having a cig in his mouth, and the orphan boys smoke cigs all the time throughout the book.

This title has:

Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
iiRevieW
iiRevieW Adult
March 8, 2016
age 10+

Good book

I thought this book was good. It wasn't as violent as the other books about the holocaust but it had its moments. Although overall it's worth reading.

This title has:

Educational value
Great role models
See all 12 parent reviews

What's the Story?

He's a boy who has lived on the streets of Warsaw as long as he can remember. He remembers no name, other than Stopthief, no parents, no home. But he's small and quick, so he manages to find enough to eat, and places to sleep -- until the Nazis come.



By then he has a name, Misha, given to him by another street boy. He has also befriended a girl, Janina, who has a family. So when Janina's family is herded into the newly created Jewish ghetto, Misha goes with them. He is able to slip in and out of the ghetto at will, so he brings food for Janina's family, as well as for Dr. Korczak's orphanage. But even for a survivor like Misha, conditions soon become unbearable -- and he must decide where he belongs.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (12 ):
Kids say (74 ):

This well-written book about the Holocaust is worthwhile and valuable. Yet, coming from Jerry Spinelli, it is still somewhat disappointing. He's known for highly original and stylized fiction that packs an emotional wallop. But this straightforward novel keeps the reader at a certain emotional distance, and provides little historical context, either in the story or in any author's notes or even references. Young readers who don't already know about the Holocaust will not find it very informative. The story moves right along, keeping the reader turning the pages, but it somehow doesn't pack a huge emotional punch. Perhaps Spinelli was trying to protect his readers a bit. If so, he's been too successful.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the real-life events that led to the circumstances described in Milkweed. Why were Jewish people singled out by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis? What types of sacrifices would Jewish families have had to make in order to survive during World War II?

  • How does Mischa manages to remain hopeful despite the horrors of the Holocaust happening around him?

  • What other types of people were targeted for imprisonment in Nazi death camps?

Book Details

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