Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Unforgettable story of coming of age during the Holocaust.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
When THE BLOOD YEARS begins in 1939, 13-year-old Fredericke "Rieke" Teitler, her 17-year-old sister, Astra, and their mother have moved in with Opa, Rieke's beloved grandfather, after Rieke's father left the family. But there's little peace to be found there, as Rieke's mother's emotionally unstable and Astra is prone to rages and often treats Reike unkindly. Life in Czernowitz (in then-Romania) can be perilous for Jewish families like Rieke's, as there's widespread antisemitism. When the Russians arrive in 1940, the family hopes that life will improve for Jews, but that quickly fades as merchants like Opa are targeted. After the Russians are pushed out by the German army, the worst fears of the city's Jews become a reality. They can be shot on sight for not wearing a yellow star, are forced to leave their homes and crowd into a small section of the city, and face a constant threat of being killed or rounded up and put on transport trains. Reike and her family keep moving, trying to find a safe place to stay. She becomes ill and all of them are starving. Then the Russians return and the family must decide -- should they stay or leave Czernowitz forever?
Is It Any Good?
Above all, this is a novel about family and how, despite their many differences and conflicts, they protected and supported each other in the darkest of times. The Blood Years is also a coming of age story and Rieke's determination to define herself and her future despite many traumas will inspire any reader. Elana K. Arnold's detailed research weaved in with her own family history, combined with memorable, realistic characters, make this novel a unique and moving reading experience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the courage and perseverance shown by Rieke and her family in The Blood Years. How did you feel about Opa's insistence that even in the most perilous of times, people should behave with compassion and generosity toward their neighbors? Was he right or was he being naive?
Several times in the story, the family has to choose whether to stay in Czernowitz or leave. Do you think they made the right decision? What would you have done?
What lessons for our present and our future can we learn from studying the Holocaust?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Topics : Friendship , History
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Balzer + Bray
- Publication date : October 10, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 390
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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