The Librarian of Auschwitz

I think a lot of parents underestimate their own children's maturity when it comes to reading level. They think that because a book even MENTIONS sex or has some curse words in it, it is too mature for their children. While I agree with other reviews that claim the book is very mature, I like to think that any high schooler would be mature enough to handle the content. It mentions sex in passing many times, including prostitution and depicts an SS guard urinating on a prisoner, but that is the most explicit scene. It mentions bare breasts a few times and refers to the main character's genitals as her "womanhood" when she has to stand nude in front of the guards at one point. But it never really talks about any two people engaging in intercourse and definitely doesn't explicitly "show" sex or a nude body. If we can show our kids nude anatomical models for their health and science classes, we can let them read this book. The novel has taught me, an adult, more about the Holocaust and the atrocities of Auschwitz than any other book I've ever read, including textbooks and the other WWII novels they made me read in school. It really made me understand the horrors of the concentration camps in a way I never had before. I think it is an incredible novel and should be required reading in the high school curriculum.

I think this book has great potential for educational value, but there is a lot of sexual intrigue slipped in. A 14 year old girl whose breast was exposed to a mentor and she felt proud of it. A mentor is a closet homosexual. A young boy has energy charge through his body seeing a girls underpants. A guard whips out his —— and urinated on an old woman. The story has plenty of substance without stimulating those type of thoughts. The historical fiction is very well written. With those pieces inserted I would advise parental guidance and supervision.