Holm, Anne. (2004). I Am David. Orlando, Fla.: Harcourt. ISBN 0152051600.
Plot Summary
The main character, 12 year-old David, is a prisoner in an unnamed concentration camp in Eastern Europe. The novel begins with David talking to one of the prison guards who he refers to as "the man." The man tells David that he can and must escape that night with only a compass, a few crumbs of bread, a small bar of soap, and instructions to head to Denmark. David struggles with trusting the man. He has spent his entire life in the concentration camp yet here is the chance for him to escape from the horrors he has lived through, but how does someone who only knows one way of life take a leap of faith and venture into an unknown world? Although David doesn't trust "the man" he realizes that the unknown couldn't be much worse. David manages to escape and begins his journey relying on his undeveloped intuition and surviving first on fear than learning along the way to trust his instincts. David encounters many people along the way and must make up a story about finding his way back to the circus to be with his family. The entire time he lives in fear of being captured and returned to the concentration camp, but he maintains a deep sense of right and wrong because of what he witnessed in the camp. He knows good from evil and holds on dearly to that knowledge especially when he meets and stays with a family in Italy after saving one of the daughter's from a fire. Before the fire, David encountered the girl's brother in the woods and the brother viciously beats David up. David does not fight back, but continues to be distrustful of the boy.After months of staying with the family he knows he must move on. The feeling that something important awaits him in Denmark keeps him going, but before reaching Denmark he encounters a violent farmer who holds him prisoner and treats him like a slave. This is another part of the book that shows David's resilience and need for survival. It is the closest he gets to giving up until he meets an unlikely ally in the form of the farmer's dog who in the end saves David's life with unfortunate circumstances. David finally makes his way to Denmark by learning how to make and use money and developing a keen sense of how and when to listen to his instincts. Because of this he meets a woman who puts him on the path to his destiny. In the end we find out why "the man" helped David and the journey brings David home.
Critical Evaluation
Older teens may find this book a bit fantastical given how David does get into some scary situations but nothing horrifyingly graphic or violent happens considering the horrors of the Holocaust. That is why this book is suited more for younger teens, or older teens who are reluctant readers. It is a great book about hope and searching for meaning in a world where everything you've seen has been bad.
Reader's Annotation
After escaping from an Eastern European concentration camp where he has spent most of his life, a twelve-year-old boy struggles to cope with an entirely strange world as he flees northward to freedom in Denmark.
About the Author
Anne Holm (September 10, 1922 - December 27, 1998) was a Danish journalist and children's writer. At times she also wrote under the pseudonym Adrien de Chandelle.
Her best known book is I Am David, adapted for a 2003 film. It won the ALA Notable Book award in 1965, the 1963 Best Scandinavian Children's Book award and the Boys Club of America Junior Book Award Gold Medal. Another well known book by Holm is Peter, which tells the story of a teenage boy who travels in time to ancient Greece and medieval England.
Genre
Historical
Curriculum Ties
History
Booktalking Ideas
1) Discuss children during the Holocaust.
2) Discuss the ways David survived his long journey.
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 12+
Challenge Issues
Holocaust
Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the book and its content.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-David-Anne-Holm/dp/0152051600/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292481861&sr=1-1
-Try to get reviews of the book from teens who have read it.
Why Included in Titles Selected
A good addition for titles about the Holocaust.
No comments:
Post a Comment