The Tree of Life: How a Holocaust Sapling Inspired the World

A gentle, accessible take on resilience.

Irma Lauscher (1904-1985) carried out two enduring acts of resistance in the Terezin ghetto during WWII. She secretly taught the children imprisoned with her to read, write, and celebrate the Jewish holidays, and with help, obtained a maple sapling in observance of Tu BiShvat. She and her students planted it in a hidden corner, sharing precious drops of water with the growing tree, which became known throughout Terezin as Etz Chaim, the Tree of Life. "Fewer and fewer children were left to care for the tree"--one image shows a frightened youth holding a leaf during a deportation to "a place that was even worse." But the tree and Lauscher survive and serve as witnesses: the tree thrives for more than six decades, and Lauscher, who "saw to it that seeds from the tree were planted all over the world," memorializes all of those who were denied a future. Boxer (A Seat at the Table) and illustrator Rozentsveig strike a reportorial tone in measured prose and softly textured digital art of largely pale-skinned historical figures, conveying both the necessity and limits of hope in the darkest of times. An author's note concludes. Ages 5-9. (Jan.) ■

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 4--Boxer and Rozentsveig provide a story of hope in this book, focusing on the life and legacy of a maple tree planted in secret by Irma Lauscher, a Jewish teacher, and students in Terezin (located in modern-day Czech Republic). Miraculously, both the teacher and the tree survive the Holocaust and WWII. Subsequently, seeds from the tree are planted around the world; those trees are still thriving today, despite the original "dropping its last leaf" in 2007. The difficult subject matter feels more approachable both through the narrative's language and accompanying soft illustrations. A sparingly used, intense red indicates the Nazis' presence and amplifies with a jolt the otherwise earth-toned artwork. After the narrative, an author's note provides additional information about the descendants of the original tree, the teacher, and the location itself. Selected sources are also included. Front end papers feature fall-colored foliage on a black background, while in the back, bright spring colors evoke hope and a new day. VERDICT An approachable and valuable resource. Recommended for most collections.--Taylor Worley

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

★ "Focusing the narrative on the tree that came to be known as Etz Chaim, the Tree of Life, Boxer threads the delicate needle of keeping hope alight while also writing with age-appropriate frankness about the horrors of the Holocaust and the reckoning with its aftermath. This sensitive depiction of the experience of Terezin's children is an essential addition to classroom collections andcurricula."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Boxer and Rozentsveig provide a story of hope in this book, focusing on the life and legacy of a maple tree planted in secret by Irma Lauscher, a Jewish teacher, and students in Terezin (located in modern-dayCzech Republic). The difficult subject matter feels more approachable both through the narrative's language and accompanying soft illustrations. An approachable and valuable resource. Recommended for most collections." —School Library Journal