Prisoner B-3087

I buddy read 'Prisoner B-3087' by Alan Gratz with my almost 14-year-old Grandson. He and I both enjoy books by Alan Gratz and I like to partake of young adult/ Middle School novels periodically. This was an excellent topic to read a middle-school age novel about. Mr. Gratz certainly does not dress-up pretty the details of the Holocaust. He tells the story in a straightforward matter-of- fact way that conveys the horror of the situation. The fact that the story is based on a true Holocaust survivor's (Jack Gruener's) experience heightens the impact. The delivery of this story is definitely appropriate for a middle school reader, and as an adult reader, I rank it as a five-star read as well.

Another history book by Alan Gratz that my son loved. I recommend for any boy that enjoys his historical books. It is an easy read.

Prisoner B-3087: A Novel Based on a true story by Ruth and Jack Gruener is by Alan Gratz. This book is good for middle school students. It is by Scholastic. The book is great and is very realistic. It covers the information from Jack’s life; but some of the times and things have been changed to suit the story. The story is Jack’s story as he went through ten concentration camps during the war years and managed to survive. He and his family lived in Poland. When he was living in the Krakow ghetto with his parents. They lived in a pigeon coop on the roof of the building where they once had an apartment. He worked in a tailor shop. He had stopped off at a friend’s house on the day that his parents were taken. They were picked up in line buying food. At the age of thirteen, he was suddenly alone in the world. He was picked up in 1942 and taken to Plaszow. At this time, he thought he was the only remaining member of his extended family. He was to discover his Uncle Moishe was in Plaszow. Through a series of close calls with the commandant and kapos, he managed to work his way through ten different camps before his liberation. He remembers each camp vividly. Eventually, Jack told his story but it was always painful for him. The book is fantastic and though it is fiction, it is told in a concise manner and is told with little graphic detail. It is a perfect book for middle school.

I liked this book. I liked it a fair bit. The characters were good, the plot was always filled with something else, you can feel the emotions through the page. It wasn't a life-changing book, but it was definitely something I could sit back and enjoy while it lasts. Things are told straightforward to you, and then the emotions are told afterwards. It helps you react with the characters, but it does make it so there isn't a lot of build up to minor plot twists - if there are any.

I read the whole book in 1 sitting. It was well written and easy to follow.

Our daughter enjoys this author's writing and always seems to enjoy receiving a book as a gift.

My daughter had been looking for this book for months, couldn't find it at library or bookstore. She asked for it as a Christmas gift as she loves reading and history. Arrived on time, great quality and price.

I rarely post reviews since I am so busy, but this book deserves a thoughtful review. I picked up the book for my 11yo son's summer reading list. He is hooked on anything WWII, but glamorizes war and the military aspects of the war (which is normal!). I wanted him to see another side... the ugly side of war. I read the book before giving it to him and I think this book is perfect for that goal. I get some of the negative reviews, but I am actually grateful for the way the story is told. If it wasn't told high level and a bit detached, it would be way to intense (and long) to be a children's book. The topic alone is about as intense as it gets and Yanek's experience spanned almost a decade. All that being said, there are some scenes that are emotional and scary. I think the balance is good, but as a parent, we know our kids best and when they are ready for this type of thing. I recommend you read it first before giving to your child so you can discuss what happens and give support if he/she is on the younger side of the age range. I downloaded the book to his kindle tonight and he doesn't want to put it down! Can I read one more chapter before going to bed? In one night, he started the book and read to chapter 6... did I mention my son really isn't a reader?!

The book is truelly sad. But there are som moments where hope shines out. Jack, or Yanneck, has to survive 10 different Concentration camps. Nazis play games with him, frighten him ,and kill other people mercelessly. Jack looses his family. His best friend Fritz dies. You should truelly read this book.

An accident because it was not my intention to read this book on the first place. My younger brother needed to read it for his school, but he needed the portugueese version and accidentaly bought the english one. And so we had to buy the book again (this time in portuguese). I had to practice my english skills, when I remembered that Prisioner B3087 was already on my amazon account. That was why I started reading the book. And it was amazing. The book is perfect, made me feel like one of the jews. I could feel what Yanek was feeling. Moreover, it was the first time I could see how was the second war from the perspective of the jewish in the concentration camps. My favorite book about the second war.

I read this book As I had been made aware that boys from a particular school, who were unmotivated to learn, became engaged into learning more after reading this book. I understand why. It is well written and you become involved with the main characters. However, it is also historically accurate.

I've read a lot of Holocaust literature over the past ten or so years, but Prisoner B-3087 is a little different to what I normally read in that it is a fictionalisation of a true survivors' story. And what a story it is. Yanek Gruener isn't even a teenager when the Nazi's invade Poland, but he grows up in the fastest, most brutal way in a Ghetto, ten concentration camps and two Death Marches. Although the writing is fairly sparse and simplistic, in doing so Alan Gratz doesn't try and romanticise, embellish or exaggerate the truth of Yanek's story. It's brutal and cold and epitomises how Yanek survives - by making himself as annonymous as possible. Although aimed at the Young Adult market, this book doesn't hold anything back - although not graphically described, there isn't any part of the story that is glossed over - from the brutal, random cruelty of the kapo's and SS, the death camps and the unending, hopeless fight for survival. I read this book in one sitting because I just couldn't stop reading - and admiring the strength and determination of Yanek to survive no matter the horrors that he encountered every single day for years. There's not much more I can say about this book because it is what it says on the tin - plot wise there are no surprises and it focuses almost primarily on Yanek's journey through the horror of the holocaust. Prisoner B-3087 is a book I would unhesitatingly recommend to anyone that reads about the Holocaust, and as a book for older teens it is a powerful educational tool - Yanek's story is so unbelivable and yet Alan Gratz brings it alive on the page. Unpretentious, sad, moving and ultimately uplifting, this is a book that will stick with me for a very long time.

Super good book if your into like history it was really interesting and i love alan gratz but anyway it was a good book and its a hard covor book with a very well written story