Milkweed (novel)
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| Author | Jerry Spinelli |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | HarperTrophy |
| Released | 2003 |
| Media type | Paperback) |
Milkweed is a 2003 novel by Jerry Spinelli about an orphan surviving the Holocaust.
[edit] Plot summary
In 1939 Warsaw a Gypsy orphan who calls himself Stopthief meets a group of Jewish orphans and and finds a protector in a red-headed older boy named Uri. Since "Stopthief" doesn't know his real name, Uri names him Misha Pilsudski. The plot follows Misha and the orphans as they struggle to survive in the World War II Warsaw Ghetto. After being forced to live behind the brick wall of the ghetto Misha realizes he can fit through a two brick-wide hole in the wall. After awhile the Jews realize the Nazis are starving them. Misha and the orphans are able to survive because of the food Misha smuggles from the other side of Warsaw. Misha's friend Janina, helps him steal and smuggle food. After awhile of cruel Nazi treatment and near starvation, the Jews of the ghetto get supposedly good news - trains are coming to "resettle" them. In actuality, they are taking them to concentration camps. Most of the people are excited about being resettled, but Misha knows the truth. Janina's father tells him to escape the ghetto with Janina before it's too late to do anything, but Janina refuses to go. She believes the trains are taking her to "Candy Mountain". A few days pass as Misha struggles to get Janina to escape with him, but with no luck. One day, Misha has to chase Janina to the train station, because she wants to board so badly. Since he causes such a comotion, someone that he thinks is a Nazi soldier leans down to shoot him. But then, Misha realizes that it's actually Uri who plans on killing him, because he knew Misha would board the train, chasing after Janina, and he would end up going to the concentration camp to his death. Uri didn't want him to suffer, so he thought it would be better to kill him right then and there. However, Uri misses, only blowing off some of Misha's ear. After that he leaves Misha in a bomb crater. Misha then manages to live his life on a rural farm until the war is over, and the jews are safe again. Misha then moves to America, and gets married. His wife divorces him while she is pregnant. Misha doesn't meet his daughter until many years later, when he has a granddaughter as well. Misha's daughter decides to let him choose his granddaughter's middle name ... he decides to call her Janina. This book is good for young adults and is helpful when learning about the holocaust.
