Star of Fear, Star of Hope by Jo Hoestlandt

Star of Fear, Star of Hope by Jo Hoestlandt is a book about a woman named Helen who is reflecting back on her experience as a child during the Nazi occupation. She was not a Jew herself, but the book describes her feelings and reactions to what was happening to her friend Lydia who was Jewish. This Historical fiction picture book was very moving, with beautiful and unique illustrations, and a somber tone. Having studied the Holocaust in school, the book brought back memories of movies and videos I have seen and books I have read about the horrific things that happened during the Holocaust. This book, however, only portrays the events that happened as the Jews were first being arrested and is presented in a less burdening way. For this reason, Star of Fear, Star of Hope would be a suitable book to introduce elementary school children to the events of the Holocaust.

  As Helen described her childhood, I felt sorry for her and her friend Lydia, with their carefree attitude towards life, not expecting what was coming next. As Lydia's mother sewed her Star of David to her jacket, I couldn't help but feel anxious about what was going to happen. My anxiety increased as someone began knocking on the door saying "It's the midnight Ghost" when Helen and Lydia were having a sleepover. This made me wonder if maybe the person at the door could be a Nazi looking for Lydia. The mood became upsetting when Helen got angry at Lydia for not staying to celebrate her birthday, and when Helen found out that Lydia and her family had been arrested. The illustrations compliment the mood of the story due to their dull, subdued colors and dark shading. After finishing the book, although it ended on a sad note, there was a glimmer of hope as Helen suggests that maybe Lydia is a grandmother somewhere in the world reading this book to her grandchild. Although the story isn't necessarily true, it could have happened to any Jewish person at that time, so it gives me hope that there are Jews out there that did survive and are able to tell their story.

This book is a window to the outside world because even though I have not experience the Holocaust, I am given a glimpse into what it was like for young children to experience the confusion and sadness during that time. Each time I read or watch something on the Holocaust, I gain a greater appreciation of what the Jews experienced and I am always reminded of the importance of accepting others for who they are. With all the violence and hatred that goes on in the world today, a book like Star of Fear, Star of Hope stirs up feelings of empathy for those who go through intense suffering an pain. This book could act as a springboard for a discussion on what it means to show compassion to those who need it. It could also be used as a resource for a religous education lesson or a social studies lesson.