Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you read Prisoner B-3087, read Alan Gratz's Refugee and Projekt 1065, then Number the Stars, Between Shades of Gray, The Book Thief and Maus. All are powerful stories of young people surviving the Holocaust and other wartime terror.
Alan Gratz's 2013 novel is based on the true story of Yanek Gruener, a Polish Jewish boy who survived ten concentration camps. The story moves quickly and is written for middle-grade and early teen readers, though it does not avoid hard truths. The books below offer similar stories of courage and survival, told with care for young readers.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refugee | Alan Gratz | Ages 10-14 | three journeys |
| Projekt 1065 | Alan Gratz | Ages 11-15 | spy in Nazi Germany |
| Grenade | Alan Gratz | Ages 12+ | Okinawa 1945 |
| Number the Stars | Lois Lowry | Ages 9-13 | courage in war |
| The Boy in the Striped Pajamas | John Boyne | Ages 12+ | child's view |
| Between Shades of Gray | Ruta Sepetys | Ages 12+ | Soviet deportation |
| The Book Thief | Markus Zusak | Ages 13+ | narrated by Death |
| Maus | Art Spiegelman | Ages 13+ | graphic memoir |
| The Diary of a Young Girl | Anne Frank | Ages 11+ | classic diary |
| Milkweed | Jerry Spinelli | Ages 11+ | child in the ghetto |
| Salt to the Sea | Ruta Sepetys | Ages 12+ | wartime refugees |
| The Boy on the Wooden Box | Leon Leyson | Ages 10-14 | Schindler's list survivor |
| Rose Under Fire | Elizabeth Wein | Ages 13+ | women prisoners |
| Code Name Verity | Elizabeth Wein | Ages 13+ | friendship in war |
| The Librarian of Auschwitz | Antonio Iturbe | Ages 13+ | books in the camp |
1. Refugee by Alan Gratz
Three children flee from three different eras of persecution. Fast, vivid and moving.
Best for: three journeys.
2. Projekt 1065 by Alan Gratz
A boy in Hitler Youth secretly spies for the Allies. Tense and thoughtful.
Best for: spy in Nazi Germany.
3. Grenade by Alan Gratz
Two teenagers face the brutal battle of Okinawa. Intense and honest.
Best for: Okinawa 1945.
4. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
A girl in Denmark helps her Jewish friend escape the Nazis. Short and powerful.
Best for: courage in war.
5. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
The son of a camp commandant befriends a boy behind the fence. Simple, haunting and sometimes debated.
Best for: child's view.
6. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
A Lithuanian girl is deported to Siberia. Lyrical and heartbreaking.
Best for: Soviet deportation.
7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
A girl in Nazi Germany steals books and shares them. Moving and widely loved.
Best for: narrated by Death.
8. Maus by Art Spiegelman
Spiegelman tells his father's survival story with animals as characters. A landmark of comics.
Best for: graphic memoir.
9. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Anne Frank writes during two years in hiding. The most famous Holocaust document for young readers.
Best for: classic diary.
10. Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
An orphan boy lives on the streets of Warsaw. Haunting and short.
Best for: child in the ghetto.
11. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Four young refugees face the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff. Gripping and sad.
Best for: wartime refugees.
12. The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson
A boy survives with help from Oskar Schindler. Gentle and honest memoir.
Best for: Schindler's list survivor.
13. Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
A young pilot is sent to Ravensbruck. Harrowing and hopeful.
Best for: women prisoners.
14. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Two young women, a pilot and a spy, are caught in the Second World War. Clever and devastating.
Best for: friendship in war.
15. The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe
A girl guards a tiny secret library at Auschwitz. Inspired by a true story, with some elements fictionalised.
Best for: books in the camp.
How to Choose
For more Gratz choose Refugee, Projekt 1065 or Grenade. For younger readers pick Number the Stars or The Boy on the Wooden Box. For teenage readers try The Book Thief, Between Shades of Gray or Code Name Verity. For memoir read The Diary of a Young Girl or Maus. These books deal with persecution and death, so they are best read with guidance, and many are used in schools. Prisoner B-3087 is based on the life of Jack Gruener (born Yanek Gruener) and has a short author's note explaining what is true, which makes it a good starting point for discussion about history and memory. These books pair well with age-appropriate museum visits, documentaries and survivor testimony projects, which can help readers connect the stories to real people. If your child is younger, start with Number the Stars or The Boy on the Wooden Box. Older readers can continue with The Diary of a Young Girl and Maus. Audiobooks are available for several titles.
Related: 15 Books Like Wings of Fire Kids Will Love: Dragons, Quests and Animal Adventures · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Prisoner B-3087 about?
Yanek Gruener, a Jewish boy in Poland, survives ten concentration camps.
Who wrote it?
Alan Gratz.
Is it a true story?
It is based on the true story of Jack Gruener, with fictionalised scenes.
What age is it for?
Roughly ages 10 to 14.
When was it published?
2013.
Is it graphic?
It describes violence and suffering, but in a way meant for young readers.
Is it used in schools?
Yes, often in lessons about the Holocaust.
What should I read next?
Try Refugee or Number the Stars.
Is Prisoner B-3087 too intense for younger readers?
It is written for middle grade readers, but it deals with serious events, so reading it together helps.
Does the book have an author's note?
Yes, Gratz explains the real history behind the story.