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About the book
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-- Korczak, a Polish doctor who developed two children's homes (under Polish law at the time, Jewish and Christian children could not be housed together) where he introduced innovative methods of pediatric care, both physical and psychological. Despite offers to help him escape the Holocaust, he chose to remain with his children, and all were killed at Treblinka. There is little fictionalizing in this absorbing biography; most information is drawn from Korczak's own writings. Photographs throughout show Korczak, the orphans, and the homes. A bibliography lists four of Korczak's works that are available in English, and there is a good index. A well-written biography of a hero who deserves to be remembered. --Ruth Shire, Mount Vernon Public Library, N.Y.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Reviews
Janusz Korczak was born Henryk Goldszmit in 1878, in Warsaw, Poland. A shy, introspective boy, Henryk took a strong interest in children less fortunate than himself. When his father died, he wanted to become a doctor so he could support his mother. He supported his studies by tutoring children, in addition to offering free services to poor children. These experiences led him to devote himself to serving all abandoned children and founded his famous orphanage on Krochmalna Street in Warsaw. His Children's Home was a model of respect and democracy. When the Nazis invaded and occupied Warsaw at the beginning of World War II, he was forced to relocate to the infamous Ghetto. Though he was offered many opportunities to escape to safety, he steadfastly refused to abandon his children. On August 6, 1942, his orphanage was liquidated; with quiet, defiant dignity, he led his children to the cattle trains that would take them to Treblinka, never to be seen or heard from again.
Mr. Bernheim tells a compelling story, including all aspects of Dr. Korczak's life, drawing on a selection of writings, including his diary. The story is told with great clarity, making Janusz Korczak's ideas accessible to all readers. A foreword by Katherine Paterson provides a touching introduction to this wonderful book.