The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a moving memoir of Leon Leyson about his 5 years, from age 12 to age 17, in Poland, and Germany, during the Holocaust. With thanks to Oskar Schindler he survived the horrors that killed six million Jews. He did not share his experiences until the movie, “Schindler’s List,” was released in the mid 1990’s. His narration of events is straightforward without the gruesome details of other Holocaust stories. From the publisher: “It is the only memoir published by a former Schindler’s list child. Most notable is the lack of rancor, the lack of venom, and the abundance of dignity in Mr. Leyson’s telling. The Boy on the Wooden Box is a legacy of hope, a memoir unlike anything you’ve ever read.” I highly recommend this short narrative as an appropriate YA read for ages 12 - adult. The audio version is excellent.

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