Requiem
Poems of the Terezin Ghetto
Age 12+
General Fiction
Paul B. Janeczko’s stirring collection of poems goes inside the walls of the notorious camp to portray the indomitable spirit of those incarcerated there.
Hitler hailed Terezín (Theresienstadt) as a haven for artistic Jews, when in reality the Czech concentration camp was little more than a way station to the gas chambers. In his second book inspired by devastating history, acclaimed poet Paul B. Janeczko gives voice to this heartrending creative community: its dignity, resilience, and commitment to art and music in the face of great brutality. The many memorable characters he conjures include a child who performs in the camp’s now famed production of Brundibár, a man who lectures on bedbugs, and a boy known as "Professor," who keeps a notebook hidden in his shoe. Accented with dramatic illustrations by prisoners, found after WW II, Janeczko’s spare and powerful poems convey Terezín’s tragic legacy on an intimate, profoundly moving scale.
Creators
Paul B. Janeczko is the author of the award-winning Worlds Afire, comprising poems about the 1944 circus fire in Hartford. Among his acclaimed poetry anthologies are A Poke in the I, A Kick in the Head, and A Foot in the Mouth, all illustrated by Chris Raschka. He lives in Hebron, Maine.
