France

Materials from France

Hidden Hope: How A Toy And A Hero Saved Lives During The Holocaust

During World War II, families all across Europe huddled together in basements, attics, and closets as Nazi soldiers rounded up anyone Jewish. The Star of David, a symbol of faith and pride, became a tool of hate when the Nazis forced Jewish people to carry papers stamped with that star, so that it was clear who to capture. But many brave souls dared to help them. Jewish teenager Jacqueline Gauthier, a member of the French Resistance who had to conceal her identity, was one who risked her life in secret workshops, forging papers with new names and without stars in order to help others escape. But how to get these life saving papers to families in hiding? An ordinary wooden toy duck held the answer, a hidden compartment: hope in a hollow.

At The Drop Of a Cat

A 6-year old boy loves spending time with his immigrant grandfather, Luis, who teaches him many things as they spend time in his garden, a place of wonder and illumination. It is the place where the boy practices to read and write, as well as the place where he learns of his grandfather’s experiences. As a war refugee, Luis was unable to go to school and therefore never learned how to read and write. But he instills his wisdom of language to his grandson, as well as his experiences and talents as an artist, a cook and a gardener.

This book is part of the WOW Dozen: Difficult and Challenging Topics in Children’s Literature list.

This book is part of the Worlds of Words Global Reading List for 2023/24.

Noor And Bobby

“In a besieged city, Noor watches as his neighbors pack their bags and flee their homes-but a dog named Bobby is left behind. As Noor sets out across the ravaged city to save him, he discovers pockets of life and hope in this moving story of friendship in the face of adversity”–

Forever Truffle

In Truffle the Rockstar, Truffle wants to form a band with his best friends Flo and Riad. They can already picture themselves on stage, wowing the crowd with epic songs. They still have to learn how to play instrument but that’s just a minor detail! Ever since Truffle asked Nina to be his girlfriend, they have been shy around each other. In Truffle Loves Nina, Truffle asks his parents, his friend Riad, his big brother, Louis, and the man who works at the library, for advice on how to let his heart do the talking. In truffle Tackles Existence, Truffle attends his great-grandmother’s funeral, which gets him thinking about the world around him. Are grandparents young once, too? Does Rocket, the dog that his family had to give up, still think about him sometimes? Do people stop loving each other if they don’t see each other anymore?

Prisoner And The Writer

When a Jewish army captain is falsely accused of treason and sent to prison, a writer uses his pen to fight for justice. In 1895 a prisoner watches the ocean through the bars of his cell. Accused of betraying France, Captain Alfred Dreyfus is exiled to a prison on Devil’s Island, far from his wife and children. It’s a horrible fate but what if he’s innocent? Seven thousand miles away, the famous writer Emile Zola wonders: Is Alfred a traitor to France? Or a victim of antisemitism? Convinced that Alfred is innocent, Emile knows that it is his DUTY to help. He pens the famous letter and explaining that Alfred was blamed, charged, tried and convicted … only because he is Jewish.

The Girl Who Built An Ocean: An Artist, An Argonaut, And The True Story Of The World’s First Aquarium

“The inspiring tale of a seamstress-turned-scientist, Jeanne Villepreux-Power, who invented the world’s first aquarium”–

Free

With Paloma’s quick and creative thinking, she’s able to outwit the bureaucracy and come up with a solution: they free the birds from their cages, and while Paloma and the ringmaster drive across the border in their truck, the birds fly overhead! When the circus is reunited on the other side, Paloma suggests the birds don’t need cages―they can fly free.