The Berlin Boxing club is an amazing book about a young Jewish boy during Hitler’s rise to power.
The main character is Jewish, although he admits he doesn’t look Jewish and was raised by parents who don’t follow religion. He has a younger sister who ‘looks’ Jewish and they are very close. His father, a veteran from world war one is now an art dealer and the family is falling on increasing hard times as Hitler begins to restrict Jewish people and businesses. Eventually, they are forced to let go of their nanny, are forced out of their apartment, and resort to using an old printing press for private printing jobs for those Hitler is targeting.
The only scene I was a little uncomfortable with (and its threaded throughout the story in references so you can’t skip it) is a scene near the beginning when the main character is ambushed. His pants are pulled down and he is ‘outed’ as a jew because of his circumcised penis. He talks about this traumatizing experience, and about hiding it in change rooms etc, in the rest of the book. Because of this I recommend grade 8+ if they are mature for this book, and depending on the school contacting home first.
Overall a great story of a young boy victimized as Hitler rises to power and his family’s struggle to survive/escape Germany. 4.5/5 stars!