Irena

ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH LIBRARIES -- This three-volumegraphic novel treatment of the life of the famed Irena Sendler is a remarkableachievement. The first volume was published in French in 2017 and the last twovolumes were published in English in 2020. All four authors and artists involvedtell an age-appropriate, emotional story of Irena Sendlerowa, the righteousgentile who saved over 2500 Jewish children in wartime Warsaw. Their carefulresearch goes further than most of the present biographies for young people byseparating her life experiences into three volumes. Book One: WartimeGhetto, describes how Irena, a young social worker, began her resistancework in the German-occupied Warsaw Ghetto of the 1940s. The amazing Where'sWaldo style of artwork provides numerous ways a reader can immerse themselves inghetto life quite powerfully by simply staring at the opening two-page spread.The dark color palette recalls the period and sets the right mood. Irena saveschildren, gets arrested, refuses to reveal her contacts and is ultimately savedfrom death with bribes to the guards. The artists use the contrivance of anadorable little white dog named Shepsi that at first protects ghetto childrenand later accompanies Irena and her resistance network. The antics of thisfeisty little companion allows readers a respite from the many tragic scenes ofNazi cruelty, poverty, and smuggled babies, and will especially appeal toyounger readers. The second volume, Book Two: Children of the Ghetto,begins after the war in 1947, focusing on Irena's imprisonment by the Nazis andher desperate search for the mostly-orphaned children, along with her attemptsto reunite them with the remnants of their families. The narrative jumps backand forth in time to when Irena visits Yad Vashem and tells her story in 1983upon receiving honors and acclaim in Israel. The third volume, Book Three: LifeAfter the Ghetto finds Irena still in Poland in her later years, looking back onher life and her accomplishments. The color palette has been brightened, she hasa new little dog, and her name is now recognized around the world. The authorsrepeatedly highlight Irena's regrets that she was not able to do enough and savemore children. She died in 2008 at the age of 98. The books should be read inorder and although there may be some confusion from the time-jumps, the artisticstyle and colors are the clues to the time period in Irena's life. This bookwill appeal to anyone who likes graphic novels, and although it is not alight-hearted read, it is a wonderful testament to a truly righteousperson.