Daniel's Story

Daniel’s Story is based on the accounts of many other young people who endured the Holocaust. Read another book from a young person’s perspective—Anita Lobel’s No Pretty Pictures (1998), Elie Wiesel’s Night (1956), or another title—and discuss the similarities and differences. How do the main characters confront dehumanization and genocide or link to survival and resistance?

Carol Matas wrote Daniel’s Story in conjunction with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum exhibit called Remember the Children: Daniel’s Story. The museum made a video of the exhibit. Watch the video and discuss the similarities and differences between the book and the exhibit.

Pick a less central character—Uncle Peter, Friedrich, or even Daniel’s mom, Ruth—and, using Daniel’s information, try to imagine what they had to confront. Think about how Uncle Peter felt in Dachau, how Friedrich felt hiding in Lodz, or how Ruth felt in Auschwitz.