What World is Left, by Monique Polak

What World is Left, by Monique Polak is a historical fiction novel that tells the story of a young girl named Anneke in Theresienstadt, a model concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. Herded into Theresienstadt like sheep, Anneke and her family were exiled from Holland during the Holocaust in 1942. Starvation and dehydration plague the inhabitants of the camp, while disease pervades rapidly. Cremations occur daily to remove the dead bodies that fill the streets. Determined not to let the horrible conditions get her down, Anneke makes the most out of every moment. She learns the true meaning of friendship the hard way and that the strong bonds of love can never be broken.

Overall, What World is Left was a pretty good read. I would rate it a 7/10. The beginning of the book was a bit slow and started to feel tedious and strained. Thankfully, the book became more interesting the more I read on. The characters were very relatable, especially Anneke, the main character. She has the same interests as me, and her feelings were genuine, so readers are truly able to feel with her. I would recommend this book to kids and teens prepared for shocking and graphic themes looking for a Holocaust story in which they can laugh and cry with the characters.

Rebecca, grade 8
Glendale Central Library