Inge Auerbacher is a happy German girl when the nightmare begins. Six-year-old Inge is made to wear a yellow star to identify her as a Jew. As the Nazis gain power, her family is subjected to greater and greater horrors. Their home and citizenship are taken away. Inge's relatives are sent away, and she and her parents are forced into the Terezin concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. Background material on Hitler, the Nazi plan, and WW II provides a helpful context for understanding Inge's experiences. But it is Inge's own story, told from a child's point of view, and sprinkled liberally with her poems, that makes this chapter of world history personal and compelling. I Am a Star will take its place among the classics of Holocaust literature-alongside such works as Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl and Night. Narrator Suzanne Toren artistically conveys the book's full gamut of feelings-from playful innocence to utter horror.
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"heart-wrenching. there were moments i wanted to throw up reading about their living conditions; however, i think it's a book everyone should read. we can't forget what was done (and what may still be happening for some)."
— Megan (4 out of 5 stars)
“A moving story…[the author’s] perspective, while chilling, pierces the heart with memorable imagery.”
— Publisher’s Weekly" I always enjoy Holocaust books (OK, maybe that sounds twisted). But I love to read about how people overcome such unimaginable difficulties. But I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book--it's not very well written. "
— Paige, 12/15/2013" A very quick read, as it is a small paperback, but gives an interesting view into what it was like to be apart of and survive, the holocaust. "
— Stacey, 8/5/2013" I could have done without the poetry. It took me out of the "feel" of the memoir. I would have happily traded the poetry for more details. The photos and drawings were wonderful touches, however. "
— Molly, 8/2/2013" This is definately geared toward middle-school students. Unfortuntely, it lacks the power of many similar memiors. It was just an okay book. "
— Amy, 9/27/2012" The poems in this short biography are so inspiring. I read this as part of a unit study for the Holocaust and we enjoyed the message the author brought through her life experience and poems. "
— Michelle, 2/8/2012" This book is an autobiography about Inge Auerbacher and her struggles during the holocaust. She explains the war and what hitler would do to the jews. "
— Nael, 4/5/2011" I only read this because Isaac did and asked me to. It is good for what it is - a personal account of a holocaust survivor with some basic history. I cannot bear any more WWII reading, but this is a good and very basic intro. "
— Anna, 3/26/2011" I think that this was a good book. "
— Noah22, 11/16/2010" The book provides a clear background on the history, beliefs and rise of Hitler. The book is enhanced with photographs, maps, and artwork. "
— Beth, 8/23/2010" One of my favorite books. "
— Ashleynicole, 6/15/2010Inge Auerbacher was born in Germany and spent three years between the ages of seven and ten in the Theresienstadt concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. Inge and her parents immigrated to America in May 1946. Inge has been lecturing on the Holocaust since 1981, and has spoken to thousands of people in the United States, Canada, and Germany. She is fluent in German and English.
Suzanne Toren, award-winning narrator, has over thirty years of experience in narration. She was named a “Golden Voice” by AudioFile magazine in 2019. She has won the American Foundation for the Blind’s Scourby Award for Narrator of the Year, AudioFile magazine named her the 2009 Best Voice in Nonfiction & Culture, and she is the recipient of multiple Earphones Awards. She performs on and off Broadway and in regional theaters and has appeared on Law & Order and in various soap operas.