The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - John Boyne

If you're anything like me and must guiltily admit that you watched the film before you read the book then you will probably be surprised at how thin this book is when you initially pick it up.

Having seen the film and heard much about the book I was eager to read it. However, I didn't realise that it was intended for younger audiences until I actually opened it and began reading. This being said, do not be deterred by the size of the book nor the reading level it was written for.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne, is written from the perspective of a young German boy growing up in Nazi Germany. This young boy, Bruno, is taken from his family home and moved because of his father's job. Bruno hates his new home and tries desperately to convince his father to take the family back to Berlin. After this fails he resigns to exploring the nearby woods to entertain himself. In this exploring he stumbles across a tall fence with a little boy in striped pajamas sitting on the other side. The two boys soon become great friends.

Although it is written for and intended to be read by younger audiences, I daresay that an older reader would understand the depth it's written at and consequently get much more out of the novel. It is well worth taking the time to read.