The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne

It's so unfair, I don't see why I have to be stuck over

here on this side of the fence where there's no one to talk
to and no one to play with and you get to have dozens of
friends are probably playing for hours every day, I'll have
to speak to Father about it.
Recommended for those who need to remember that
they are not the only ones that suffer in the world, not
now, not ever.
Summary:
A 9-year-old boy named Bruno, growing up during World War II in
Berlin, Germany, lives in a huge house with his parents, his 12-year-old
sister, Gretel, and servants, one of whom is called Maria. After a visit
by Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, Bruno's father is promoted to
Commandant, and the family has to move to "Out-With". Bruno is
initially upset about moving to "Out-With" and leaving his three best
friends for life. His mother, who is against the move herself, says that
they "[do not] have the luxury of thinking". From the house in Out-With,
Bruno sees a camp enclosed by wire fences but does not understand
what it is. One day, despite being warned not to, Bruno decides to
explore the strange wire fence. As he walks along the fence, he meets

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne

a Jewish boy named Shmuel, whom he learns shares his birthday.

Shmuel says that his father, grandfather, and brother are with him on
this side of the fence, but he is separated from his mother. Bruno and
Shmuel talk and become very good friends, although Bruno still does
not understand very much about Shmuel and his side of the fence. As
the meetings go on, Bruno's navete shows that his innocence has
been preserved despite being near a death camp. Shmuel shares some
of his knowledge of the suffering in the camp but still does not fully
explain why he is there.