Irena’s Jars of Secrets

Written by Marcia Vaughan, Illustrated by Ron Mazellan

Irena’s Jars of Secrets shares the true story of Irena Sendler of Poland, who knew she had to help the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto. In addition to smuggling food and other necessities into the ghetto, she also smuggled children from the ghetto to “safe homes.” So that children could be reunited after the danger was over, she kept lists of children’s real and false names in jars that she buried in a friend’s garden. At a certain point, she was arrested and condemned to death.

At the end of the war, she found about 25,000 names on her lists. The Jewish National Committee was able to find parents or living relatives to care for the children.

This is a wonderful story of courage of one woman during a horrific time in history.

Review by Kay Thomas, Eastwood Elem. Media Center
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4-6

Irena’s Jars of Secrets
Written by Marcia Vaughan, Illustrated by Ron Mazellan
Lee & Low
40 pages
Release Date: November 1, 2011
ISBN: 9781600604393 (hardcover)

Tags:

Courage, Ghetto, Heroes, Holocaust, Irena's Jars of Secrets, Marcia Vaughan, Poland, Prejudice, Ron Mazellan, World War II