Milkweed (Random House Reader's Circle)

I really dislike these people who sold this book to me. First of all, I got the book from them that was promised as new and it had a huge red mark on it. And second of all, it took a very long time to ship and by the time it did I already had to go out and read it for a book report. Would rate zero stars if it were possible.

Milkweed is the name of an awesome Nutmeg book that I have been reading for the past week. Jerry Spinelli is the talented author that wrote Milkweed. Milkweed takes place in Warsaw and the Warsaw Ghetto in Poland during World War 2 (1939-1945) when the Nazi's (or as they call them in the book Jackboots) invaded Poland.

The main character is this book doesn't have a name or a family and doesn't own any thing except for the yellow stone necklace that he has had since he can remember. He meets up with a bunch of orphans that are Jewish and thieves in Warsaw who assume he is gypsy because of his stone necklace. One of the orphans named Uri takes him in and takes care of him and teaches him how to steal and survive. Then one day Uri decides he needs a name and a story. So Uri gives him the name Misha Pilsudski and says that Misha was born a gypsy somewhere in Russia. His family included 2 great grand fathers a great grandmother who was 109 years old, his father who as a horse trader, his mother who told fortune cards (which told you who were going to marry and how you would die). Misha also had 7 brothers and 5 sisters. They traveled from place to place in 7 wagons pulled by 14 horses. One of the places they came to was Poland where they were bombed by a Nazi airplane. They saw the bomb coming so they scattered in 7 different directions. Misha scattered away with his parents. Misha's parents were tied up by Polish farmers and kept Misha as a slave. Eventually Misha did run away in Uri's story to Warsaw where Uri taught him how to survive. One day while Misha was stealing from a garden he meets a little girl named Janina who is the only person that he has ever meet that as smaller than him. Misha and Janina become very close friends and when they move into the Ghetto Misha becomes apart of her family.

Misha sees all the Jews marching out of the city like a parade. (Misha loves parades) When he sees Janina he decides to march with her and her family. Misha and Janina's family keep marching until they are in the Warsaw ghetto. Where the Jackboots are slowly starving them in the ghetto. After Misha is accepted to Janina's family he decides to take matters into his own hands and find food for his new family.

My favorite part in this book was when Misha was invited to Janina's party. (Before they were in the ghetto) This part was funny because Misha cannot tell time so he got there very late and Janina would not start the party with out him so some of her guests had already left. When they sat down to eat cake Janina's father lit the birthday candles on the cake and Misha thought that they were lighting the cake on fire. So he grabbed the cake and ran all the way home. When he told Uri what happened all Uri could do was laugh.

I would give this book 5 stars, because Jerry Spinelli describes everything with lots of detail. It is also a very interesting plot. I would defiantly recommend this book to everyone

By Jerry Spinelli

Published by Knopf

224 pages

Over ten million people were killed in World War Two. Over ten million! Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli tells the story of one boy who survived. It tells of an orphan living in The Warsaw ghetto in Poland. It tells of his hopes, dreams, and goals. It tells of angels, mothers, and oranges. I was pulled into this book. Here's why.

First, it had action. The boy in the story, Misha, must smuggle food past The Nazis at The risk of death. At one point in the story, he even gets shot! This book is full of action that will keep you on the edge of your seat! You won't be able to put the book down!

Second, I could relate to the characters. Misha and The gang of boys he hangs out with were about my age. They seemed to be like me. I could almost feel their sadness in the pages. I felt what they felt and it seemed like I almost saw what they saw.

Speaking of how I could relate to the characters, I'd like to talk about how this book connected to my life. It made me think about what I would do if I were an orphan. What would I do if I had to find food to support myself and others at The risk of dying if I were caught? Or what would happen to me if I were faced with their circumstances?

Third, this book was full of history. The Warsaw ghetto was a real place in Poland. It was used to contain people of The Jewish faith in the nineteen-forties. It was smelly, cheap, and horrible. Many of The details about the war in the book are facts. Reading this book was history coming to life!

Milkweed was great because it held my interest and made me think. It made me think about what happened during World War Two. It made me think about all the suffering The Nazis caused. Also, there was great detail. I could hear and see everything. I could hear the gun shots echoing through the alleys. I could see The Jewish people trudging into the ghetto. I could smell the rotten scent of raw rats being sold in a marketplace. I was almost there!

I would recommend Milkweed to anyone age eleven and up. Any one under eleven might not understand the book's depth. Fans of Number the Stars will like this book. Although it was written for children adults will enjoy Milkweed too. My mother read it and called it a "masterpiece." Gender doesn't matter either. Both boys and girls will like reading this book. It's a book with a little something for everyone!

Did you know that World War Two veterans are dying at a rate of one thousand two hundred a day? All of their memories of the war are being lost. That's why it's important to remember what happened in the worst genocide in history. That's why it's important to listen and learn from those events. That's why you should read Milkweed.

The book Milkweed, written by Jerry Spinelli, is about an orphan that is locked inside the ghetto, which is a place where Jews, captured by Jackboots, went in World War 2. (In this book, Nazis were called Jackboots)

A young orphan Jew without a name learns how to live by stealing food from people, but his life changes when he meets a group of other orphaned Jews, who only have their friends as a family. He is named Misha Pilsudski, and he lives with his new friends, who are Uri, Big Henryk, Enoch, Ferdi, Kuba, and Olek. His stealing life is normal until the "Jackboots" come. Misha thinks that Jackboots are wonderful people with shiny jackboots and he wants to be one, but in reality, they are not what he thinks they are. They force other Jews to scrub sidewalks with their beards, or they strip people of their clothes in the middle of winter. Uri tells Misha that "Jackboots" hate Jews, so Misha calls himself a gypsy. He lives under a barber shop with Uri. Then, he lives in a stable with his friends until the Jackboots find them and transport them to the ghetto, where Misha realizes that Jackboots are not wonderful people with tall, shiny jackboots and Misha wants to be nobody. This is where the real problems that change Misha's life forever start...

The main problem for the Jews in this book is that there is very little food in the ghetto and Jackboots and Flops (Jew police) are everywhere. Then the trains come for "deportation". The Jews think that the trains are there to bring them to a "Candy mountain", but they are really taking the Jews to the "Jew ovens".

My favorite part in this book was the beginning, when Uri took care of Misha and the friends had a good time together. Most of the book's funny parts were in the beginning and more similes and metaphors went into the beginning of the book.

If I were to rate this book, I would rate it 5 stars because the beginning was VERY hilarious and the end is quite dramatic. The descriptions are excellent, so that you can envision the characters as if they were alive.

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli is a historic book about the Holocaust. The two main settings of this book are the streets of Warsaw, Poland and the ghetto.This book is told by an eight to [...] boy who has no past that he can recall. He doesn't have a name and is just usually called Stopthief, Runt, Jew, Happy, Fast, or Filthy Son of Abraham until he meets a gang of children who are theives as well. Uri the one thief who befriends Stoptheif gives him the name Misha Pilsudski along with a past that includes gypsies and a horse named Greta. This book tells you in good detail all the actual horrors of the Holocaust in an interesting kind of way. Misha, Uri, a girl named Janina and her family who soon become like family to Misha go through all the terrors that Jewish people had to during the time of the holocaust.
My favorite part of this book or the one that really stuck out to me was when Misha saw all the Jewish people parading through the streets with their belongings on wagons or strung over their shoulders. pg. 69 He realizes that there are a lot of Jewish people. It made me realize that this part of the book was when it really got bad. This was when all of the terrible things started happening. They brought them to their new homes that were as big as closets and they left them there. They didn't give them food or blankets. A lot of them died in the ghetto.
This was a really good book. It tells you a lot about what really happened during the holocaust and it made me aware how horrific that period was for Jewish people. The Holocaust does not seem as bad as it was because all that you usually hear is there was this guy who hated Jewish people so he killed them. Even though that does sound bad it is not half as bad as what really happened. I thought that this book was not too scary and not too sad even though it is on the subject of something that was really scary and sad. The reading level of this book was perfect. Not too hard but not too easy either.

tom c.

This is a story from the Holocaust. Spinelli has been able to do something quite remarkable in this novel. We read the book knowing that it was a harsh, racist, hateful society. These events let us know all this information of the Nazi invasion yet we see the events through the eyes of a young boy.

The only name he knows to call himself is Stopthief because he survives by stealing stuff. He is a child totally alone. He is given the name Misha by another boy who befriends and protects him. Misha's family becomes a group of homeless orphan boys scratching out a life on the streets of Warsaw; barely surviving.

Misha is totally innocent and ignorant, so he only lives in the present. As we read of the Nazi invasion we know the horrors ahead. Misha, however, sees the "Jackboots" as something wonderful; he perceives their mocking salutes as a mark of respect. Their parade entering the city is a marvel to him. Events he witnesses lead him to slowly understand that being a Jew is dangerous. Behind the walls of the Warsaw ghetto, his kind heart and small size allow him to sneak out and smuggle food back in for his friends. The reader fears for Misha though he feels no fear for himself or others.

My favorite part of this book part is when Micha meets Janina his "sister" who is very talkative, and whiny. I like this part because it reminds me of me because I have ADHD, and so I talk a lot just like Janina.

Spinelli allows the reader to hear, see and feel the cruelness of the Holocaust. This is a book that everyone should read. This story is important and compelling because it gets you hooked in minutes and very into the book. I would give the book five stars but reread it a second time it helps a lot, to understand the events. Also I think it is good because Jerry Spinelli is taking us into the book, it feels as if you were there.

The book I read was Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli. It takes place in Warsaw during the time of Nazi occupation.

The main character is a boy who is given the name Micha Pilsudski by his older friend Uri who is a red headed boy who also lives on his own and steals to survive. Micha is a boy who has lived on his own stealing and food from others for as long as he can remember. The only thing he has to tell him about himself is a yellow stone on a necklace. In the beginning of the book Micha wants to be a Jackboot (Nazi) when he is older. As the book goes on he realizes what his roll models are doing to people. Micha doesn't really know how people are discriminating against Gypsies and Jews so once Uri makes up a life story for him he goes around saying that he is gypsy.

One day Micha looks outside and sees a "parade" of people marching to the Warsaw ghetto and quite happily joins them along with Uri and his friends. Once they are in the ghetto food is scarce and they have nowhere to be. Soon the Nazi's begin to send people to the concentration camps Micha must save himself and his new family.

My favorite part of this book is the ending but I wouldn't want to give it away. Another good part is when Micha meets Janina his "sister" who is very hyper, talkative, and whiny. Those are my two favorite parts but I enjoyed the whole book.

I would give this book four stars because it was a terrific book that held my attention and had many surprising turns but it was VERY confusing at times. However it wasn't so confusing that I wouldn't recommend. I think this book would be appealing to anyone and very exciting. I think it portrays the way people were discriminated against very well with out being to violent. All in all this was an amazing book.

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli was the best, most riveting novel that I have read for a long time. The story is told from the viewpoint of a small, naïve, orphan boy living in Warsaw, Poland during the holocaust. The boy, who adopts the name of Misha, doesn't remember anything of his past. He meets an orphan named Uri who teaches him how to live in the city as a thief. When the Jackboots invade Warsaw, Misha is mistaken as a Jew, and put in the Ghetto. In the Ghetto, Misha lives with his friend Janina's family, who soon adopt him as their own son. When the Jews are finally taken to the camps, Misha escapes. He grows up and moves to America, living with the memories of the injustices done to him and other Jews during the holocaust.
The narrator's point of view, and the choppy, odd way in which it is written sets Milkweed apart from other books. It gives an image of the holocaust that is not normally seen, one where the person is being prejudiced against, and is still optimistic and oblivious to what is going on around him. The book is amazingly powerful, but in a different way than most novels about the holocaust. There are not horrible descriptions of the torture being inflicted on the Jews, leaving the reader sick to their stomach; instead the horrible events of the time are woven into the story along with humor, happiness, optimism, and naiveté. This gives the novel an under the surface seriousness and power, while still being funny and enjoyable to read. Jerry Spinelli doesn't make any attempt to explain what is happening as well, leaving the reader in the same position as Misha. This makes Milkweed somewhat confusing, but more interesting. Milkweed was an enjoyable, powerful, emotion-filled novel, told from a new point of view, and I believe that it is not only Jerry Spinelli's best, but also one of the greatest novels for young adults or for any age.

Milkweed, by Jerry Spinelli, is book is the best book I have read all year. When I sat down to read milkweed I thought it was going to be another boring WWII story . Man was I wrong. Within the first 30 pages I realized Spinelli's book was going to be different. Milkweed tells the life of a young Gypsy boy, Misha, who is taken in by a Jewish family and lives with them in the ghetto created for them by the Nazis. As the story progresses Misha grows older and more knowledgeable of the world around him. He learns that the Nazis don't like him, that the people under the news paper are NOT sleeping, and that Mothers, Angels, and Oranges really do exist. The story of the life of Jewish people living during WWII are not uncommon, but none have captured it quite like Milkweed has. Having grown up as an orphan, Misha is ignorant to the world, but that is one of his wonderful qualities. When he learned what "Happy" was, during Hanukah, He tried to fill Janina's with the "Happy" that he had. My favorite part of Milkweed was when anyone would ever call Misha Jewish, he would turn around and angrily shout, " I'M NOT JEWISH! I'M A GYPSY!". In the end , After he was adopted by the Milgroms, when someone called him Jewish he just ran. At the end of the book, after WWII had ended, it told how Misha moved to America, was named Jack, and married and met his great granddaughter , Janina.

I believe anyone who is looking for a good read should read Milkweed, its like a Butter Milk chocolate in a box of chocolates.

Rose M.

Call him whatever you'd like. Everyone else does.

Stopthief. Jew. Gypsy. Fast. Happy. Runt. Filthy son of Abraham. Misha Pilsudski is the name that Uri, the leader of the street orphans, finally gives him, along with a made-up story about his past and his family history. It's the name that sticks. For a while.

This orphan boy from Warsaw, U.S.S.R., figures if someone calls him a name, it just might mean that it's true. Take "Fast," a name Uri calls him. If it wasn't true about him, how else would he explain how good he is at stealing bread from women walking on the street? Bread which he faithfully shares half with Doctor Korczak's orphans at the group home. He wouldn't be able to outrun the venders, the police, or the Jackboots. That's his name for the Nazi soldiers that can be seen marching around town. Someday, he'd like to be a Jackboot.

Then a Jewish girl named Janina from a poor neighborhood befriends him. With Janina, Misha feels he has a real family, a place he can belong. When families all over the city, Jewish families at first, start getting relocated into the walled-off ghettos, Misha moves in with her. Spinelli's sings the despair of the ghettos with a raw and tragic melody of characters. Outside the ghetto walls they call Heaven. Food is rotten and scarce. New bodies lie covered in the streets each day. And angels are everywhere, if you know how to look.

They call him Stopthief. Catch him if you can.

--- Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

I read the book Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli with my dad. Milkweed is a holocaust book. In the book, the main character thinks his name is Misha Pilsudski, but he does not know his birth name. He thinks he is a gypsy, but he might be a Jew. That does not matter to the Nazis. To the Nazis, he is dirt, he is vermin, he should not exist, to the Nazis, Misha is a nobody. So his friend Janina, and his friends Oleck, Kuba, Ferdi, Enos, Jon, Big Henrick, and Uri would be too if the Nazis knew that he was a Jew. Uri works on the non-Jewish side of the wall, the wall that splits the regular people from the Jews in the Ghetto. The Ghetto is the side of the wall that isolates the Jews from the outside world.

Misha faces all the hardships of the Ghetto with Janina. In the Ghetto food is always scarce and Misha has to smuggle food from the other side of the wall, or Olek calls the other side; "Heaven".

In the Ghetto, Jews steal from other Jews to get money. It is a terrible time. But not as terrible as the twist at the end. There is a great change for all the occupants of the Ghetto. As one [most likely insane] man calls it, they all go to the candy mountain.

When Jerry Spinelli wrote this book he used a lot of metaphors, and has a suspenseful style, that has you guessing the whole book. He makes you picture every detail in your mind. Although I loved the way he wrote Milkweed, it is the saddest book I have read in the eleven years of my lifetime.

The message Jerry Spinelli is trying to send in this book is that sunlight always comes through at the end of a storm, even if it is only the tiniest beam.

In the days of the Holocaust, in Warsaw, Poland, a young boy who knows nothing of his background or where he comes from is living on the streets stealing food for survival. The only name he goes by is Stoptheif because that is what the people call him when he is stealing food from their house or shop. He finally befriends a group of boys and lives with one of them named Uri. When the Nazis, or Jackboots, come into their town, Stoptheif gets so excited about their gleaming boots and uniform that he decides that he wants to be one when he gets older.

Later on when he finds out that his name is Misha and the Milgrom family lets him come live with them. When the Jackboots rally up all of the Jews, Misha is happy to leave and go into the ghetto with them. When their surroundings start getting worse and food is scarce in and outside of the ghetto, Misha realizes that they are in danger and he no longer wants to become a Jackboot.

When the trains come to take all of the Jews away, he knows that something is wrong. That they are taking them away not to resettle, but to kill all of the Jews inhabiting the ghetto. Misha tries to escape with Janina, his "little sister" but she was taken by one of the Jackboots as she screamed for her dad who was inside the train. Misha escapes the ghetto with help from his friend Uri, who was disguised as a Jackoot. He is finally free, but all of the memories of the events that happened in the ghetto still lingered in his mind forever.

My Nutmeg nominee book was Milkweed. Milkweed takes place in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. This book was a good book, but with some gloomy and sad parts. This book was written by Jerry Spinelli.

The main the character in Milkweed has no name until he received one by a young girl. The young girl gives him the name Misha Pilsudski. He's a boy who looks like a Jew, but is really a Gypsy. He meets up with a young man named Uri who takes the liberty in taking care of him. Uri has other boy's steel things for him.

Misha is a boy who has no family. He's a boy who has to steel off the street daily in order to stay alive. He's a boy who wants to be a Jackboot (Nazi) when they walk by in their glory. He's a boy who can't resist the shiny boots of the Jackboots when they parade by. He's convinced he wants to be a Jackboot until the one day when the train comes to gather the Jews up and take them to what the Nazi's call a new settlement. He's a boy who starts to wonder if this is really true.

My favorite part of the story was when he was with Uri at the beginning. I liked this part because it seemed like everything was alright for a little while. It was fun to read about how he and the other boys steal things.

All in all I would give this book five stars. I would give it five stars because it really tells you what the Jews had to go through. It sort of takes you inside of the Jews point of view. Spinelli describes what is going on and where they are extremely well.

My Nutmeg nominee book was Milkweed. Milkweed takes place in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. This book was a good book, but with some gloomy and sad parts. This book was written by Jerry Spinelli.

The main the character in Milkweed has no name until he received one by a young girl. The young girl gives him the name Misha Pilsudski. He's a boy who looks like a Jew, but is really a Gypsy. He meets up with a young man named Uri who takes the liberty in taking care of him. Uri has other boy's steel things for him.

Misha is a boy who has no family. He's a boy who has to steel off the street daily in order to stay alive. He's a boy who wants to be a Jackboot (Nazi) when they walk by in their glory. He's a boy who can't resist the shiny boots of the Jackboots when they parade by. He's convinced he wants to be a Jackboot until the one day when the train comes to gather the Jews up and take them to what the Nazi's call a new settlement. He's a boy who starts to wonder if this is really true.

My favorite part of the story was when he was with Uri at the beginning. I liked this part because it seemed like everything was alright for a little while. It was fun to read about how he and the other boys steal things.

All in all I would give this book five stars. I would give it five stars because it really tells you what the Jews had to go through. It sort of takes you inside of the Jews point of view. Spinelli describes what is going on and where they are extremely well.

I read a great book Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli is a strong historical fiction that takes place in Warsaw, Poland and tells the troubles that the Jews had to face during the holocaust.

It is about a boy with many names, stopthief, Misha Pilsudiski, A filthy son of Abraham, a Jew, and a gypsy. He stays with Misha. He befriends an orphan named Uri who steals to live. Misha also meets the other boys that live with Uri. Along the way he meets Janina who is a Jew who is herded to the ghetto with her family by the Nazi. Soon the boy are captured and thrown in the ghetto where disease and starvation was killing many people every day. Every night Misha and Janina sneak through a hole in the wall that the Nazi built to keep the Jews in and steal food for their family.

The main problem is when Hitler orders the Nazis to take the Jews away and Janina is caught when they go stealing one night. Misha has to choose to die but save Janina or live and never see her again.

My favorite part was when Misha hear the story Uri gave him. It is about how his parents were killed and his brothers and sisters were killed in a bomb and he was kidnapped escaped in to Warsaw and met Uri.

This book is very moving and I would give it five stars. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action, adventure, and sorrow. You will love this book.

"Milkweed" by Jerry Spinelli is a book about a boy named Misha. Misha is a boy about 8 years old. He lives in a ghetto in Warsaw, Poland. He is a gypsy which means he has no permanant home. His parents are dead. He smuggles food to eat. Uri is an oranged haired man who is best friends with Misha. Uri owns a barber shop and gives Misha free haircuts. Jana is a little girl who helps Misha smuggle food to an orphanage. Uncle Shepard is Jana's uncle. Misha and Jana smuggle food for Uncle Shepard.

The story starts when Misha's parents are killed by the Nazi's. Misha goes to a place where other orphans live in the ghetto. He smuggles food and other items into the orpanage. Misha also smuggles food for his friend Jana and her Uncle Shepard. Misha's friends are taken to the ovens. He runs away to a farm until the war ends. After the war he leaves the farm for America. He becomes a salesman, gets married and has daughter. After a short marriage he divorces. Eventually Misha becomes a grandfather.

The story takes place in the ghettos of Warsaw, Poland and then America.

The theme of the story is an orphan who lives through the war to become a free man in the United States.

I found the story interesting, but sad. Misha's struggles and his quest for freedom made me feel fortunate for what I have today.

In this book, the Nazi invasion of Poland is seen through the eyes of a small homeless vagabond of a child, a child who is both too naive to understand properly what is going on around him, yet also more street-smart and much better at surviving the hard life than the adults around him.

I found this book refreshingly unique, intelligently written, and compelling too - in fact, I found it so impossible to put down that I ended up staying up most of the night to finish it. However, it is a very realistically written book, and none of the harshness of war is sugar-coated, so I would not recommend letting young children read it. Also, kids might need to ask a few background questions about World War 2 so that they can understand fully what the story is about, and they're probably going to need the holocaust and the Nazi death camps explained to them as well...and I myself would definitely not enjoy having to explain that to young children, especially not when it comes to the "But WHY would the Nazis do something so horrible like that?" part. Still, let's just hope that if our future generations learn about this sort of stuff, they can stop anything like it from happening again.

Milkweed

I read a Nutmeg book titled Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli. It is an excellent book set during World War II.

The main characters are Uri and Misha Pilldulski. Uri is a friend of Misha who takes care of him. Misha is 8 years old and not very smart. He doesn't know what's going on in the world.

The main problem of the book occurs when Misha wants to become Nazi (Jackboot) but then realizes how people with different religions were being treated.

My favorite part was when Uri and Misha go to the ghetto for Jews, this is my favorite part because they finally find out that Misha is not a Jew he is a gypsy. This was important because gypsies were being treated better than Jews.

I really enjoyed this book because it was action packed and very suspenseful. Also, in some parts I felt like I was there running with him in the streets of the ghetto.

I would highly recommend this book for kids 10 or up because it's is not really appropriate for kids younger than 10.Its a good book if you like a lot of action and adventure because that is what the book is all about. I would give this book 4 stars.

Nate Carl

LA4

11/15/06

I read a wonderful book called Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli. It is a historical fiction book set during WWII in Warsaw, Poland.

The main characters in the story were Misha, a boy who tries to find his family; Yuri, who becomes Misha's only friend in the beginning; and Janina, who became his friend in the middle of the book. All of the Jewish people in Warsaw were attacked by the Nazis, or "Jackboots", and were forced to live in the ghetto. Misha was a boy trying to find his family who wanted to become a Nazi in the beginning, but then changed his mind during the story. The book is mainly about what the Nazis did to the Jewish people and about Misha trying to survive this time.

My favorite part of the book was when Yuri and Misha were living (like kings) stealing food and living well. I liked this part because it showed that the two boys were better off than other people in Warsaw at the time.

I really loved this book because it showed what the Nazis did to the Jewish people. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves historical fiction, or books about the WWII

The mischevious little boy, Stopthief, lives in a small town in Warsaw, Poland.No one knows his exact age, but he is said to be around eight years old.He is an orphan,and he is forced to steal food because he has no money.
Stopthief encounters many interesting events along this hard journey in the ghetto. He also meets many new friends along the way. He forms some great relationships with people, and unfortunately some of them are lost.
Milkweed is a sad, yet uplifting book, and I encourage everyone to read it. Throughout this story, you also have tho opportunity to learn some true facts about things that happened in the past. Some people can relate to the story. Ecspecially if they had a hard time in their life with something similar to what happens to the characters in the book. This story helps to encourage you that you should never give up even when you get discouraged. The characters in this story still had a good time even when they were in a very hard stressful situation.I hope that everyone gets the opportunity to read this book.

The mischevious little boy, Stipthief, lives in a small town in Warsaw, Poland.No one knows his exact age, but he is said to be around eight years old.He is an orphanso he is forced to steal food because he has no money.
Stopthief encounters many interesting events alonghis hard journey in the ghetto. He also meets manynew friends along the way. He forms some great relationships with people, and unfortunately some of them are lost.
Milkweed is a sad, yet uplifting book, and I encourage everyone to read it. Throughout this story, you also have tho opportunity to learn some true facts about things that happened in the past. Some people can relate to the story. Ecspecially if they had a hard time in their life with something similar to what happens to the characters in the book. This story helps to encourage you that you should never give up even when you get discouraged. The characters in this story still had a good time even when they were in a very hard stressful situation.I hope that everyone gets the opportunity to read this book.

This book, Milkweed, is a historical fiction book that takes place during WWII. The main character is an orphan, and a Gypsy, who doesn't remember anything about his past. He becomes friends with an older man named URI, a Jew, and they stick together. While their time together, they make up the name Misha Pilsudski. During this time, the "Jackboots" come. They are representing the Nazis in WWII. Misha becomes friends with a girl named Janina Milgrom, and becomes `part' of their family. They then get sent to the ghetto where life is tough. Jerry Spinelli, the author, does a wonderful job writing this book, because it seems so realistic, and everything just flows together. It's a great book for teens to read because even though it's a very harsh time, it's still a very well written book. Its time period, and setting makes it such a good book, because its a very devistating time, and lots and lots of people were killed. Very few people survived and you have to read the book to see if Misha survives.

Jerry Spinelli has crafted a stark and horribly vivid portrayal of the Nazi occupation of Warsaw, Poland during WWII.
Through the eyes of a young vagabond we see a childlike view of what it was like to live through this horrific time.
Misha is a young boy who is orphaned and living on the streets. He is told he is a gypsy and given the name Misha, by his friend and protector Uri.
From this point on Misha progresses in his understanding of all that is going on around him... he comes face to face with "Jackboots", Nazi soldiers... "Flops", turncoat Jews tormenting their own people... and those being persecuted-- Jewish people.
The saddness of this story comes through loud and clear when Misha becomes attached to the Jewish family, the Milgorms. Misha befriends, Jainna a young girl and quickly becomes part of the family and embraces his background as a Jew.
I applaud Spinelli for writing this book. I realize there are many books written for middle school students on the Holocaust, but we must never stop reading about it... if we do we may forget just how terrible it really was. And if we, as tolerant caring people forget the horrors, we could easily slip back into the cruelty and utter stupidity of the Nazi tormentors. We must never become like them.... ever!
This is a mistake from history no one should ever repeat!
So as you read this... remember that all people have value and it's our job to make sure we never allow something like the holocaust to happen again.

Milkweed is tale of faith, bravery, and pure survival. A little boy who doesn't know anything about his past (not even his name) is left to survive. The only name he knows are the ones he's been called. The whole story is told from his perspective. I really enjoyed this book because it shows how scary the Holocaust is for a young child. Most of the book is set in a gray and depressing placed called the Ghetto, where all the Jews stay. (The story is taken place in Warsaw, Poland).
Since the story has such a simple style, a lot occurs so quickly. But, the amazing thing is that even though a bunch of events happen within a few chapters, they are all so clear. Another thing I enjoyed was that the author added in a few sad details about the reality of the Holocaust, but not so many that you would be like, "Ugh, this is such an over-reaction."
One thing I didn't particularly like is the fact that it seems kind of rushed. It's still an amazing book. The fact that Misha (the boy who tells the story) isn't incredibly smart, he makes stupid mistakes. This story is one of the books you can't put down because you feel like if you don't keep reading, you'll miss a really important part. Even tough, you can come back to it later.
I recommend this book to anybody who enjoys a simple book to read, but one that will make you feel fulfilled.

Words cannot express my feelings. I just finished this book two minutes ago and don't know what to say. So sad. So heart-breaking. So hard to imagine that the world Misha lived in really existed. Yet, I'm touched by the love portrayed in this book. I'm in awe of all those who suffered those atrocities and still were decent and kind to others.

I had no idea what this book was about (I like being surprised & having no expectations) before I read it. I just knew that many of my friends loved it. And although I loved "The Book Theif" I probably wouldn't have picked this book up if I knew the subject matter. However, I am so glad that I read this book. It's definitely one I'll want to buy for my children to read. I feel it gave me a greater understanding of what life might have been like. Likewise, it has caused me to be more grateful for even the smallest of blessings.

A bit hard to understand because of Misha’s lack of knowledge of the real world, understandable though. The book had yet to explain my question about where Janina ended up at the end of the story, but maybe that was what he was going for. Overall,a great story, creative and I could really picture what WarSaw looked like from all the details.

Jerry Spinelli wrote the book Milkweed, a book about a young, orphaned boy. This book is written in this 8 year old’s point of view and describes the life he lived and the lives of others around him during the time of the holocaust. Young Misha goes through trials most kids today will never face. The novel’s main theme is reach out for people searching for their identity as they navigate adolescence.
Milkweed is written in the first point of view of a young boy. The author wrote the book like this to emphasize and shine true light on what the holocaust felt like for a child from Poland. It depicted the way jewish people and non-jewish people reacted and responded to the Holocaust.
The most important evidence Spinelli used was his use of everyday experiences. He describes Misha’s daily adventures, full of struggles. Overall the whole book is an anecdote of a Gypsy/Jewish boy’s life. This novel uses evidence throughout the text; the phrase “jackboots” is an example of the slang the Jewish people used to describe the nazi soldiers.
This book uses evidence in the form of a story. Milkweed is a historical novel and its use of evidence just makes the story seem real. It makes you feel like you are experiencing all of what is happening yourself. There is little counterevidence, and when there is it is just used to clarify the events and thoughts more. Overall, Spinelli uses evidence to support his point and develop his paper.
There is really no argument in this book. Spinelli is not trying to convince us of something. He is simply trying to tell a heartfelt story, and to illustrate a horrid, yet inspirational story about a gypsy/jewish boy who grows into a man with a story and his own angels. Misha relates to anyone who has faced hardships in their life, while gaining moral value.
Compared to other books and articles, Milkweed is by far one of the best books I have ever read. If you expect a fairytale ending, do not read this book, but if you are willing to page through tragedy, I recommend this book. This book is packed full of life lessons and tired smiles, but it will give you a new look on the effects of the holocaust for a troubled child, ignorant to the demons of the world.
Overall Jerry Spinelli once again lived up to the credited acclaims he has received. Milkweed is a book for all ages, and gives a compelling message about identity and struggles. If you are looking for literature that captivates and inspires, this is the book for you. Misha tells us the events of his life and the lessons he learned. This book is useful for people who want to further their knowledge in finding identity and place in the world.

-Elizabeth Mitchem

Milkweed is an exciting book about a young boy named Misha, during the holocaust. He doesn't know if he has any remaining family or not, but when the Jackboots (Nazi soldiers) come to their town, His friend Uri must make him up a life story so the Jackboots won't get suspicious. Misha wants to be a soldier. He loves the "parades" they put on and their funny hats, but most of all, he loves their tall, shiny, black boots. They go up to the men's knees and Misha has never seen any thing quite like them before. He tells them that he is a gypsy, for that is what Uri said to tell anyone who asks. Then Misha discovers they aren't the men he thought they were. They are mean to Jews and one day, they force him, even though he tells them he is a gypsy, and all of the Jews into a place everyone keeps calling the Ghetto. Misha was excited to go, but when he got there he changed his mind. It was a dry desolate place that was blocked off by tall walls. One day while he was walking around he discovered a small water hole in the wall. That night he went back and tried to get through the tiny space... he succeeded! Every night he would sneak out into heaven (the place beyond the wall) and steal food. It was getting harder and harder though to find food, and life, because since it was WWII, it was getting bombed. Misha must find out how to live in this horrible, dead place.

Milkweed is about a boy called Misha Pilsudski in the World War 2 where Nazi started to take over the Eroupe.He was a litte Gypsi boy who became a member of a group made of thief Jew boys. Uri, the one who found Misha and took care of him was a Jew, but also a Jackboot(German soldier). When boys and Misha went to Gato, Misha had a hard time. While all this was happening, he became part of a family with his younger friend, Jania and her family. Later, due to Uri's help, he escaped. This book has an unexpected ending that makes readers surprise. There are a lot of books describing Jewish people's hard time, but this book gives us whole different feeling. By inculuding main character who was Gypsi and theif rather than Jewish, this book explain hard time in that period in easier way. Unlike its cover, it doesn't has only dark side. Jerry Spenelli shows hope and innocence of kids' mind really well in this book. This is definitely the one of the best book Spinelli wrote.

I don't really read holocaust books because they are just too sad, but I decided to give this one ago because of the great reviews I'd heard.

It's about a young boy who doesn't know his own age and assumes that his name is "Stopthief". You follow him as he tells the story of the Holocaust through his own innocent eyes and you see the changes that he and the people he love go through. The majority of the book is not set in the concentration camps, but in the ghetto and the time before that, as the persecution began.

It is written in a very simple style which gives a voice to Misha (previously "Stopthief") as he realizes and doesn't realize what is happening around him.

The simple style means that horrible events can happen mostly without sentiment but very clearly and matter of factly. Misha himself is not particularly upset by dead bodies being slung onto carts, although the reader might be, but because of Misha's voice and the short chapters your attention is pulled elsewhere before the meaning really has a chance to sink in. I think this really helped show the innocence of the young boy and also make the book a lot easier to read and to take. I wouldn't recommend it to children much under 11 though because some parts, such as a man who particularly likes suffocating kids, are a bit gruesome and nasty for younger readers.

Although I really didn't expect to actually enjoy a book about the Holocaust, Milkweed is completely compelling and is worth reading just for the loving little boy with a changeable name who can't keep still.

It maybe sad in parts but I think it's worth it.

This is a story from the Holocaust. Spinelli has been able to do something quite remarkable in this novel. We read the book with our own knowledge of the events of the Nazi invasion yet we see the events through the eyes of a young boy who really does not comprehend what is happening to his country.

The only name he knows to call himself is Stopthief because he survives by stealing. He is a child utterly and totally alone. He is given the name Misha by another boy who befriends and protects him. Misha's family becomes a group of homeless orphan boys scratching out a life on the streets of Warsaw.

Misha is totally innocent, ignorant and naive so he only lives in the present. As we read of the Nazi invasion we know the horrors ahead. Misha, however, sees the "Jackboots" as something wonderful; he perceives their mocking salutes as a mark of respect. Their parade entering the city is a marvel to him though events he witnesses finally lead him to understand that being a Jew is dangerous. He is living with his friends in the the Warsaw ghetto. Behind the walls, his kind heart and small size allow him to sneak out and smuggle food back in for his friends. The reader fears for Misha though he feels no fear for himself.

We ache for the child and adult searching for home and kinship.
Spinelli allows the reader to hear, see and smell the insanity of the Holocaust. This is a book everyone should read. This story is timely, important and compelling.

Milkweed is a riveting story that takes you on an adventure taking place in Warsaw during the holocaust. It is a heart wrenching book and can make your eyes swell. A boy that goes by Stop Thief who is trying to get by with no family. He wants to become a Nazi until an incident comes up and then he doesn’t want to be a Nazi anymore. He is called by many names such as a Jew, Gypsy, Stopthief, Filthy Son of Abraham. If you like sad books then this may be for you!