How the Impossible Became Possible . . . on Schindler's List

How can anyone who lived through the Second World War not be moved by this remarkable account of survival by a young Jewish boy in Poland. The write up in the ( i ) didn't do it justice. That's why I bought the book.

Definitely an important book to read! It's a book for teens and adults.
It was fascinating to read about Leon as a very young boy living amongst his friends and neighbors... and how tragically his world changes.
After finishing the book I would highly suggest going on YOU TUBE and watching his video interviews.

Amazing story! I read it in a few short hours... It is just impossible to out down! I loved that he explained feelings he had at the time. Like you were there beside him. I am actually going on a trip to Poland in a few months to study the Holocaust and am excited to have found this book!

The book was written in a very readable style with enough details to give a clear picture of what was happening to Leon and his family. I had seen Schindler's list and was interested to see how he was able to keep a young boy and his family at his factory.

Could not put this down......informative, poignant, sad, utterly compelling and ultimately an emotional ending that speaks to the heartaches of WWII. Very nice that it was written in the first person.

Unbelievable that human being could treat other human being like the Germans did to the Jews. I say a prayer every night for those that suffered beyond imagination.
Leon did so well sharing his experiences. To relive his experiences every time he lectured had to be so traumatic for him. God bless him and his family.

This book recounts the story of a survivor of the Holocaust. It is told without rancor or bitterness and is a testimony to the human spirit and how kindness and courage exist even in the worst of places.

It is a must read for students--especially when they are studying the Holocaust. It's heartbreaking to know what young children went through during the darkest days in human history. It makes you appreciate your own childhood a lot more.

This book is an incredible true story about one of the darkest times In history and how a boy and his family found hope in pure chaos! Once I picked up this book I simply couldn't put it down! Little Leon touched my heart with his stories and I guaranty that you will be on the edge of your seat as he describes the horrors he experienced in the war and you feel like you are right next to him as he goes through what should have ended his world. I hope you enjoy little Leon`s stories as much as I did! :)

Leyson's story is amazing. More insight into what Schindler risked and accomplished. Only wish he could have saved more. There are more stories out there, but the dwindling number of people who endured the holocaust are likely not eager to relive those events.

The story is well written. While it is about a very tragic situation, you don't feel sad or depressed, the book is about generosity and hope and family. It was a nice change from a lot of the books I have read about WWII.

I bought this for my 6th grade grandson who loves history. I read it first to make sure it wouldn't be overly horrific for his age. It is handled with sensitivity to a young reader, and I will be giving it to him.

At first I didn't want to read it, but as I started reading I got sucked into it. It really intrigued me how one man saved so many Jews behind the Nazis backs. It was a really good story. I'm glad I read it.

It never ceases to amaze me learning of the fortitude of the survivors of the Holocaust. The atrocities that so many people had to endure and move through is absolutely unbelievable. Leon Leyson's story kept my interest and I shed a tear for him at the end of the book. And, although I'd seen Schindler's List in the movies, I tend to be skeptical of how Hollywood portrays its' heroes. It was satisfying to learn that Schindler truly cared about the people/families he was able to help. I recommend this book and have already lent it to a friend.

It's always hard to read about man's inhumanity to man. This story was excellent in sharing the real hardship and heartache in losing your home, your way of life and your family and then picking up the pieces afterwards. I hope this book helps everyone learn from history.

the book was awesome! just reading the book it seems like he was kinda luckier than most kids and even grownups.but it wasn't luck that kept him alive it was his passion for his family that kept him alive and lucky.

At first I didn't want to read it, but as I started reading I got sucked into it. It really intrigued me how one man saved so many Jews behind the Nazis backs. It was a really good story. I'm glad I read it.

An excellent story written with the deep feelings of a young boy who was puzzled, frightened, and starving during the holocaust, saved only through the kindness of Oskar Schindler who saved him and his parents.

Book #90 Read in 2017
The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson

Leyson was one of the Jewish people saved by Oskar Schindler during the Holocaust. This book details his story--his childhood, his time in a ghetto, his time in a concentration camp and his new start in America. It is a powerful book and should be read by high school readers and adults alike. I borrowed this book from the town library.

The author puts into words the unbelievable horror stories of survival through out the war. And the courage of one man who saved so many at the risk of his own life. How anyone could survive the atrocities is beyond belief. A lesson many of us can learn from.

Good telling of a sad story. The overall story was familiar because of the movie, Schindler's List, but this is a little boy's take. It's told from an adults view looking back on a painful time, with sorrow and remorse, but little bitterness. Well done.

I have read a number of books on the Holocaust and they are all very sobering. This book is a little different because it is written from the memories formed as a small child. I think more detail could have been given to some of the content, especially the time spent with Schindler, to give it more depth but still an okay read.

This is a moving and harrowing account of a family's survival of the Holocaust, thanks to Oskar Schindler's repeated interventions. While the story is riveting, it is told in the voice of the late Leon Leyson which allows the reader to envision the family as they struggle to survive mentally and physically the inhuman conditions, repeated disappointments and loss of family members. His service in the U.S. military and subsequent successful life among family and friends in California is a tribute to his optimism and mental fortitude.

In addition to the story which appeals not only to young people, the book is beautifully published. Not least of all are the birds that begin on the front end paper and follow throughout at the beginning of the chapters, until the two remaining fly away on the end paper. This memoir is a work of love.

Boring- Diary of Ann Frank is riveting. The first 1/3 of Boy on the Wooden Box is quite a slow read. Then the camp captures your attention., Tthe fact that he could sneak from one building to another to see his father and brother or his mother, etc gained momentum. .

This story has been told numerous times by many, of course. Whole not a profound read it s nicely written for the most part..Would have liked that there was more information to share regarding Schindler though. Don't expect to read in any depth about him in this book.

A great book that lets the reader have a firsthand look at the deep heartache of a Jewish family in WWII. It is detailed enough to break your heart, but not so dark as to terrify my children. I would hand it over to my middle school aged kids and read along with them. The author ends with a great testimony to hope and healing.

The author met Oskar Schindler, who then rescued him and many other Jews right under the eyes of the Nazis. If you liked "Schindler's List" you'll like this book. This book gives a more intimate viewof how luck, relationships, and courage changed this boy's life.

I knew the author of this book. We both worked at the same school in the Los Angeles District in the eighties. A co-teacher told me he was one of Schindler's Jews. I didn't even know what that meant at the time. After the movie I became familiar with the story. Leon often gave speeches in the area. I am sorry to say I never attended them and now its too late. Leon was friendly and was liked by his students in the machine shop. I'm sorry to say that I was disappointed in this book. The best book I ever read about the holocaust was "all but my life". This book tells the story of his family and his years in the concentration camp and working for Schindler. However I thought his story lacked details about what he was experiencing. I thought it was a book written by someone who was a beginning in holocaust studies. It never went into the day to day horrors of what he experienced at such a young age. I am sorry to write this but I was disappointed. I am usually a show reader. I read this book in two hours. That tells you that there wasn't much "meat" in what I was reading. Again, Leon was a very nice man. He was always smiling and laughing with his co workers.

I MET Leon but once, when he spoke to the PROBUS organization in Anaheim, Ca. He was small in stature and spoke modestly of his early life experiences. He was not loud and demonstrative like a General Paton, but he came across as sincere, honest, warm and sensitive. He held one's attention with simple facts, none of which were embellished.
When I was able to talk with him one on one, he always put himself down, always lesser than anyone he was talking about. The book provides an opportunity to know a little about Leon as well as the plight of the Polish Jews before and during WWII.

This book was written by Leon Leyson and his wife, Lis. Leon survived the holocaust, but eventually wanted to forget it and lead a new life in America. His memories flooded back as he got older and realized that it was a story he needed to share with the world. The reader felt that he/she was with " Little Leyson" as Schindler called him, through all the pain of the holocaust, and could celebrate survival with him as he lived his new life in America. I have read it twice and recommend it highly.

This is an amazing story! I was really struck with the will to survive in spite of the most incredible abuse brought about by the forces of the devil incarnate. The story should be a mandate for all high school students. We should never forget so that it never happens again!

This book is great...it has stuff underlined throughout the whole book like someone was doing a school paper on it...but it is still in good shape and you can still read it easy.....so I am very pleased with this buy.....

i enjoyed reading it because it was more personal then most books about the war mostly how families were separated...some lived some died...and his life after. it was a very heartfelt book.. I enjoyed it very much. I am having my teenage boys reading it now.

A wonderful account of a tragic event in history that show how real people and their families were impacted by a brutal regime, and how one person made a profound difference in the lives of so many. The book is extremely well written and I highly recommend it to young reader as well as adults.

This book was fitting for Trumps authoritarian rule in process today. I see Trumps wall as the Krakow' Wall in the Ghetto. For me, America is in grave danger of losing human rights on a massive scale. It's time for Civil War in America to protect the lives of the immigrants!

This is a really well written book that recounts the experiences of a teenage boy who survived the holocaust. I listened to the Audible Audio version of this book. The reader was excellent. The writer does a great job of introducing himself and his family as they lived in Poland during the years leading up to the Nazi occupation. I would not hesitate to recommend this book for young teens or adults. It is not as dark or frightening as some holocaust books but still effectively communicates the horrors and injustice surrounding the holocaust. Because the writer survived the ending is brighter than most.

This is a horrific story of a young Jewish boy and his family who by amazing luck, grit and determination barely survived the Holocost in Poland. Oscar Schindler was the protector that made their survival at all possible. I've read many survivors story but this one is unique because it is seen through the eyes of a young boy and because it describes the help given by the Nazi, Oscar Schindler. Two of the author's brothers and all of his extended family were murdered. He survived to make a life for himself in America. The narrator of this book has a smooth, interesting voice that made for easy listening. I hope he goes on to do other audiobooks.

What a wonderful, heart wrenching story and it was true. An excellent read. Couldn't stop reading... read the book in three days and then sent it to a good friend because I know she will love it. My boyfriend then read it and he too loved it.

This is Leon Leyson's stunning, true story of those he knew who survived and those he knew who did not survive the holocaust. Leyson shares insights regarding Oskar Schindler's noble efforts to be a counterpoint to Hitler's horrors. Leyson got to know Schindler personally, as did so many of the Jewish workers in Schindler's factories. At that time, Leyson was so young and small that he had to stand on an overturned wooden box to reach the controls of the machine he worked. How did the Holocaust become possible? Leyson explains it best. This is a must read!

I HAVE TO ADMIT, MY palms were sweaty and my stomach was churning. I had been waiting in line patiently, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t nervous. It was my turn next to shake the hand of the man who had saved my life many times . . . but that was years ago. Now I wondered if he would even recognize me.

Must Read! This was very well written and easy to understand. Author gave just enough details about what was going on with the war and government, but not so much that it would confuse the reader. It was just enough for the reader to know what was happening around him. Wonderful story of survival and how one person's selflessness can save many.

Did not realize when I ordered it that it was for a much younger age group. So, an easy read for this old gal. Liked that is history, especially considering folks are trying to rewrite our history and take out all the bad stuff that happened. History is history and if we don't pay attention to what has happened, we are destined to repeat it ;-(

Story Description:

Antheneum Books for Young Readers|August 27, 2013|Hardcover|ISBN: 978-1-4424-9781-8

Even in the darkest of times - especially in the darkest of times - there is room for strength and bravery. A remarkable memoir from Leon Leyson, one of the youngest children to survive the Holocaust on Oskar Schindler's list.

Leon Leyson (born Leib Lezjon) was only ten-years-old when the Nazis invaded Poland and his family was forced to relocate to the Krakow ghetto. With incredible luck, perseverance, and grit, Leyson was able to survive the sadism of the Nazis, including that of the demonic Amon Goeth, commandant of Plaszow, the concentration camp outside Krakow. Ultimately, it was the generosity and cunning of one man, a man named Oskar Schindler who saved Leon Leyson's life and the lives of his mother,his father, and two of his four siblings, by adding their names to his list of workers in his factory - a list that became world renowned: Schindler's List.

This, the only memoir published by a former Schindler's List child, perfectly captures the innocence of a small boy who goes through the unthinkable. Most notable is the lack of rancor, the lack of venom, and the abundance of dignity in Mr. Leyson's telling. The Boy on the Wooden Box is a legacy of hope, a memoir unlike anything you've ever read.

My Review:

Young Leon Leyson ran barefoot across the meadow toward the river. Grabbing a rope swing, he hoisted himself up, swung across the water and let go splashing down into the cool river below. He and his friends often came here for it was their favourite past time.

During the winter, with the help of his older brother, Tsalig he fashioned together a pair of ice skates and glided up and down the river. He was very inventive in crafting the skates. They used all kinds of unlikely material, metal remnants taken from their grandfather the blacksmith and bits of wood from the firewood pile. The skates were primitive and clumsy, but they worked and that was all that mattered. Life at this time seemed an endless and carefree journey.

Leon was born in Narewka, a rural village in northwestern Poland, near Bialystok, not far from the border with Belarus. His ancestors had lived there for more than two-hundred years.

His parents were hard-working people who never expected anything they did not earn themselves. His mother, Chanah, was the youngest of five children. She spent her days doing housework and caring for her children. Leon himself was also the youngest of five children.

His father, Moshe was a talented and well-known tool and die maker. He had always worked hard to provide a good life for his family. Shortly after marrying Chanah, he began working as an apprentice machinist in a small factory that produced hand blown glass bottles of all sizes. It was there that his boss chose him to attend an advanced course in tool design in the nearby town of Bialystok. The glass factory did so well that it expanded and moved to Krakow, a thriving city three-hundred and fifty miles southwest of Narewka. His father moved with the factory and saved money over several years before he was able to bring his family there with him.

Leon loved going to synagogue services with his maternal grandparents for he was especially close to them. The rabbi would begin the service in a strong, vibrant voice that soon blended with the congregation.

October 1938 began with disturbing news with stories about Germany and Adolf Hitler, Germany's leader, or Fuhrer. Since coming to power in 1933, Hitler and the Nazis wasted no time on consolidating control, silencing their opponents and beginning the campaign to re-establish Germany as a dominant world power. A central part of Hitler's plan was to marginalize Jews, to make them "the other." He blamed Jews for Germany's problems, past and present, from its defeat in the Great War to its economic depression.

Soon Leon's family learned that as many as 17,000 Jews, had been expelled from Germany. The Nazi government told them they were no longer welcome, and were unworthy to live on their soil. The possibility of a war grew stronger.

During the summer of 1939, all of Krakow began to prepare for war. They boarded up windows, stocked up on food, and remodelled their cellars into bomb shelters.

On September 1, 1939, an air-raid siren jolted Leon out of his sleep. German tanks had crossed the border into Poland, the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force, had attacked a Polish border town and the invasion of Poland by the Germans had begun. The Polish army was no match for the Germans and were unable to stop the flow of German soldiers who had crossed into Poland and quickly moved east.

Five days after that first air raid, they heard a rumor that there were guards on the bridges of the Vistula River. Leon snuck out to take a look and sure enough they were German soldiers. It was September 6, 1939. Less than a week after crossing the border in Poland, the Germans were in Krakow. Although Leon and his family didn't know it then, their years in hell had begun.

The Boy on the Wooden Box is absolutely riveting reading! The atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust were unbelievable and it's terrible that other humans could do the things they did to their fellow man. I pray we never experience another period like this in any of our lifetimes again and that it will become unnecessary for people like Leon Leyson to write memoirs such as this.

The writing in this novel is literally flawless and the information presented in such a way that it made for easier reading and held my attention from beginning to end. I read it in one sitting, I just can't say enough about this novel!!

Do you know why he is the boy on the wooden box? I do. He would constantly be reminded of those bitter days where he would stand on a wooden crate so he could reach the controls on the metal lathe in Schindler's factory. Those memories persevered as he taught me and my classmates at Huntington Park High School back in 1994; he was my machine shop teacher for 3 years.
The world knows him as Leon Leyson - the Holocaust survivor and the youngest person on Schindler's List. WE knew him as Mr. Leyson - the charismatic hot tempered son of a gun that would not waste a second putting you in your place when you had it coming. Oh how I miss those days. I can still hear his voice screaming "SHUT UP!" as he was trying to take roll call. I can still remember the time when asked one student, "How old are you? 15? I've been teaching this class in this very room since before you were even born! Hell, I'm willing to bet that I've been here teaching this class before your parents even met, yet you think YOU know better than ME?!!!!" Such great memories.
Now, what I'm trying to say here is that you can read this books and see all the videos about this man but nothing will give you a sense of the true reality of his marvelous accomplishment as a teacher at Huntington Park High School. This is a good book; but it's just a book. He NEVER spoke of the Holocaust while he was my teacher, but it became very evident that his childhood experiences immensely influenced his teaching style. He taught a great deal more than machine shop. He taught us lessons in life and tried to influence our thinking.

The book The Boy on the Wooden Box is a memoir written by Leon Leyson is a very well constructed message about some of the things a jewish family would of had to go through during this time. This book is about Leon Leyson who was one of Schindler's jews during the holocaust. This book is heartwarming as well and shows some of the few positives during the holocaust.This shows the rough life a jewish kid in the holocaust. I would say this memoir would have to be a must read for anyone wants to know what the life of a jew was like during this time.

I have read numerous books about the Holocaust and this memoir was a very touching account of the horrors that were inflicted on Jewish families as seen through the eyes of a young boy. Oskar Schindler played a big part in helping Leon and his family survive the Nazi's brutality during WWII.

This book would be appropriate for students and adults. Very well done .

I was given this book by a very kind and unassuming woman during a flight from Washington, DC to Los Angeles. She was sitting next to me and I think saw that I was bored. She offered me the book with 90 minutes left in the flight and I began reading. The story captivated me immediately and the pages flew by - I was determined to finish before we landed. As we were touching down, I completed the book and was reading the postscript when it suddenly dawned on me - the woman sitting next to me was Leon's wife and one of the co-authors of the book. I blurted out, "Wait, this is you, isn't it?". Mrs. Leyson nodded and smiled. We chatted for awhile about the story, her family, and the writing of the book. Mrs. Leyson even left the most thoughtful note in the book for my fiancee (who was sitting next to me) and me.

This book is something that everyone from middle school children to their grandparents can appreciate. It should be included with required reading materials pertaining to the holocaust - 'The Diary of Anne Frank', 'Number the Stars', etc. The moments of loss in the book are heart wrenching and difficult to read, however, Leon's overwhelming story of triumph is a testament to the humanity that hopefully exists somewhere in all of us.

This book is so compelling that I read it in a few sittings. It doesn't matter that it was written for younger readers. In fact, the simplicity of the writing makes it even stronger. It's amazing what this family went through and yet, through perseverance and just plain luck at certain moments, some of them survived. I was most impressed by the author's sensitivity as a boy -- to his mother, his father, and to others. His own sense of place in relation to his brothers and parents is also apparent and a good teaching for young people. Highly recommended for all ages.

Too often our world tries to negate the atrocities that happened to the Jewish people or dismiss them without much more than a cursory acknowledgment. This book was so well written. It is essential that as the generation dies off that experienced this war, that we not forget the truth of what happened. I would recommend this book to children and adults, alike. It is an account that is so worth the time it takes to read it. It's a wonderful discussion just waiting to happen, especially in a home-school setting. I am so glad that Leon Leyson wrote this before his death; it would have been sad for his story to be told only to those he could get to physically.

The triumph of humanity in the face of evil, and the ability to keep that past evil from defining the rest of his life....that is a lesson we all should learn. Without horrifying details, this book nevertheless helps young people understand some of the history we must remember and never forget....

This is a good read and a memoir of a survivor. The book is fairly short and reads as if the author was with us telling it. If you are interested in a more detailed account of a Schindler's list survival, I recommend the memoir by Stella Muller Madej, A Girl from the Schindler's List.

A Boy on the Wooden Box is an outstanding story and has become one of my top holocaust stories that I will reread and reread again.
Yes, he was on Schindler's List and as a young boy that at one time was playing with his friends and enjoying his young life. Then all of a sudden he had no freedom at all. He survived working in the factories owned by Oskar Schindler, a German.
He went through hell like the other Jews. But, surviving was one thing and being liberated was another story.
Leon Leyson became an outstanding High School teacher in the USA and gave his testimony to the public without compensation.

The stories of how Leon avoided and then was moved to a concentration camp, life inside the camp, life once he was mostly protected by Schindler, and the eventual demise of Nazi Germany... they were so heartbreaking and powerful. I have never seen the movie Schindler's List, so I knew nothing about who he was. It was another lesson in humanity to learn how someone that had so much power was still able to basically put his life on the line to help out a large number of Jews. Leon's family was basically in the right place at the right time, but their hard work, determination, and little bit of spunk helped them stand out.

I don't really know what to say about this little book. How can such a small book have such a big impact? I have read many a Holocaust survival biography. We have this one down in the Children's Department of the library where I work, so I thought it would be a short, basic biography. Yes, it was a quick read to me, but that was because I stayed up all night reading it. This book has recommendations for 9+ or 11+. It would be appropriate for teens as well, and many adults will learn from it as well.

Being an autobiography, and being about Schindler's List and how people survived that otherwise wouldn't, at least I knew Leon would survive. I cared deeply about the rest of his family though, so I needed to find out how many, if any, of them would survive. Leon's life after the Holocaust was great to me. He turned out to be such an interesting person. I am so glad he decided to write down his story. It was not necessarily the best writing in the world; it seemed written by an amateur, but the story was so powerful that it didn't need to be. It was real.

Wow. Just wow. This is the true story of Leon Leyson, a young man whose family lost almost everything in Poland during the Holocaust, yet made it through alive thanks to Oskar Schindler and his famous list. This is a story of the survival of humans through the generosity of those who seem least likely to offer it, and it is a story of bold chances taken and grateful, hopeful people.

From the first words, Leon draws us into his story of life as a young boy in Krakow, and how that life changed as the Nazis invaded; how his family managed to stay together (mostly) for the duration of the war, and how he was reduced to digging through garbage for food and lying to soldiers to stay alive. But it is a fortuitous meeting of Leon's father with Schindler that ultimately keeps Leon's family alive; one by one they are taken from their camp and brought to work in Schindler's factory. The fact that young Leon, small in body from his years of starvation, was taken into Schindler's group attests to the good this one man was able to do right under the noses of the Nazis hungering for death for all Jews. Leon is mindful of his good fortune but doesn't shy away from the hard, brutal details of life in the Krakow ghetto and the internment camp. The fact that many times it all might have gone even more horribly wrong than it already had is proof of the triumph of spirit, and it is beautiful.

Leon Leyson was a gifted storyteller, and his story is one that will capture you, enlighten you, and uplift you. This is a look at Schindler's List from one of the workers who was saved, and it's a story that we need to know.

Children’s/Young Adult literature is a powerful genre in today’s literary world. From the first sighting of the dust cover of this book to the final “resource” page, this book was a delight to read; a place of celebration for life and living, a reminder of the pain humans inflict upon each other with seeming unfeeling regularity and a call to attention of how easily such pain can be revisited in a cultured, civilized society. I will donate this book to my favorite library in hopes that it will be used until the words have been read off the page. This is an important work from the pen of one who lived through a time most want to deny could ever occur but one whose scars are still painfully evident.
Leib Lejzon was born in Narewka, a small farming village, in Poland in the early 1930’s (the exact date is uncertain). His life in this country town was filled with sunshine, “common” farm work and family. His father had to move to Krakow, 350 miles SW of his home, in order to keep his job and support his family. For five years, his father would make it home “every six months or so,” to visit his wife, four sons and daughter until he had saved enough to move all seven of them into a two room apartment in the industrial area of the city. A world unknown to Leib awaited him in that city. For the first time he was not surrounded by family, open spaces and work that were familiar to him. He quickly adjusted and for four years, Krakow became a place, if not familiar, at least not as strange as it was in those early days. That safe world changed drastically in 1938. Leib was nine-years-old when his home country was invaded, then annexed, by Germany and the Nazi’s plan for a “pure race.”
For the next year, life became increasingly difficult for the Jews of Poland. Ridiculous restrictions – e.g. Jews could not sit in the front of the city buses, then they could not sit, then they could not ride at all - were levied daily. The Krakow Ghetto was erected in 1939 and for the next 6 years, the Lejzon family struggled to survive the Holocaust. Were it not for Oskar Schindler, a factory owner and Nazi Party member, it is doubtful that any of this family would have survived. Even with this rich and influential entrepreneur doing all he could to protect them, they were still required to: work 12 hour shifts, have only a bowl of “watery soup” as their one meal for the day, sleep in overcrowded barracks and learn to be invisible. Not being noticed was one say to stay alive.
The book is a testament to the efforts of Mr. Schindler (he is buried in Jerusalem on Mount Zion, the only member of the Nazi Party to be honored in this way) and a glimpse into the power of determination of individuals, a people and one person who saw his duty and did it, disregarding the cost. Whereas Elie Weisel’s Night (a must read in itself) details the horrors of the Holocaust more graphically, Mr. Leyson (his name was changed upon his immigration to the United States) brings the reader through the horrors of that era as a child, just as he was.
The book is appropriate for all ages, even with the topic being one so vile. The book is more poignant in that the author died 3 days shy of four months after the book was completed. It seemed he followed Mr. Schindler’s example and held firm until his task was complete. Sleep well, Mr. Leyson, you have earned your peaceful rest.

Not even the scariest of fairy tales could have prepared me for the monsters I would confront while just a boy of ten…or for the hero, disguised as a monster himself, who would save my life. -Leon Leyson

The last page of the story contains Schindler’s actual list with Leon’s name, then Leib Lejson. Seriously, Schindler’s list WAS life. I stared at the list in awe. Each person’s name had a family, a unique story, hopes and dreams. And each one survived. This story gives life and faces to three of those names. Many pictures are included in the back of the book, including a few pre-war, post-war, and many photos of Leon’s later life. (He was a very handsome gentleman.) Unlike many Holocaust memoirs, Leon describes his successful post-war life and the beginning of Schindler’s legacy as we know it. Leon earned a Master’s degree in education, raised a great family, and lived life happily. Sadly, he died right after he got the manuscript in and never knew his memoir would be officially published.

Incredible story, incredible writing - I couldn't recommend it highly enough!

The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson is an incredibly moving and powerful memoir. Leon was one of the youngest children to survive the Holocaust on Oskar Schindler’s list and I found the audiobook brought the realities of this time to life in a way a book may not have. The audio version is narrated by Danny Burstein who has the perfect voice for this story with a combination of humility and gentleness that lends well to the telling of such a horrific time. This memoir sent shivers up my spine and more than a few tears in my eyes.

Leon had what could only be described as a happy childhood until the Nazis invaded Poland when he was just ten years old. He and his family were forced from their home to live in a Krakow ghetto and from there to a concentration camp. At thirteen years old and not being a big boy the concentration camp was hard for Leon and having extremely cruel guards who didn’t think twice about inflicting pain on even a young boy it was all the more horrifying. When Leon’s father begged Oskar Schindler to bring Leon to work for him Leon knew he had been saved. While the horrors of being held were still there and starvation was rampant at least the workers were treated with respect by Schindler and quite often he gave extra scraps to Leon when he could. For Leon he feels that Oskar Schindler saved his life … as he did many others.

I have watched the movie version of Schindler’s List more often than I can count and it is no less powerful each time I view it. I feel the same about this book. The audiobook is short at 4 hours and 17 minutes but I was glued to it for each and every second. I can’t imagine being thrown into a concentration camp at such a young age let alone survive it so I have the utmost respect and admiration for Leon and those that did. It takes a special person to be able to survive such horrors – to not give up – to always have hope that there will be a better tomorrow. While Leon lost many loved ones to the war including his brother he survived and he places the reason for his survival on Oskar Schindler. Oskar Schindler is said to be a man who defines heroism which I wholeheartedly agree with but so are those who survived the Holocaust.

Leon said he started his life at nineteen years old when he arrived in America. He went on to have a career, marry, and have children. Sadly he passed in January of 2013 at the age of 83. I’m glad that after all he suffered he had a good life afterwards. If you have a chance to listen to this amazing audiobook and are interested in novels about the Holocaust please pick up The Boy on the Wooden Box. It is truly amazing.

Amazing book and incredible story. I got this for my 10 year old daughter to read. We read some chapters together and some she read herself. I found myself taking the book with great interest and catching up on the chapters she read alone. I read the whole thing and am very glad that I did. Great reading for adults as well.

The format is done in a way that the reading is easy even if the subject matter is tough. My 10 year old had lots of questions which I was glad to be able to answer to the best of my abilities for her. It was a good book to read mostly together for that reason. She had no nightmares or lasting problems with it so for us It was a great decision to read. I was concerned initially before we read it it might be too much or too graphic for her. The storytelling is just right I thought. Told with clarity and honesty and enough details to understand the atrocities but without being too graphic. It is an incredible story and book. My daughter was captivated.

I can't say enough about this book and the emotion it produces-particularly to see how the author continues through his life and what he was able to accomplish. Sounds like he was a truly wonderful human being despite the circumstances of his youth. I'm glad we got to know Mr. Leyson even on this small scale. I feel richer for the experience. Thanks to all who took part in seeing this book to its publication. A real gift.

Wonderful and touching. Great insight of a boys true experience and courage from Poland too Germany during war. It is also about how Oskar Schindler was able to keep his family on a list not to be put to death. Even as a small boy he tried to do mans work at a machine, standing on a wood box. He not only survives but becomes expert in several languages. He was silent on his life as a adult for many years. In later years he became a public speaker on the subject of his life as a child prisoner and the Holocaust. Even though very descriptive I feel he has blocked or left some gruesome events untold. It is sad that Leon Leyson did not get to see this in print. His family should be very proud of this book. This should be required reading in all schools.

Rumors rolled through the streets of Krakow. Germans soldiers were closing in. Polish Jews glanced at each other in mounting fear. What would happen to them if the town surrendered to the Nazis?

Young Leon Leyson spent his childhood in the rural village of Narewka, Poland. His father, Moshe, was often away, honing his skills at a glass factory in Krakow. The watchful father soon brought his family there, working hard to provide. As war loomed over Poland in 1939, hopes for a safe haven rapidly dissolved. When the Nazis took control of Krakow, all Jews were fired from the glass factory. Moshe remained. He spoke German.

His family was assured a precarious safety, until one night when the Gestapo pounded on the door. The German secret police beat Moshe, choked him, and dragged him out into the night. For months, no one knew where Moshe had been taken. The day Moshe was released from St. Michael’s prison, his children knew a vital part of him was gone. Moshe returned to his job with his confidence deeply shaken, aware that the only way to feed his family was to remain in the employ of the Nazis.

The Nazis took over all Jewish businesses in the city. All Polish Jews were rounded up and forced to the ghettos. Elderly Jews were transported to the gas chambers of Auschwitz. As the war progressed, Leon and his family were sent to a labor camp, where they spent their days hauling lumber and rocks to build Nazi barracks.

In the midst of this hellish world, one Nazi businessman saw opportunity. His factory produced pots and pans for the Nazi army—and munitions for the war effort. Impressed by Moshe’s determination and skills, Oskar Schindler offered the Polish Jew a job. Schindler built a camp by the factory, freeing his Jewish workers from the horrors of life in the labor camp. Surrounded by Nazis bent on torture and extermination, Schindler reached out with act of kindness. He hired Moshe’s sons. He threw late night parties and paid heavy bribes to stop Nazi commanders from taking his Jewish workers to the gas chambers. Schindler was responsible for saving the lives of over a thousand Jews.

“Oskar Schindler thought my life had value,” Leon writes. “Only by standing on a wooden box could I reach the controls of the machine I was assigned to operate. That box gave me a chance to look useful, to stay alive.”

The Boy on the Wooden Box is a moving tribute to a man with incredible courage and resourcefulness. Powerfully written, with clarity and sensitivity, it is an excellent book for anyone who wants to understand life in Poland under the Nazi regime.

--Kate Calina

Written by the youngest person on "Schindler's List", this is a gripping account of the horrors inflicted upon the Jews during WWII. It is geared toward adolescents and teens, but aught to be read by anyone who might have forgotten!

Leon Leyson's Boy on the Wooden Box wraps the reader in an inspiring coming-of-age story that is steeped in transformation, strength, endurance, and deep family bonds during one of the most horrific chapters in recent human history. Though throughly saddened at the unjust treatment of Leyson, his family, and community during the invasion of Poland, I was struck by the overarching message that I took away from this memoir: what you have gone through does not have to define you - no matter deep the tragedy. Leyson's kindness, patience and love for his family in Poland and the US shows a life lived with deep integrity and reminds me how important a positive attitude is. This is a book that everyone should read.

This is a really well written book that recounts the experiences of a teenage boy who survived the holocaust. I listened to the Audible Audio version of this book. The reader was excellent. The writer does a great job of introducing himself and his family as they lived in Poland during the years leading up to the Nazi occupation. I would not hesitate to recommend this book for young teens or adults. It is not as dark or frightening as some holocaust books but still effectively communicates the horrors and injustice surrounding the holocaust. Because the writer survived the ending is brighter than most.

I loved The Boy on the Wooden Box. It really caught the attention of younger readers today by relating to their current lives. It also educates young readers on the holocausts and the Schindler's list. I think Leon Leyson really wrote something special about what I think is one of the world's biggest tragedies. All in all this book is a true triumph and I highly recommend this book to all ages.

This book is a testament to the horrors that the Jews experienced , and the will and determination of many of the Jews to survive, despite the odds. Schindler proved to be an exceptional individual who defied all the odds to help the Jews. It's a 'must read' for persons who may want to get an insight into the atrocities that the Jews experienced during the holocaust.

The tragic years during World War II told through the eyes of a young Jewish boy struggling for survival for himself and his family.
The heroism of Arthur Schindler is shared throughout his story and captivates the mind and heart.

Leon Leyson's story is another reminder of the power of the human spirit. He was an incredibly smart and lucky young boy who managed to live to tell the haunting tale of his experience in the Holocaust. I admire that he did not allow the Holocaust to define him or his life after it. A beautiful story... and thank you, Herr Schindler for being one of the few to stand up.

A well written, thought provoking book. Positivity shines throughout the memoir, much like it did throughout my personal relationship with Leon. He was truly an incredible man with an amazing story. It is great to have it in a form which can be shared with others.

A very accessible window into the suffering of Polish Jews under German occupation during World War II, which should be read by everyone. Leyson was a child who never gave up, even in impossible situations. The portrayal of Oskar Schindler is also an inspiration for all of us.