book review of the boy in striped pyjamas

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The boy in the striped pajamas, common sense media reviewers.

Intense, powerful Holocaust book offers unique perspective.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

This can help kids connect with the historical eve

Clearly, there is evil presented. But readers will

Readers will quickly relate to Bruno, who is uproo

Implied violence though none graphically shown. Bu

Educational Value

This can help kids connect with the historical events of the Holocaust in a more realistic way. Could also lead to some great discussions about evil and the nature of man.

Positive Messages

Clearly, there is evil presented. But readers will be touched by the power of friendship and compassion.

Positive Role Models

Readers will quickly relate to Bruno, who is uprooted from his home and moved somewhere "nasty and cold." His perspective allows readers to feel a strong sense of foreboding, long before they know the extent of the terror surrounding Bruno's world. Readers will be struck by the contrast between Bruno's normalcy and naivety, and the extreme horrors of the time.

Violence & Scariness

Implied violence though none graphically shown. But the book is set in a death camp so emotional violence is a real factor to consider when your kids read the book. The ending involves very upsetting death.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that even though the main character in this book is 9 years old, this book is a better fit for kids in late middle school and up. The book focuses on complex emotional issues of evil and the Holocaust, and raises questions about the nature of man. It could spark a great moral discussion. But kids will probably be very moved if not quite upset by some of the events in the book. Its theme is complex and powerful, and it will provoke emotions and questions that will need discussion and explanation. We recommend that you talk with your kids after they've read the book, or even read the book together.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

Parents say (19)
Kids say (129)

Based on 19 parent reviews

Powerful and emotional story

A quality text for mature kids and early teens, what's the story.

When Bruno is forced to move away from his enormous Berlin home with his family, his life changes forever. Besides moving into a smaller house with no "nooks and crannies" to explore, besides having no one to play with except for his older sister (also known as the "Hopeless Case"), he's surrounded by soldiers that are constantly in and out of his father's downstairs office as well as other grown-ups who always seem angry or unhappy. Bruno misses his friends, his grandparents, and the city itself. And he doesn't understand what's going on around him. He hates everything about "Out-With" and is very lonely until he meets the boy on the other side of the fence.

Is It Any Good?

This powerful book about the Holocaust stands out in part because of the unusual perspective. It's told through the eyes of the 9-year-old son of the commandant at Auschwitz, a boy who has no clue as to what is going on around him. This perspective allows readers to feel a strong sense of foreboding, long before they know the extent of the terror surrounding Bruno's world. Readers will be struck by the contrast between Bruno's normalcy and naivety, and the extreme horrors of the time.

Readers will quickly relate to Bruno, who is uprooted from his home and moved somewhere "nasty and cold" where he has no friends; he is lonely, his sister bugs him, and adults treat him as if he's not there. He wants to study art and read fantasy books rather than history and geography. He wants to get outside and explore. At one point Bruno even covets the life of the boy on the other side of the fence because at least he has other boys with whom he can play.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about World War II and the Holocaust. How is reading a story different than reading about facts in a history book? Which do you find more moving? Which are you more likely to remember?

How would the story be different if it were told from another point of view?

Book Details

Author : John Boyne
Genre : Historical Fiction
Book type : Fiction
Publisher : David Fickling Books
Publication date : September 12, 2006
Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 12
Number of pages : 215
Last updated : July 12, 2017

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The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

Hope and Despair in the Shadow of Auschwitz

Publisher: David Fickling Books

Genre: Historical Fiction

First Publication: 2006

Language: English

Major Characters: Bruno, Gretel, Shmuel, Lieutenant Kotler, Pavel Bruno’s Mother and Father, Eva Braun

Setting Place: Berlin, Germany and Auschwitz, Poland

Narration: Third person omniscient

Theme: Innocence and Ignorance, Family and Friendship, Holocaust

Book Summary: The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

When his father is promoted to Commandant in the German army and his family is transferred from their comfy home in Berlin to a strange place called Out-With, nine year-old Bruno has no idea of the true nature of his new surroundings. Indeed, he is also unaware of the horrors being perpetrated at the command of the German leader, the Fury, who visits the family one evening. He is unimpressed by the small man with his tiny ineffectual moustache.

The dreaded concentration camp as seen through Bruno’s eyes is simply a place of many, many long huts and the people who wear an odd sort of striped pyjamas. Starved for company, Bruno’s explorations lead him to meet a new friend, Shmuel, a boy his own age who, for reasons Bruno cannot understand, looks like a small sad bony caricature of a normal boy. Bruno’s innocence and his friendship with Shmuel will ultimately have catastrophic results on his life and that of his family’s.

Book Review: The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is truly an amazing yet daunting novel that I will never forget. The author John Boyne did a masterful job of depicting the setting in such vivid detail and exposing the events in a manner that I felt a constant emotional pull as the story unfolded and impending doom lingered on the horizon.

I was recommended this novel a while back while reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak , but after finishing that story and experiencing such deep sadness, I knew I couldn’t jump into another novel about the Holocaust for quite some time. I’m glad I waited because as with other works that cover this topic, distance and perspective is key. I feel the author did a grand job of juxtaposing two resounding themes in such a flawless manner; one being of the evil that was the Holocaust; against the second theme that of the innocence of a child.

“What exactly was the difference? He wondered to himself. And who decided which people wore the striped pajamas and which people wore the uniforms?”

I thought it was brilliant of Boyne to tell the story from the perspective of a nine-year-old German boy as you experience the events of this abominable and unthinkable time in history as a mere complicit bystander, which ultimately leaves you with a sense of hopelessness.

The story unfolds the day Bruno arrives home to discover his family is moving from Berlin to Auschwitz where his father will serve as a Commandant for the concentration camp. Bruno is forced to leave his three best friends for life and discovers that life in Auschwitz is lonely and desolate. All that changes the day he meets a boy his exact age and they begin to forge a friendship over the course of year. However, as much as he finds he and Schmuel have in common, living on opposite sides of the fence proves to have a devastating consequence to their friendship.

“The thing about exploring is that you have to know whether the thing you’ve found is worth finding. Some things are just sitting there, minding their own business, waiting to be discovered. Like America. And other things are probably better off left alone. Like a dead mouse at the back of the cupboard.”

After completing The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne, I did some research on the author and the novel and found that he not only received well-deserved praise for this book but also harsh criticism. As with any piece of literature, when words are committed to page and presented to an audience for their interpretation, there will be varying degrees of acceptance and backlash. Couple that with such a sensitive topic and you’re bound to get a reaction. Well, my hats off to John Boyne for tackling a story through a unique perspective and presenting a poignant fable that, as a reader, willingly suspended my reality and experienced the events in a way that exposed my emotions and feelings to such a raw level.

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Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:, the boy in the striped pajamas.

In his Author's Note, John Boyne writes of his fourth novel, THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS: "the issue of writing about the Holocaust is, of course, a contentious matter, and any novelist who explores it had better be sure about his or her intentions before setting out...it's the responsibility of the writer to uncover as much emotional truth within that desperate landscape as he possibly can." Given this fairly strong sentiment, Boyne has written a definitive novel about this much-explored --- though often not explored well --- subject, but his approach is one that might be considered controversial, and rightfully so. A book billed as a "fable" about the Holocaust --- especially one narrated by the son of a prominent Nazi leader --- is bound to ruffle a few readers' feathers, especially those of the older generations.

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS opens as nine-year-old Bruno comes home from school to find that he is moving. Following his parents' dinner with "the Fury" (i.e. the Fuhrer) wherein the Fury tells Bruno's father that he "[has] big things in mind for him," Bruno and his family gather up their belongings from their five-story house in the heart of Berlin and move to "Out-With" (i.e. Auschwitz) in Poland where Bruno's father is called "Commandant" by everyone around him. Bruno hates his new desolate surroundings compared to the opulent comfort he is used to and wants to return to Berlin immediately. Of course, this doesn't happen.

As the plot progresses, Bruno slowly gets used to his environment. Before long, he becomes bored with his indoor trappings and decides to go exploring along the barrier that separates his family from the hordes of "neighbors" on the other side of the fence. He is curious about the "hundreds of people in the distance going about their business...wearing the same clothes as each other: a pair of grey striped pajamas with a grey striped cap on their heads." On one of his jaunts, he befriends a boy his age named Shmuel and visits him daily, often sneaking leftover food for him from the kitchen. It turns out that he and Shmuel were both born on the same day and the two become quite close from the commonality.

(As far as what happens to Bruno and Shmuel...to give away the ending would be to spoil the impact of the book and whatever gnawing gut reaction is bound to follow its conclusion. This is truly a climax worth waiting for and one that shouldn't be spoiled for the sake of a review.)

What makes THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS different from just any old friendship-in-the-midst-of-tragedy story is that Bruno and Shmuel are from two glaringly dissimilar backgrounds and are living two disparate lives in close proximity to each other, yet they consider themselves equals. What makes it different from many (if not all) other Holocaust stories is that it's told through the eyes of a German boy --- the son of the man put in charge of Auschwitz by Hitler, no less --- who has absolutely no idea what's going on . Bruno is blissfully unaware of the atrocities taking place around him and nothing --- not even what he sees with his own eyes --- seems to alter his seemingly permanent naiveté.

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS is a bundle of fascinating conjectures, questions and contradictions, many of which beg to be examined and will surely ignite any number of heated conversations about the nature of reality, perspective, prejudice and more. John Boyne is a masterful storyteller who, through the eyes of Bruno, has attempted to tackle and put forth his version of one of the most heinous periods in human history. It remains to be seen where readers' opinions about the novel will fall, but this nonetheless is a worthwhile and profound journey that most should take to find out.

Reviewed by Alexis Burling on October 23, 2007

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Publication Date: October 23, 2007
Genres: Fiction , Historical Fiction , Holocaust
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Ember
ISBN-10: 0385751532
ISBN-13: 9780385751537

ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS

by John Boyne ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2006

Certain to provoke controversy and difficult to see as a book for children, who could easily miss the painful point.

After Hitler appoints Bruno’s father commandant of Auschwitz, Bruno (nine) is unhappy with his new surroundings compared to the luxury of his home in Berlin.

The literal-minded Bruno, with amazingly little political and social awareness, never gains comprehension of the prisoners (all in “striped pajamas”) or the malignant nature of the death camp. He overcomes loneliness and isolation only when he discovers another boy, Shmuel, on the other side of the camp’s fence. For months, the two meet, becoming secret best friends even though they can never play together. Although Bruno’s family corrects him, he childishly calls the camp “Out-With” and the Fuhrer “Fury.” As a literary device, it could be said to be credibly rooted in Bruno’s consistent, guileless characterization, though it’s difficult to believe in reality. The tragic story’s point of view is unique: the corrosive effect of brutality on Nazi family life as seen through the eyes of a naïf. Some will believe that the fable form, in which the illogical may serve the objective of moral instruction, succeeds in Boyne’s narrative; others will believe it was the wrong choice.

Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2006

ISBN: 0-385-75106-0

Page Count: 224

Publisher: David Fickling/Random

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2006

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT HISTORICAL FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION

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Author in Twitter Feud with Auschwitz Museum

SEEN & HEARD

‘Boy in the Striped Pajamas’ Sequel in the Works

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS

From the girl of fire and thorns series , vol. 1.

by Rae Carson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2011

Despite the stale fat-to-curvy pattern, compelling world building with a Southern European, pseudo-Christian feel,...

Adventure drags our heroine all over the map of fantasyland while giving her the opportunity to use her smarts.

Elisa—Princess Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza of Orovalle—has been chosen for Service since the day she was born, when a beam of holy light put a Godstone in her navel. She's a devout reader of holy books and is well-versed in the military strategy text Belleza Guerra , but she has been kept in ignorance of world affairs. With no warning, this fat, self-loathing princess is married off to a distant king and is embroiled in political and spiritual intrigue. War is coming, and perhaps only Elisa's Godstone—and knowledge from the Belleza Guerra —can save them. Elisa uses her untried strategic knowledge to always-good effect. With a character so smart that she doesn't have much to learn, body size is stereotypically substituted for character development. Elisa’s "mountainous" body shrivels away when she spends a month on forced march eating rat, and thus she is a better person. Still, it's wonderfully refreshing to see a heroine using her brain to win a war rather than strapping on a sword and charging into battle.

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011

ISBN: 978-0-06-202648-4

Page Count: 432

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION

WHAT THE MOON SAW

by Laura Resau ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2006

When Clara Luna, 14, visits rural Mexico for the summer to visit the paternal grandparents she has never met, she cannot know her trip will involve an emotional and spiritual journey into her family’s past and a deep connection to a rich heritage of which she was barely aware. Long estranged from his parents, Clara’s father had entered the U.S. illegally years before, subsequently becoming a successful business owner who never spoke about what he left behind. Clara’s journey into her grandmother’s history (told in alternating chapters with Clara’s own first-person narrative) and her discovery that she, like her grandmother and ancestors, has a gift for healing, awakens her to the simple, mystical joys of a rural lifestyle she comes to love and wholly embrace. Painfully aware of not fitting into suburban teen life in her native Maryland, Clara awakens to feeling alive in Mexico and realizes a sweet first love with Pedro, a charming goat herder. Beautifully written, this is filled with evocative language that is rich in imagery and nuance and speaks to the connections that bind us all. Add a thrilling adventure and all the makings of an entrancing read are here. (glossaries) (Fiction. 12-14)

ISBN: 0-385-73343-7

Page Count: 272

Publisher: Delacorte

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2006

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FAMILY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES

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by Patricia Gualinga & Laura Resau ; illustrated by Vanessa Jaramillo

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Wednesday 7 April 2010

Review: the boy in the striped pajamas.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

By john boyne.

The novel is based on historical events but is primarily fiction. It takes place in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Nazi Germany and follows a young boy whose father is a high-ranking Nazi official.

About the Book

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

The main character, Bruno, meets Shmuel, another boy around the same age, on the other side of the fence, separating the prisoners from those working at the camp. Bruno, curious about his friend, decides to climb under the fence and put on a pair of striped pajamas, or what he thinks are striped pajamas.

The author uses interesting linguistic choices to mimic Bruno’s understanding of people and places. For example, he refers to Adolf Hitler as “The Fury” rather than the “Fuhrer,” alluding to strange the unusual word would sound to a child. Another good example is the word “Auschwitz,” which Bruno pronounces as “Out-With.”

Key Facts about The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Title : The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
When Written and Published : 2004 and 2006
Literary Period : Contemporary Young Adult
Genre : Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Setting : Berlin and Auschwitz
Climax : When Bruno climbs under the fence and puts on a prisoner’s uniform that he sees as “striped pajamas.”
Antagonist : the Nazis, Bruno’s father specifically
Point of View : Third-person omniscient

John Boyne and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Throughout his life, John Boyne loved and studied literature. He received his master’s degree in creative writing and began his career as a short story writer. After several notable short stories were published, he turned his career toward longer fiction.

Boyne’s lifelong interest in writing and literature culminated in the bestselling ‘ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ‘ when the novel was published in 2006. Although sold as a children’s book, it’s been read by literature lovers of all ages around the world. Its intense subject matter has meant that some readers, young and old, can struggle with the emotional content.

Since he wrote the story of ‘ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ,’ John Boyne has published five more novels aimed at young readers and nine others written for adults. Other John Boyne books include ‘ The Absolutist ,’ ‘ All the Broken Places ,’ ‘ The Boy at the Top of the Mountain ,’ and ‘ The Heart’s Invisible Furies .’

Books Related to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

‘ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ‘ is far from the only contemporary novel inspired by the events of the Holocaust. Others, like Markus Zusak’s ‘ The Book Thief ,’ ‘ They Both Die at the End ‘ by Adam Silver, ‘Number the Stars’ by Lois Lowry , and ‘ All the Light We Cannot See ‘ by Anthony Doerr, also contend with this difficult subject matter.

Slightly older novels, like Elie Wiesel’s ‘Night’ and ‘ The Diary of a Young Girl ‘ by Anne Frank, are incredibly important examples that should not be ignored when considering historical fiction from this period of time. Readers might also find themselves interested in:

Still Alive: A Holocaust Girlhood Remembered by Ruth Kluger
If This Is a Man by Primo Levi
Denial: Holocaust History on Trial by Deborah E. Lipstadt
The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eva Eger

Also related is ‘ The Boy At The Top Of The Mountain ,’ a 2015 novel written by Boyne that follows another child in Europe and is centered around the events of World War II.

The Lasting Impact of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

‘ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ‘ has been read by children and adults around the world since it was published in 2006. While it doesn’t have the long history that Wiesel’s ‘ Night ‘ or the emotional reality of ‘ The Diary of a Young Girl ‘ does, it’s an incredibly important children’s novel that tells the story of the Holocaust from a different perspective.

It asks readers to consider how they would’ve seen Auschwitz if they had been, as Bruno was, a nine-year-old child at his father’s side. The novel challenges readers’ perceptions and is highly effective in reminding all who read it of the true horrors of this period in history. The added fact that it focuses on children can make that message all the more memorable. It seems likely that this novel will one day be read in schools around the world, along with works like ‘ Night ‘ and ‘ The Diary of a Young Girl .’

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Review ⭐

‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas’ is a heart-breaking and thought-provoking novel that is sure to be remembered for its highly effective storyline and its unique perspective on world-changing events.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Themes and Analysis 📖

John Boyne’s ‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas’ is one of the most popular young adult novels of recent years. He explores various themes, like innocence, and symbols, like the striped pajamas, throughout.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Quotes 💬

‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas’ by John Boyne is a young adult novel that’s filled with emotional and memorable quotes. Most of these concern the very different lives that Bruno and Shmuel live.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Characters 📖

‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas’ by John Boyne focuses on two young boys as its main characters who are living very different lives. One is a prisoner in Auschwitz, and the other is the son of the camp’s commandant.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Summary 📖

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is a unique children’s novel that tells the story of Bruno, a young German boy.

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BookBrowse Reviews The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne

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Reader Reviews

A World War II fable set in the Third Reich for teens, and with cross-over adult appeal.

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas was published in the UK early in 2006, where it has received very positive reviews and much publicity, becoming one of those relatively rare books that crosses over from its intended market (teenagers) to be read widely by adults as well. It was published in hardcover in the USA in September 2006, and is just now out in paperback. Boyne tells the story of Bruno, a 9-year-old boy living in Berlin in 1943 (the book jacket description pegs it as 1942, but from various references in the book it seems more likely to be 1943) who finds his comfortable life upturned when his father is commanded by the "Fury" to take a new job at a place called "Out-With", where the lonely Bruno discovers a secret friend exactly his age - a boy called Shmuel who wears striped pajamas and lives on the other side of the fence. The Boy In The Striped Pajamas is presented as a fable, flagging up front that one is expected to disengage ones normal sense of reality and accept the story as given, but in this instance, when dealing with such an emotive, well recorded and historically recent subject as the Holocaust, this is difficult to do. Everything hinges on the reader accepting Bruno's overwhelming naivety at face value. Is it really credible that Bruno, who lives and goes to school in Berlin and is the son of a senior SS officer, is oblivious to the war, and doesn't know who Hitler is, or what a Jew is - but in other respects is both observant and intelligent? I don't think so! When his family arrive at Aushwitz, Bruno and his 12-year-old-sister are conveniently the only children in the vicinity, other than those on the other side of the fence. This again stretches credibility because historical records show that about 6,000 SS officers were posted at Auschwitz, so it seems extremely unlikely that other children would not have been around. Then there is the issue of how Bruno could possibly have talked with his friend on the other side of the fence for months without, firstly, being seen, and secondly, ever comprehending that Shmuel is starving (he absentmindedly brings him food from time to time but usually ends up eating most of it on the way). Not to mention the inconvenient detail that by 1943 most young children arriving at the camps were gassed on arrival. On the other hand, Boyne hits a few powerful notes - such as Bruno's father's response to his question about the people inside the fence - "they're not people at all Bruno"; and his mother's comment that "we don't have the luxury of thinking". In short, as a fable, this is a powerful tale, and if you can read it as such all well and good (I can't); but as a vehicle for explaining the defining tragedy of the 20th century to young people, let alone adults, it falls short.

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Book Review

The boy in the striped pajamas.

Readability Age Range

David Fickling Books, a division of Random House Children's Books
Winner of various Irish children's book awards

Year Published

This book has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine .

Plot Summary

The story is told from the viewpoint of a 9-year-old German boy named Bruno. Bruno is the privileged son of a Nazi commandant during World War II. Bruno comes home from school one afternoon to discover his belongings packed and set near the door. His family is preparing to relocate from Berlin to a place Bruno believes is called Out-With. In reality, his father will be in charge of the prison camp Auschwitz.

Bruno is not at all happy about the move, especially at leaving behind his three best friends. He is quite lonely and doesn’t understand why he can’t play with the children that he can see from his window at Out-With, children all dressed in the same striped pajamas. Then he realizes they aren’t all children, but also men of all ages, all wearing the same striped pajamas.

Bruno tries to entertain himself around the house since his parents don’t want him to do any exploring. He and his sister have lessons at the house instead of going to school. Eventually, Bruno decides to sneak out to explore the area. He meets a boy his age named Shmuel. Shmuel wears the striped pajamas and lives on the other side of the fence.

Shmuel and Bruno begin to meet every day. Bruno is thrilled to have a friend his own age, yet never fully grasps why Shmuel can’t play at his house or why Bruno can’t play with the other children in striped pajamas.

After a little more than a year and a bout with lice among the children, Bruno’s mother decides she can take no more of the isolation and plans to leave. Bruno and Shmuel make plans for one last day to go exploring where Shmuel lives. Bruno’s head is shaved because of the lice, so he will fit in when Shmuel brings him pajamas. Bruno meets Shmuel, changes into the pajamas and crawls under the fence to help Shmuel find his papa, who hasn’t been seen for days. As the two boys are searching, the guards round them up with many other adults into the middle of the camp.

Believing they were going on a march, Bruno and Shmuel stick close together inside the group and march into an airtight building with many other Jews. That was the last anyone ever heard of Bruno.

His mother eventually returned to Berlin with his sister. Bruno’s father was ordered to leave Out-With with other soldiers. He eventually figured out what had happened to Bruno.

Christian Beliefs

Other belief systems.

When Bruno asks his father about the people outside his window (the prisoners at Auschwitz), his father says that they aren’t people at all.

Authority Roles

Bruno is not allowed to question his parents or the decision to move to Out-With, but once, in an outburst, he tells his father how awful he thinks it is. His father tells Bruno he is very brave for speaking his mind, but that he is becoming insolent. He orders Bruno to stop talking about the move.

Everyone is respectful to the point of being frightened of the German authorities. Bruno knows he should respect Lieutenant Kotler, a young soldier, but he has a hard time since Lieutenant Kotler always calls him Little Man.

We learn that Bruno’s grandparents were against the promotion that led his father to be in charge of Out-With. When he accepted the position, it alienated Bruno’s family from his grandparents. Bruno had been close to them previously.

Profanity & Violence

Bruno tells Shmuel that his sister hits him sometimes. Bruno is inadvertently herded into a gas chamber with his friend, Shmuel, and is never heard from again.

Sexual Content

Bruno doesn’t understand it, and it is never said out right, but the book implies that Bruno’s mother has an affair with Lieutenant Kotler.

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books .

Additional Comments

Lying: Shmuel is sent to Bruno’s house to do some work in preparation for a party. Bruno sneaks him some food. When questioned by Lieutenant Kotler if he has been eating, Shmuel denies he has been eating. When he finally confesses, he says that Bruno gave it to him. Bruno denies knowing Shmuel.

Secretive/deceptive behavior: Bruno goes to meet Shmuel every day for months after his parents specifically told him not to go near the fence or the camp, or to walk the direction that he went. Bruno sneaks Shmuel food every day.

Producers often use a book as a springboard for a movie idea or to earn a specific rating. Because of this, a movie may differ from the novel. To better understand how this book and the movie differ, compare the book review with Plugged In’s movie review for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas .

You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected] .

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

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Book Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a historical fiction novel by John Boyne, invites the reader into the world of nine-year-old Bruno as he and his family move to a house near a Nazi concentration camp. The book starts off with Bruno discovering that he and his family are going to move so that his father, a Nazi, can work at a concentration camp. Reluctantly, Bruno travels to an old, small house in a neighborhood with no children. While exploring, Bruno finds a fence enclosing the concentration camp and meets a boy the same age as him named Shmuel who lives on the other side. Over the next year, they become best friends, realizing they have a lot in common. One day, Bruno decides to go with Shmuel inside the concentration camp where his father worked to see what it was like. Sadly, on that day, everyone in the camp was marched to a chamber where they were gassed, Bruno and Shmuel holding hands until the end.

The Boy in The Striped Pajamas, while sad, is a story worth reading. It inspires the reader to think about the Nazis and how terribly wrong they were. A bond is formed with both of the boys, demonstrating the heartbreak the Jews must have felt when their own friends and family were mercilessly killed. Fluffy and light at the beginning and heart-wrenching at the end, it is perfectly balanced. However, I would definitely not recommend this novel to anybody who does not like tragedies or anyone under the age of ten.

Bookshelf Fantasies

A life amidst books.

Book Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Title: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Author: John Boyne Publisher: David Fickling Books Publication date: 2006 Length: 215 pages Genre: Middle grade fiction Source: Purchased

Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move to a new house far, far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people in the distance. But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different from his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.

Oh, I have such mixed feelings about this book!

Published in 2006, the book originally came with all sorts of disclaimers urging people not to give away the story, but to allow all readers to experience this book without knowing what it was about. All these years later, the subject matter is no longer a secret: This is Holocaust fiction, telling the story of two young boys who meet through the fence at Auschwitz, and despite their vastly different circumstances, form a deep friendship.

We see the story unfold through 9-year-old Bruno’s eyes. Bruno’s father is a rising Nazi officer, favored by Hitler himself (whose name Bruno hears as “the Fury” rather than “the Fuhrer”). The father is promoted to Kommandant of Auschwitz, and when we first meet Bruno, he’s expressing his unhappiness at having his happy life in Berlin uprooted, as the family will be moving because of his father’s new job.

Bruno is remarkabley clueless (more on that later). They arrive at their new home, which is nowhere near as grand as his house in Berlin. There’s nothing to do, and no one to play with. From the upstairs window, Bruno has a view of strange people on the other side of a barbed wire fence, all wearing striped pajamas. He wonders who these people are and what they’re doing, and even feels some envy at what appears to be a large group of people who are all together while he is so very alone.

As Bruno goes exploring along the forbidden fence, he finds a strange boy sitting near it on the other side, a skinny, gray-faced boy wearing the striped pajamas. They start to talk, and Bruno and Shmuel begin to get to know one another. Soon, Bruno considers Shmuel his best friend, although he’s frustrated that they can never play together, and somehow knows enough never to mention Shmuel in his house.

On its surface, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a moving story. And yet, I can understand why it was controversial upon its release.

For starters, there are some story issues that make the book hard to digest. Bruno is 9 years old and lived in the heart of Berlin, in a house led by a Nazi officer and where soldiers and other important people constantly come and go… and yet he appears to never have heard of Jews until his sister tells him, much later, that that’s who those people on the other side of the fence are.

And why are there so many children at Auschwitz, when we know that the majority would have been murdered upon arrival? How is Shmuel able to sneak away for hours, day after day, with no one noticing?

And is Bruno’s language mix-ups (such as “the Fury” and his belief that they live at “Out-With”) supposed to be cute? Frankly, he presents as much younger than nine.

In the book’s favor, the title page clearly calls this story “a fable”. No, these are not historical events. No, this depiction of life at Auschwitz isn’t meant to be historically accurate.

And yet, what’s concerning is that apparently this book is often used in schools as an introduction to Holocaust fiction. In fact, the back of my paperback edition includes a blurb from USA Today that calls this book “as memorable an introduction to the subject as The Diary of Anne Frank”.

Um, no. That comparison is absurd. And it disturbs me to think that there are students whose first encounter with the horrors of Auschwitz might be through this “fable”, where nothing seems all that terrible at first, where the nightmarish reality is presented as a distant curiosity, and where a reader who doesn’t know the factual history might not even get what was going on.

As a companion book, or a different lens on known events, sure, this would be effective. But as the sole introduction, it’s sorely lacking in context and facts, and I’m afraid that the melodrama and Bruno’s limited worldview are pretty close to sugar-coating.

Now, I’ll add that I haven’t seen the movie, so I can’t comment on whether that version is more or less effective at conveying the full picture of Auschwitz. I actually picked up this book this week because my son saw the movie at school and came home to tell me how good it was. I think I should give it a chance, and see if I feel any differently about the story afterward.

I was eager to read this book not only because of my son’s recommendation, but because I just recently read my very first book by John Boyne, The Heart’s Invisible Furies , and thought it was brilliant.

As I was reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas , I just couldn’t stop and ended up reading it straight through. It was only once I’d closed the covers and stopped to think that the various elements above started to bother me.

I’d be really curious to hear from others who’ve read this book and see if our responses and reactions are at all aligned.

Meanwhile, I’ve been looking up reviews from when the book was published, and have found more than a few pieces that discuss why this book had such a mixed and controversial response:

(Note: Some of these links may contain spoilers. Proceed with caution!)

Review – New York Times Review – Jewish Book Council Analysis – Holocaust Exhibition & Learning Centre Movie review – Time Magazine Book Review – Aish.com

8 thoughts on “ Book Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne ”

Hi Lisa, I haven’t read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, but I’ve heard a lot about it. Thanks for your honest review. I’m not sure I’d pick this up. I think I’d have trouble with how unrealistic Bruno’s character is. I like how you’ve added links to other reviews – I’ve been doing that too, especially with books I didn’t like. Hope you are doing well!

Thanks, Barbara! When I have a mixed or negative reaction to a book that people seem to talk a lot about, I do find it helpful to look up other resources and see if maybe I missed something, or if there are other viewpoints that might convince me to expand my thinking.

I agree that this shouldn’t be confused with fact, and certainly shouldn’t be taught as such, though I do think it is an easier tale for children to relate to than Ann Franks Diary in many ways. With respect I do disagree with your view on Bruno. This was a period when children of the upper class had very little to do with their parents.and when at home likely never ventured out of the attic nursery/schoolroom of their Berlin home except under the care of a nanny or tutor except to dutifully submit to a kiss goodnight. Military discussions would take place behind locked and closed study doors anyway He wouldn’t have access to any media, and it’s unlikely any one would have explained the war to him, children of his age were not informed of or included in such matters. it’s also entirely possible he never witnessed any of the violence or hate directed at Jews since any travel outside the home would be in a car and to approved places. So in my opinion his naivety really isn’t a stretch, especially when you factor in a child’s ability to normalise their circumstances, even when it evidently isn’t.

Thanks, I appreciate your perspective! I get what you’re saying about Bruno and being a sheltered child at the time, but Bruno does specifically talk about being out and about in the city, being on the crowded streets with his friends, what his friends’ parents do for a living, etc — so surely he must have at least encountered some hint of the reality of his times?

I am glad I read this review. I do think historical fiction for the Holocaust has its place but am glad I didn’t pick this one up. I heard people rave about this but given your description I would not be one of them. The main character sounds too naive and the mixed up words too trite. The other book that I hear has lots of interest for schools is number the stars. Have ye read that one? x The Captain

PS. Thank you for including the link to the Analysis – Holocaust Exhibition & Learning Centre. They are a fantastic resource that I have used before like for the tattooist of Auschwitz. What I read there spoiled the ending and I am glad. I am now whole-heartedly not for this book being taught in schools when there are better choices out there. x The Captain

Oops, so sorry for the spoiler! Maybe I should add some warning language above the links. I hadn’t come across this resource before, but I’m glad to know about it now! And I’m glad you mentioned The Tattooist of Auschwitz — I’ll be reading that one (finally) with my book group later this spring, and it’s good to know there are good online resources to check out.

Regarding the ending (spoilers!), a piece that’s been bothering me after the fact is that somehow Bruno’s death end up being the tragic part, which almost minimizes all the other countless deaths happening at the same time. The fact that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time is awful, but is his fate any more awful than that of Shmuel and all the other people being murdered? I don’t know… having a hard time with sorting all this out, clearly.

I have read Number the Stars, many years ago, and while the plot is fuzzy for me at this point, I do remember thinking that it was excellent! I think one of the differences is that Number the Stars is much more fact-based, showing the experiences of a girl during this time while clearly placing it in the context of what was happening. In fact, now that you’ve reminded me of it, I think I need to do a re-read!

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Jodi L. Milner, Author

Exploring the fantastic and finding magic in everyday life.

Book Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Years ago, I went on a reading binge of all the Holocaust books I could get my hands on. The experiences shared in those books were as much cast-iron testaments to the power of the human spirit as they were chilling. This book came out after that binge ended, but I kept hearing about it off and on, so I added it to my list.

That said, it was probably not my greatest idea to read a Holocaust book during our current difficult time. On the flip side of the argument, I would say that it’s also important to maintain perspective. The world has continually gone through periods of difficulty and gotten through them. We will get through this. With hard work and a dash of hope, we will have learned something valuable as well.

Bruno is a nine-year-old German boy who’s father is a high ranking Nazi. At the beginning of the story, his family has to move because of his father’s work and he ends up at a place he calls “Out-With”. While it is never said in the text, readers are led to believe this is the Auschwitz concentration camp.

For the first half of the story Bruno is full of his anger at having to give up his friends and move to a place that is definitely not as nice as his home in Berlin. He misses all the things he enjoyed with his friends and the shops and the places he could go and explore.

It’s this craving that pushes him to go exploring along the long fence of the camp, a place that he has been told in no uncertain terms is “off limits with no exceptions.” This is how he meets Shmuel, a boy from Poland who shares Bruno’s exact same birthday. Bruno is thrilled that there is another boy his age and starts visiting him every afternoon.

We see through all these visits just how different the lives are for the two boys. Bruno always has plenty to eat, Shmuel is starving. Bruno’s life has been merely inconvenienced, Shmuel’s life has been completely overturned. Bruno shows a childlike naivete as he hears about Shmuel’s experience and often tries to tell Shmuel that what is happening to him can’t be all that bad, especially when compared to the minor inconveniences that Bruno has suffered.

***Skip this paragraph if you hate spoilers***

However, this is a Holocaust book, and as such, it certainly does not have a happy ending. Bruno learns that he is to go back home and as a farewell to Shmuel, agrees to help him search the camp for his missing father. They are collected up by the soldiers and marched into the gas chamber and both boys die. The last chapter of the book explores Bruno’s mysterious absence and the father’s chilling realization of what must have happened.

There goes my hope for a story that showed grit and determination in the face of a bad situation.

***End of spoilers***

There are many who applaud this book as a gentle way of teaching children about the Holocaust and expose them to the history of the era. In that aspect, it does a fair job at teaching the basics and some of the ideas of what happened without diving into specifics. In essence, it’s a sanitized and simplified version of history.

For me, this book feels like if Winnie the Pooh were to be a German child in Nazi Germany. All of Bruno’s reactions are realistic to a young child where his immediate worries come first, and the rest of the world come in a very distant second. There is a beauty in seeing the world this way and for that I feel Boyne’s choice in writing style fits well.

However, there is so much about this book that bothers me, like never stating the truth of what’s happening. At every instance where it could have been an educational moment, Boyne pulls back. Bruno is told the correct words for things, but we never see the words themselves, and Bruno himself doesn’t use them because he doesn’t understand them. For example, instead of Führer he always refers to Hitler as “the fury.” Auschwitz is never named, and it’s purpose is only briefly touched on in a very childlike way.

Is the writing unique and interesting? Yes. Does the main character feel realistic and engaging? Yes. Does this book give an accurate sense of history? No. As the son of a high-ranking Nazi, Bruno would have been required to be part of Hitler’s Youth and would have been well educated about what was going on and why. Would he have understood what it actually meant? Probably not. This is a far cry from how Bruno is portrayed as being an innocent young boy. Shmuel in essence was just a hungry belly who Bruno could talk to. We see little more than him responding to Bruno’s endless questions and comments. In reality, Shmuel wouldn’t have been alive. Most young boys his age were sent straight to the gas chambers.

My recommendations

If you have a child who is interested in the Holocaust, but you want to introduce the ideas to them slowly, this book is a good pick because it doesn’t dwell on any of the uglyness and cruelty of the time period. It is an easy read, fairly short, and moves quickly enough so most readers won’t get bored. It is also available in audiobook with an excellent narration.

As an adult who has read a fair share of Holocaust books, this wasn’t as fulfulling as I’d hoped it would be. I wanted a story of survival against the odds or of good overcoming evil and got neither. Instead, I got a tragic story of a young boy who met an early end because he chose to be a good friend.

I rate The Boy in the Striped Pajamas 3/5

You can find The Boy in the Striped Pajamas on Amazon

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International edition
Australia edition
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Educating Bruno

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne 224pp, David Fickling, £10.99

Bruno is a nine-year-old from Berlin who has three best Friends For Life, an elder sister who is a Hopeless Case, and an ambition to be an Explorer. One day in 1943 someone called The Fury decides that Bruno's soldier father is to be posted, together with the whole family, to somewhere called Out-With, which is far away from Berlin, and quite possibly not in Germany at all. The new house is bleak and shabby, and from one side of it you can see a high-wired compound inhabited by sad-looking people in striped pyjamas.

The great strength of Bruno's narrative is the way it is mired in the parochial preoccupations of a nine-year-old. While he is vaguely interested in what the striped-pyjama people do all day, his really righteous anger is reserved for Lieutenant Kotler, a supercilious 19-year-old on his father's staff, who insists on ruffling his hair and calling him "little man". Likewise, it is not until he needs an ally in his campaign to get the household shifted back to Berlin that Bruno bothers to wonder about Maria, the invisible maid who has been folding his clothes and running his baths for as long as he can remember.

For the older reader, of course, Bruno's innocence comes to stand for the wilful refusal of all adult Germans to see what was going on under their noses in the first half of the 1940s. For the younger reader, perhaps even as young as Bruno himself, the slow revelation of detail - the striped-pyjama people are very thin, they aren't allowed to leave the compound, they used to live somewhere else entirely - becomes an education in real time of the horrors of "Out-With", known to the grown-ups as Auschwitz.

Given that he lives in a house of partial views and suppressed conversations, the agent of Bruno's enlightenment comes, naturally enough, from beyond its four walls. Exploring the perimeter of the camp he encounters a boy from the striped-pyjama side called Schmuel. Over the next few months the two children swap life stories through the mesh fence. Schmuel explains how he and his family have been transported here from a ghetto in Poland. Bruno counters with stories of the niceness of his life in Berlin and the stray, worried thought that next time he should probably bring his new friend some food. (He tries, but since being an Explorer is such hungry work, he has the unfortunate habit of polishing off the bread and chocolate before arriving at their rendezvous.)

One of the great triumphs of this book is the way that John Boyne manages the shift in register from the intensely concrete inner world of his child narrator - a place where an elder sister's pigtails or the corner of a bedroom window are branded on your inner eye - to something that borders on fable. It turns out, for instance, that both Bruno and Schmuel were born on the same day, at a stroke turning them into narrative doubles and psychic twins. And then there is the oddness of Auschwitz security being so lax that a child prisoner could make a weekly date with the commandant's son without anyone noticing.

Any slight bumps in tone are smoothed away as the narrative definitively slips anchor and moves into its final urgent stages. Schmuel's father goes missing inside the camp, and Bruno, with his Explorer credentials, insists on helping to find him. Putting on a spare pair of striped pyjamas and scrambling under a loose piece of netting, Bruno is finally able to join Shmuel on the other side of the fence and becomes lost for ever.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a small wonder of a book. Bruno's education is conducted slowly, through a series of fleeting social encounters rather than by plunging him into a nightmare landscape. A scraped knee, an attack of nits, a slammed door - these are the moments through which he is led to a deeper knowledge of the world beyond the wire fence. And yet there is nothing muffled or held back about Bruno's fate. When, in the book's final scene, the two small boys walk hand in hand into the gas chamber, they do so not as narrative symbols but as two flesh-and-blood children caught up in a particular historical moment, one that cannot be told too often or too young.

&middot Kathryn Hughes's The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton is published by Fourth Estate.

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Book Review – “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” by John Boyne

This was November’s book on my Facebook Reading Challenge , the theme of which was a children’s novel. It has very mature themes and requires a grasp of irony as well as some knowledge of history to fully appreciate, but it renders a difficult and complex subject accessible to a young audience in the same way as The Book Thief , so although it is not recommended for young children, it is entirely appropriate for the early secondary school age group.

The central character is Bruno, the nine year-old son of a senior Nazi. He lives happily with his parents, twelve year-old sister, and their maid Maria in a large house in Berlin. Until, that is, “the Fury” comes to visit and shortly afterwards the family is forced to move to a much less nice and isolated house in “Out With”, where Bruno’s father has an important new job. One of the charms of the book is Bruno’s habitual mis-naming and his innocent perspective on events, even though it is clear to the reader what the true facts are. An example of this is Bruno’s observations about changes in his mother’s behaviour, suggesting first her flirtation and possible affair with a young lieutenant, then her depression, and tensions in his parents’ marriage brought about by the family posting.

Bruno’s bedroom window faces the camp, though he has no idea what it is. Arguably, given his curious nature, it is perhaps a little surprising that he is not more questioning about the camp, the fences and the people he sees inside, all of whom wear the same uniform (the striped pyjamas). It must be remembered, however, that Bruno has almost no-one to talk to; his relationship with his parents is remote, he has no friends, he and his sister share a mutual contempt (he calls her the “Hopeless Case”) and the other adults around are involved in a conspiracy of silence that keeps him completely in the dark. The sense of fear, unwillingness to speak up or out, anxiety about the world, and intimidation are palpable.

Lonely and bored, Bruno eventually decides to go exploring and at the boundary of the camp one day he meets another boy of his own age, Shmuel, who is interred at the camp. Bruno is thrilled to at last have someone his own age to talk to and the two boys strike up a friendship. As readers, we are meant to see this friendship as in some ways unlikely, and in others completely obvious – why would two young boys be bothered about such differences as clothing, housing, status? They are just children. The author also comments on the transience of friendship at this age (in Berlin Bruno has three “friends for life”, whom he misses terribly, but after a few months he cannot even remember their names) and I think this helps address some of the credibility difficulties of the plot; friendship between young boys is mainly superficial. Bruno wonders about some aspects of Shmuel’s lifestyle, but Shmuel explains very little, which perhaps would not be surprising if the child was deeply traumatised.

No spoilers here, but there is a brilliant denouement to the story. Although it is a book that has been much discussed, and I have almost watched the film a couple of times, I had managed to avoid knowing the ending as I was determined to read it one day. I am so glad because there is a brilliant inevitability to it – there is a point where you just know what is going to happen and the author places you in this incredible state of suspense and dread, despite Bruno’s innocence. I have said enough!

It’s a short book, and the writing carries you along at a pace that feels like the mind of a child – no real sense of time. I think it’s also a book where you have to suspend the sorts of (adult) questions that would make the events improbable, in favour of the bigger picture, which is a fundamental questioning of the forces that create fascism, terror and discrimination; if only we could see all these things through the eyes of a child they could not exist.

A powerful and engaging novel which pulls off the trick of being both important and highly readable. Recommended for grown-ups and kids of 12+ alike.

How did you feel reading this book?

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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Publication Date: October 23, 2007
Genres: Fiction , Historical Fiction , Holocaust
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Ember
ISBN-10: 0385751532
ISBN-13: 9780385751537
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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas : Book Review

Rating : 4/5 Author : John Boyne Genre : Historical Fiction Pages : 220

Looking at the current state of affairs in Afghanistan, I got reminded of the horrendous crimes that men have committed against fellow men. It is painful to think of things that mankind has gone through in the past. I can hardly do anything about the current situation other than hope for the good of the commoners of Afghanistan. To give more power and depth to my prayers, I decided to read a book about the most horrific time in the 20th century in Europe. Among innumerable books available on the topic, I decided to read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas because it has been written from the point of view of a young boy. The Diary of a young girl is the most moving book I’ve ever read. I was hoping for a similar rawness and innocence in this book, just like there was in Anne Frank’s diary

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Book Review

The book warms your heart as much as it breaks it. It is from the point of view of 9-year-old Bruno. I loved the innocence of his thoughts and the simplicity with which he looked at things. He doesn’t understand most things happening around him but has the discretion to classify them as wrong or right. Bruno may not be old enough to decide for himself or help others but is observant enough to see through people. He doesn’t understand a thing about the divide between his side (read Nazis) and the “other” side ( read Jews), as, unlike many other adults, he is not ignorant to the fact that we are all the same.

All the characters in the book have been portrayed well. I wanted to dislike the father, but I couldn’t. In fact, I think, through his character, the author tried to put out an important message. A good person can be on the wrong side of things. Of course, I can’t say with conviction if the father was a good man, but the way he was with his family and had helped Maria, there was hope for him. No doubt his loyalties at work were messed up. But like any other person, he wanted to grow professionally. How could he have denied an “assignment” designated to him by “the Fury”? His fault was being on the wrong side of history and not questioning what he may have felt was a misdeed.

Very easily, the story flows deeper into the plot. The author has very efficiently portrayed the horrors of those times via various situations and characters. Through the eyes of Bruno, one is able to better understand the complexities that adults choose for themselves, and as a result, end up becoming victims at their own hands. It wasn’t an ending one would want, but I was ready for things to turn out that way. After all, one reaps what one sows. To conclude, I really liked the book. It is a very simple read and yet poignant to the extent to give you enough food for contemplation. What I took away from the book is that time and again, all adults should try to connect with the child inside and erase the complexities, boundaries, judgements and distinctions we hold against our fellow humans.

Did you like The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas book review? If you did, please like, share and subscribe. Are you planning to read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas , if you haven’t read it yet? Do let me know how you found the book once you are done reading.

Happy Reading. Chao!

To meet other interesting books listed genre wise, check out the Book Shelf .

Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Boyne)

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas John Boyne, 2006 Random House Children's 215 pp. ISBN-13: 9780385751537 Summary Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move from their home to a new house far far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance. But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different to his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences. ( From the publisher .)

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THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS

SUBJECTS — World/WWII & Germany; ELA (irony);

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING — Human Rights; Friendship;

MORAL-ETHICAL EMPHASIS — Respect; Responsibility; Caring.

AGE : 13+; MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some mature thematic material involving the Holocaust;

Drama; 2008, 94 minutes; Color . Available from Amazon.com .

Benefits of the Movie Possible Problems Parenting Points Selected Awards & Cast Helpful Background

Discussion Questions Social-Emotional Learning Moral-Ethical Emphasis (Character Counts)

Assignments and Projects Bridges to Reading Links to the Internet Bibliography

MOVIE WORKSHEETS & STUDENT HANDOUTS

TWM offers the following movie worksheets to keep students’ minds on the film and to focus their attention on the lessons to be learned from the movie.

Film Study Worksheet for a Work of Historical Fiction and

Worksheet for Cinematic and Theatrical Elements and Their Effects .

Teachers can modify the movie worksheets to fit the needs of each class. See also TWM’s Historical Fiction in Film Cross-Curricular Homework Project .

DESCRIPTION

The time is WWII; the place, Germany. Bruno is an 8 year old boy whose father is promoted to be commandant of a death camp. The family lives in a luxurious house isolated in the country. The only person Bruno’s age to play with is Shmuel, a boy behind the barbed wire of the camp. Bruno is told by his family that the camp is a farm and refers to the uniforms of the incarcerated Jews as “striped pajamas.” Slowly and reluctantly he comes to know part of the truth about the camp and his father. Bruno’s attempt to make up for an earlier betrayal of his friend causes Bruno to don the “pajamas” and sneak into the camp to help search for Shmuel’s lost father. While Bruno’s father frantically searches for his son, the boys are herded with a group of inmates into one of the gas chambers. Holding hands, they die together.

This film is based on a work of historical fiction by Irish novelist John Boyne.

SELECTED AWARDS & CAST

Selected Awards: 2008 British Independent Film Awards: Best Actress (Vera Farmiga); Nominated: Best Director (Mark Herman) and Most Promising Newcomer (Asa Butterfield, as Bruno)

Featured Actors: Asa Butterfield, Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis.

Director: Mark Herman.

BENEFITS OF THE MOVIE

This film presents a child’s point of view of the Holocaust and serves as a valuable supplement for any study of Germany’s effort to exterminate the Jews of Europe. The relationship between the two boys demonstrates the absurdity of judgments based on bloodline. The innocence of childhood is a concept which dominates the movie and supports a perspective on the Holocaust that is important for a full understanding of German atrocities during the Second World War.

Social Studies Classes: “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” is one of many films designed to make the Holocaust personal for today’s students. It is not intended to reflect historical accuracy. Instead, it illuminates the following points about the events of the European theatre in WWII:

The disregard for the plight of the Jews by common German people during the Holocaust;
The denial process applied to the immorality of what Germany was doing to the Jews;
The propaganda used in educating German children, including the propagation of anti-Semitism;
The existence and suppression of dissenting points of view; (for more on this, see The White Rose );
The callous and casual manner in which the Germans developed more efficient killing methods;
The ironies involved in the failure to adhere to well-developed standards of ethics, such as in the treatment of children.

The Discussion Questions provided in this Learning Guide will help explore these areas of focus. Suggested Research Assignments can be given to individuals or to groups of students.

English Language Arts Classes: The film and the discussions suggested below will motivate students to apply themselves to essay and research assignments, encouraging them to practice several skills required by ELA Curriculum standards. When used in a literature class, the movie provides an excellent example of theme and plot based on situational irony. The film also provides cross-curricular benefits for the study of the Second World War and the Holocaust.

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS

MINIMAL. The ending is appropriately shocking and sad.

PARENTING POINTS

This film is appropriate for viewing only by children who already have some knowledge of the Holocaust. People can accept the story and the tone of the film better when they have some acquaintance with the concepts and the sadness they will encounter.

Ask and answer the Quick Discussion Question and talk about any other points in the film that might interest your child.

HELPFUL BACKGROUND

More than a million Jewish children below the age of 16 died in the Holocaust. Some historians estimate the loss at more than 1.5 million. Children from Gypsy communities and the mentally and physically disabled were also targeted for death by the Nazis. The death rate for children was higher than that for adults; it is estimated that 89 to 94 percent of the total population of Jewish children in German-occupied areas were murdered in Germany’s effort to eliminate Jews from Europe, whereas only two-thirds, or about 67 percent, of the adult Jews died.

Jewish children living in German-controlled areas began to suffer from the Nazi ideology years before the camps were built. In 1933, for example, a law was passed that limited the number of Jewish children in public schools to 1.5 percent of the total of all children attending school. This figure included university students. Within five years, legislation was passed that prohibited Jews from attending German school altogether and Jewish schools were closed entirely in l942. The first concentration camp devoted entirely to killing Jews was opened in December 1941.

Children suffered terribly from the isolation and hardship forced upon their families by German legislators prior to the creation of the death camps. There were efforts to help Jewish children, but they only scratched the surface of the problem. “Kindertransports” transferred nearly 10,000 mostly-Jewish children to safe countries before war broke out in 1939. The United Kingdom was alone among the countries willing to help fund the process of rescuing the endangered children. British citizens paid nearly 250 dollars per child to move children between the ages of 3 and 17 out of threatened areas of Europe. Without the highly organized and perilous assistance of the Quakers, many of these children would have been forced to remain behind due to a Nazi edict that made it virtually impossible for Jews to use trams, trains, and port facilities. Aside from the assistance of the Quakers, there were individuals who came forward to assist in the effort to save the threatened children. One British citizen of German-Jewish ancestry, Nicholas Winton, established a rescue effort for Czech children that managed to send several hundred endangered children to safety. Only about 20% of the children who participated in the various rescue operations were eventually returned to their home countries and reunited with what remained of their families.

Efforts in the U.S. to help the Jews of Europe were limited by the entrenched anti-Semitism of the time. The most visible effort was called “One Thousand Children,” a pitifully small number given the size of the United States and number of children in need. The plan was in effect between l934 and 1945, but efforts to expand the program met with difficulty when the Wagner-Rogers Bill, which would have permitted the admission of 20,000 Jewish refugee children, was rejected by Congress in 1939.

Before the war, European Jewish children were persecuted and isolated from the rest of society. After the onset of war, ghettos and transit camps were established in every country occupied by Germany and children began to suffer and die from malnutrition, disease, exposure, and eventually from outright murder in the death camps. Anne Frank, sent to a concentration camp after her family’s hiding place was betrayed by an informant, died of typhus at Bergen-Belsen in March of 1945, just two months before the War in Europe ended.

Non-Jewish German children faced a different sort of deprivation, which is in no way comparable to the difficulties faced by their Jewish or Gypsy counterparts. The boys were required to join the Hitler Youth organization and subjected to the militaristic mentality that would feed them directly into the Nazi party. The propaganda machine worked tirelessly on these children to remove any values or beliefs other than those promulgated by the Nazi party. Some reports indicate that boys as young as 12 years old participated in military units and fought directly against Allied forces. Girls, too, were expected to support Hitler’s war efforts. Those between 10 and 18 years old were taught homemaking and nursing skills and were used to tend German troops injured on the battlefield. In the film, “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” the methods used by the German propaganda machine are clearly portrayed in the scenes involving Gretel, the 12-year-old sister of the film’s protagonist. The few young people who tried to resist that Nazi regime were dealt with cruelly. See Learning Guide to “The White Rose” .

For more about the fate of children in the Holocaust, see Learning Guide to Four Films About Anne Frank and the websites listed in the Links to the Internet section below. For other films about the experience of children in the Holocaust, see Europa! Europa! , and Au Revoir Les Enfants .

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

See Questions Suitable for Any Film That is a Work of Fiction .

1. In the opening scene of the film, boys are running happily through an upper-class area of Berlin. They run past a group of Jews carrying their meager belongings being herded into a truck. What irony can be found in this scene?

Suggested Response:

There are several levels of irony. The first is that by the end of the film, Bruno will suffer the same fate as the people being ignored. The second is that many of the prosperous German children and adults who are ignoring the destruction of the lives of the Jews will, in a few years, suffer a similar fate when the Allies reduced large parts of German cities to rubble.\

2. What ethical problem is foreshadowed when Bruno’s father tells him, “Life is more about duties than choices?”

Answers will vary. Students should be able to note that choices are made in part by considering the ethics of the proposed action. When people do not take their own ethics into account, they are abandoning the obligation to act ethically. Bruno’s father is little more than a slave if he believes he has no choice in the actions that he takes and if he leaves it up to others to make decisions for him. Some students may suggest that adherence to duty, for example to one’s country in time of war, disallows all ethical considerations. However, even in warfare there are ethical decisions to be made by common soldiers as well as by leaders. For example, U.S. soldiers are instructed that they are not to obey an order from a superior instructing them to commit a crime against humanity or a war crime.

3. When Bruno’s father comes down the elegant staircase in his home, he is met by the classic Nazi salute. His mother sneers and asks him if he is still that little boy who loved dressing up. She asks him if uniforms still make him feel special. What is she suggesting here?

Bruno’s father has been promoted to commandant of a death camp and is being honored for the distinction. His mother is clearly opposed to the Hitler regime and seems to be saying that the participants are little boys who need attention.

4. When Bruno sees people in striped pajamas across a fence that he assumes marks the boundary of a farm, he questions his father and is told that they are inferior beings and not worth being considered as people. Later Bruno hears the sentiment echoed by his tutor. How is this concept important to any genocide and what causes Bruno to see things differently?

Genocides occur when society denies the humanity of a minority and decides to exterminate the minority. This conception of the Jews is never really adopted by Bruno. Incidents that cause Bruno to see things differently from his father and his society include his meeting with Pavel, the man who works as a servant in his home and who is wearing the Striped pajamas under his servant’s clothing. Pavel helps Bruno make a tire swing and when Bruno is injured, Pavel dresses the wound. Bruno learns that Pavel was a doctor before working as a servant. Later, Bruno meets Shmuel and is happy to have a friend his own age. Learning about them, Bruno does not see these two individuals as different, non-human, or inferior. Thus, the suggestion is made that knowing an individual can shift the attitude about a group that is held by society.

5. Gretel, Bruno’s sister, is seen several times with her dolls and then one day Bruno finds the discarded dolls ominously piled into a dark corner of the cellar. What does this image tell the film’s viewers about the changes the girl is experiencing?

Gretel is losing her innocence. She has developed a crush on the German soldier, Karl, who guards her home and washes the cars. She wants to impress him. She accepts the anti-Semitic propaganda she reads with her tutor without question and fills the wall space of her room with Nazi posters. The image of the discarded dolls in the cellar creates a powerful symbol for her lost compassion.

6. His tongue loosened by alcohol, Karl reveals information about his father’s exodus from Germany. This information threatens Karl, despite his clear loyalty to the Nazi party and his role in the household as the brutal disciplinarian of the camp inmates who serve the household. What is revealed about Karl’s cruelty in his brutal attack on Pavel, the servant who spills wine at the dinner table. Why does Karl beat Pavel so brutally? What is the irony in what happens to Karl in this story?

Karl understands that he has talked too much and takes his fears out on the old man by beating him brutally as the family continues its meal in the next room. In addition, Karl is trying to demonstrate his hatred of Jews and his loyalty to Nazi principles. However, Karl’s fate is cast by his admission that he did not report his father to the authorities. Bruno’s father then reports Karl and the young man is transferred to the Eastern front where he will likely be killed. The irony in what happens to Karl is that he is trying to live up to the Nazi ideal, but it is those ideals that send him to his likely death.

7. The beating of Pavel serves as a turning point for Bruno’s mother who is increasingly opposed to her husband’s work in the military. What solution does her husband offer to help her cope with her disillusion and fear?

Bruno’s father decides to send his family to live with an aunt in Berlin. He seems to think that being away from the situation will make his wife feel better. He is unwilling to accept her beliefs, as he was unwilling to accept his mother’s beliefs. He chooses to offer a distraction rather than a solution to the problem.

8. What is revealed in the characters of both Bruno and Shmuel in the episode in which Karl finds the two boys together in the family home and questions their actions?

When Karl demands to know where Shmuel got the food he is eating, Bruno is afraid and lies, thus betraying his friendship with Shmuel. Shmuel is beaten and sent back behind the barbed wire. When Bruno apologizes to Shmuel for his betrayal, he is readily forgiven. This shows both the fear in which Bruno is living and his growing awareness of his father’s complicity in the misery suffered by Pavel as well as Shmuel. It also shows the innocence of children in the ease with which they can forgive. It indicates the importance of forgiveness and loyalty in friendship, which can surpass betrayal.

9. An important element of irony can be seen when Bruno spies on the viewing of the propaganda film which shows the camps to be comfortable places where Jews are treated fairly and not made to suffer the hardships that truly existed. Bruno knows the difference and is disturbed. What is revealed in this scene?

Bruno is beginning to understand but is still fighting the reality that is unfolding around him. His mother is fading as she grows increasingly disturbed by her husband’s role in maintaining the camp. Bruno no longer feels proud of his father. Bruno is struggling to make sense out of two conflicting views of reality. His innocence is slowly starting to give way.

10. The film’s final episode is filled with several stark ironies. List three of the ironies.

Here are several ironies in the final episode. There may be more. It is ironic that while the family is preparing to move the children to Berlin for safety, Bruno is preparing to move into danger by entering the camp to help his friend Shmuel find his father. It is ironic that the goal of Bruno’s father in his work is to kill Jewish people in the gas chambers and his son becomes a victim of one of those gas chambers. It is ironic that Bruno’s effort to help his friend Shmuel, a loving and selfless act of friendship, will result in Bruno’s death. It is ironic that some of the men herding the Jews into the camp are inmates, wearing the same striped pajamas as the people they are hearding to their deaths, and that their own fates are not assured by this betrayal.

11. The plot of this film turns on one basic irony that is central to an important theme of the work. What is it? Can you identify any other stories in which the plot turns on a major irony that is central to an important theme?

The overriding irony in “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” is that Bruno dies in a death camp which his father is administering for the purpose of killing Jews. This irony is important to the theme that if you commit wrong to others, you or persons dear to you may suffer as a result. Note that there is no one correct way to describe the theme, but that it must relate to the fundamental irony of Bruno’s death in the gas chambers. There are may stories in which the plot turns on a basic irony that is central to an important theme. Here are a few: Cyrano de Bergerac; To Kill a Mockingbird; All My Sons; Billy Budd; The Scarlet Letter; and Fahrenheit 451.

HUMAN RIGHTS

See discussion questions 1, 2, 4, 5 above.

See Discussion Questions: 4 and 8, above.

MORAL-ETHICAL EMPHASIS (CHARACTER COUNTS)

Discussion Questions Relating to Ethical Issues will facilitate the use of this film to teach ethical principles and critical viewing. Additional questions are set out below.

RESPONSIBILITY

(Do what you are supposed to do; Persevere: keep on trying!; Always do your best; Use self-control; Be self-disciplined; Think before you act — consider the consequences; Be accountable for your choices)

See Discussion Question 2 above.

(Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule; Be tolerant of differences; Use good manners, not bad language; Be considerate of the feelings of others; Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone; Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements)

See Discussion Question 4 above.

(Be kind; Be compassionate and show you care; Express gratitude; Forgive others; Help people in need)

See Discussion Question 1 above.

ASSIGNMENTS, PROJECTS & ACTIVITIES

See, Assignments, Projects, and Activities for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction

Topics for further study by both Social Studies and ELA classes:

Efforts to rescue or to hide children in German-occupied Europe during World War II;
Individuals involved in the efforts to rescue Jewish children from Europe during Hitler’s years;
The efforts of religions, such as the Quakers, the French Protestants, or others in helping Jewish children during WWII;
The operation of the Death Camps;
Hitler’s propaganda machinery;
The increasing persecution of the Jews up to the declaration of war;
The persecution of the Jews after the declaration of War;
Hitler youth organizations for both boys and girls;
Survivor’s stories;
Psychological studies of camp survivors;
The ethical arguments for and against the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine as a haven for the Jews of Europe; and
The role of Adolph Eichman in the “Final Solution,” his capture decades after the war in Argentina, and his trial and execution in Israel.

Essays can be written on any of the above topics or any others that are suggested by the film. The essays must be researched carefully and written using the class rubric for formal essays. Students can also be required to present the results of their research to the class.

ELA classes may want to deal with “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” as a work of art in itself and some teachers may want to assign students to read the book from which the film has been adapted. The following topics may be assigned for written work and oral presentations:

Write an essay showing Bruno’s progress from complete innocence to an awakening of understanding about what is going on around him.
Write an essay on the use of irony in the film and how it lends to overall theme.
Write a persuasive essay in which you argue for or against the use of a non-Jew as a protagonist in a film showing the evils of the Holocaust.
Write a review of the film which includes well-sourced information about the controversies associated with the film’s production. Be sure to show both points of view including those who object to what they see as trivialization of the Jews’ experiences in the Holocaust and those who believe that the facts fully justify the presentation of the story.
Write an essay in which you illustrate the power of the various images used by the director to tell the film’s story. Cite specific scenes and describe in detail what makes each image so powerful.

CCSS ANCHOR STANDARDS

Multimedia: Anchor Standard #7 for Reading (for both ELA classes and for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Classes). (The three Anchor Standards read: “Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media, including visually and quantitatively as well as in words.”) CCSS pp. 35 & 60. See also Anchor Standard # 2 for ELA Speaking and Listening, CCSS pg. 48.

Reading: Anchor Standards #s 1, 2, 7 and 8 for Reading and related standards (for both ELA classes and for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Classes). CCSS pp. 35 & 60.

Writing: Anchor Standards #s 1 – 5 and 7- 10 for Writing and related standards (for both ELA classes and for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Classes). CCSS pp. 41 & 63.

Speaking and Listening: Anchor Standards #s 1 – 3 (for ELA classes). CCSS pg. 48.

Not all assignments reach all Anchor Standards. Teachers are encouraged to review the specific standards to make sure that over the term all standards are met.

BRIDGES TO READING

See The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Reader by John Boyne and The Boy In the Striped Pajamas (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Random House Movie Tie-In Books).

An excellent novel that is easily read by students as young as 12 and appreciated by adult readers as well is The Book Thief by Mark Zuzak, an Australian writer. This book tells the story of a German girl who serves as a witness to the crimes committed by the Nazi system. Death, personified as trying to cast itself as a compassionate and philosophical character, narrates the story in the first person. The book serves to illuminate many of the ideas suggested in “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” but has other important lessons as well.

LINKS TO THE INTERNET

The Plight of Jewish Children During the Holocaust from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; contains links to many other web pages;
A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust — Children ; with links to many other web pages relating to the experience of children during the Holocaust;
Life in the Shadows from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum ; contains links to many other web pages;
H idden Children and the Holocaust from the Jewish Virtual Library

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The websites linked in the Guide.

Written by Mary RedClay and James Frieden .

LEARNING GUIDE MENU:

Benefits of the Movie Possible Problems Parenting Points Selected Awards & Cast Helpful Background Discussion Questions Social-Emotional Learning Moral-Ethical Emphasis (Character Counts) Assignments and Projects Bridges to Reading Links to the Internet Bibliography

MOVIE WORKSHEETS:

Quick discussion question:.

The Germans killed children below the age of ten as soon as they arrived at the concentration camps. In addition, very few German children had fathers who were concentration camp directors. There is no record of a German child dressing like a concentration camp inmate and being accidentally gassed. Why does this story, about two boys who probably could never have existed, make sense?

There is no one right answer. A good answer is that the boys and Bruno’s parents act in ways that people would have acted had they been in this situation. It didn’t happen, but it could have happened.

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Best overall
Best cotton
Best flannel
Best cooling
Best cashmere
Best loungewear
Best patterned
Best stretch
Best for family
Best unisex
Best sustainable
Best minimalist

The 14 best men's pajamas in 2024

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Studies show a good night's sleep is vital for your physical and mental health , and general quality of life. If you're one of the 73% of U.S. adults who sleep in some sort of pajamas, it may be time to rethink the material your pjs are made from. If you don't currently sleep in pajamas, you might want to reevaluate that choice. Our team has thoroughly tested and reviewed many brands selling pajamas and narrowed it down to the 14 best brands.

Our top pick is Eberjey , for its exceptionally soft pajamas with classic designs and monogramming options. For an affordable cotton option, we recommend Hanes for its well-known, dependable styles.

Regardless of your preferred pajama style, the below brands are the best places to shop for sleepwear. And while this guide is geared towards roomier men's sizing, they can suit anyone. If you're looking for slimmer cuts, see our guide to the best pajamas for women .

Our top picks for the best men's pajamas:

Best overall: Eberjey William Tencel Modal Long PJ Set - See at Eberjey

Best silk: Quince 100% Washable Silk Button Down Pant Set - See at Quince

Best cotton: Hanes Men's 100% Cotton Flannel Plaid Pajama Top and Pant Set - See at Amazon

Best flannel: L.L. Bean Men's Scotch Plaid Flannel Pajamas - See at L.L.Bean

Best cooling: Saxx DropTemp Cooling Sleep Pants - See at Saxx

Best cashmere: Naadam Off-Duty Cashmere Jogger - See at Naadam

Best loungewear: Abercrombie Flannel Sleep Jogger - See at Abercrombie

Best patterned: Printfresh Men's Long Sleep Set - See at Printfresh

Best stretch: Tommy John Downtime Henley and Jogger Set - See at Tommy John

Best for family: Alexandra del Rossa Fleece One Piece - See at Target

Best wool: Dagsmejan Nattwarm Sleep Tech Pants Cuff- See at Dagsmejan

Best unisex: Jambys Boxers with Pockets - See at Jambys

Best sustainable: MeUndies Men's Longsleeve Modal PJ Set - See at MeUndies

Best minimalist: Cariloha Men's Bamboo Sleep Shorts - See at Cariloha

Best overall: Eberjey

Eberjey is an elevated pajama brand that began as a place for comfortable lingerie, but has since expanded into men's loungewear. The Giselle PJ set was their first claim to fame for its super soft TENCEL Modal cotton blend, so Eberjey created its male counterpart in the form of the William set.

The William features a classic piping trim button-down top and pants with a functional fly closure and back pocket. It comes in eight solid colorways or two printed patterns, and should you want to add a personal touch as a gift, the top can be monogrammed with up to six characters.

Shop all men's pajamas at Eberjey here .

What to buy:

Best silk: Quince

Quince offers machine washable 100% Mulberry silk pajamas at prices that undercut competitors, thanks to their direct-to-consumer business model. They're dyed in facilities that are free of hazardous chemicals, with building efficiency standards meant to minimize the waste of water and energy. You can see the care Quince takes towards sustainability for yourself when these hypoallergenic silk pajamas show up at your door in minimal, recyclable packaging.

Shop all men's loungewear and pajamas at Quince here .

Best cotton: Hanes

Hanes began as a North Carolina mill operation in 1901 that produced men's and children's socks. These days, it's owned by Sara Lee Corporation (yes, the dessert company), and continues to make sturdy, utilitarian basics. While best known for underwear, Hanes also makes classic cotton pajamas for the budget-conscious, among other sleepwear options.

The Hanes 100% Cotton Flannel Plaid Pajama Top and Pet Set is an old-school two-piece sleep set made from brushed cotton flannel. The four-button top has a classic Buffalo check print and breast pocket. The bottoms feature an adjustable, two-button-waistband and a fully functional button fly.

Hanes also makes a lighter-weight traditional pajama bottoms combo. Their Plain Weave 2-Piece Pajama Set is breathable and soft (but not plush) and best for spring and summer. These may be too light for northern winters, unless you prefer to sleep cooler year-round.

Best flannel: L.L.Bean

Founded in 1912 in Freeport, Maine, L.L.Bean is a more-than-a-century-old heritage brand that helped popularize flannel pajamas.

Among the brand's pajama options are the popular Scotch Plaid Pajamas. Made from flannel produced in Portugal, the soft, plush 100% brushed cotton PJs are warm without being stifling and are generously cut for ease of movement while you sleep. I had a pair of flannel pajamas for nearly a decade that continued to look good year after year — no rips or tears, and the colors didn't fade.

If you're looking for something less traditional, L.L.Bean makes the Comfort Stretch Woven Sleep Pants, which are made from soft cotton poplin and a hint of spandex.

Shop all men's pajamas at L.L.Bean here .

Best cooling: Saxx

Saxx is best known for its men's underwear, specifically its patented Ballpark Pouch to keep things in place, but the brand also offers an array of loungewear and sleepwear.

Outfitted with the underwear brand's patented BallPark Pouch, the DropTemp Cooling Sleep Pants use ventilated fabric best suited for hot sleepers.

Similar to the brand's underwear, the Sleepwalker bottoms also have the Ballpark Pouch. That means if you want to go commando, you can still keep everything in place. The Snooze pants are roomier than the Sleepwalker and have a drawstring waist and slightly tapered legs, but do not feature the Ballpark Pouch.

Shop all sleepwear at Saxx here .

What to buy:

Best cashmere: Naadam

Naadam is our team's top pick for the best men's cashmere sweaters , so their loungewear collection made for an obvious choice of the best men's pajamas for those who like to turn the heat down overnight and stay insulated with cozy knitwear. Naadam's recycled cashmere collection repurposes the finest surplus cashmere from their cutting room floor into supremely soft joggers and sweaters that are simultaneously warm and lightweight.

Best loungewear: Abercrombie

As many of us draw indoors during the colder months, there's no limit to where and when you can use a soft, comfortable matching set. Abercrombie 's Essential sweats can be mixed and matched across a range of graphic prints and relaxed neutral tones. Coordinating an on-trend look with a fleece crewneck and training joggers makes for a simple outfit to wear at all hours of the day. Plus, many styles are suited as the best men's pajamas for big and tall sizes up to an extra-long 3XL.

Shop all loungewear at Abercrombie here .

Shop all sleepwear at Abercrombie here .

Best patterned: Printfresh

The vibrant patterns from Printfresh are hard to miss when browsing the best men's pajamas. This brand is featured in post after post from lifestyle influencers who demonstrate how getting dressed for bedtime is just another opportunity for self expression. Our team has tried their high-end pajama sets and robes and can confirm that their comfort matches their personality.

Printfresh offers many inclusive options that are very clearly made to provide comfort to those of all shapes and sizes. Their men's pajamas come in sizes XS to 3X and feature fun animal themes for those who like their sleepwear to match their mood.

Read our full Printfresh review .

Shop all men's pajamas at Printfresh here .

Best stretch: Tommy John

Tommy John is another underwear brand that has transitioned into all things apparel, including pajamas.

As one of Insider Reviews' most recommended underwear brands (and my own personal favorite), Tommy John succeeds at using different materials for different comfort needs. From traditional cotton blends to the brand's proprietary Second Skin fabric made from a silky smooth modal, these PJs are designed to fit your preferences.

Tommy John's products are expensive, but they're well worth it. It's one of the few brands that I've continued to spend my own money on after receiving sample products for test purposes. — Amir Ismael, style editor, Insider Reviews

Shop all men's pajamas at Tommy John here .

Best for family: Target

Target sells an assortment of pajamas in full family sizing so you can match your loved ones. The selection is great for people who only care to wear pajamas for special occasions because they're available in a wide range of sizes and they're affordably priced.

Here, you'll find pajamas for holidays like Halloween, Christmas, and Hanukkah, as well as fun themes from your favorite Disney characters.

Shop all pajamas at Target here .

Best wool: Dagsmejan

Dagsmejan uses natural fibers like wool and eco-friendly fabrics derived from eucalyptus to produce sleepwear geared towards how individuals sleep—hot, cold, or somewhere in-between with the promise of a better night's sleep. Its fabrics are custom-made, requiring the "most advanced knitters" only found in Europe, according to Dagsmejan's co-founder Andreas Lenzhofer.

For the Stay Warm collection, Dagsmejan took an already great insulator, merino wool, and combined it with Tencel, made from eucalyptus tree pulp, to create a product that's great at keeping you warm without being bulky. They are really light, yet provide a lot of warmth.

The company also has a line of cooling sleepwear called Stay Cool that's more breathable than cotton and better at wicking away moisture, as well as a Balance collection that helps maintain your body temperature throughout the night.

Shop all men's pajamas at Dagsmejan here .

Best unisex: Jambys

Jambys are a step up from the default sleeping uniform of old boxer shorts and holey, stained T-shirts. Their gender-inclusive boxer-style shorts have pockets and are made of soft, breathable modal French terry. The matching JamTees allow for plenty of ventilation so you don't feel constricted while you sleep.

It's the subtle details that make Jambys make some of the best men's pajamas, but their neutral style can suit anyone.

Read our full Jambys pajamas review .

Shop all Jambys pajamas here .

Best sustainable: MeUndies

MeUndies is best known for its fun, colorful, and size- and gender-inclusive underwear, but its collection of pajamas boasts all the same features. Available in long-sleeve and short-sleeve options, MeUndies pajamas are all made from an incredibly soft Modal material, sourced from beechwood fibers spun in a facility using dyes with low environmental impact.

Whether you're interested in classic solids, a plaid or tartan pattern, or a vibrant all-over print, you'll find something you like — and you can get matching sets for all genders if you want to match your family and friends.

MeUndies also makes comfortable lounge pants and joggers that can double as sleepwear. — Amir Ismael, style editor, Insider Reviews

Read our full MeUndies loungewear review .

Shop all MeUndies loungewear here .

Best minimalist: Cariloha

Cariloha is a Utah-based sleepwear and bedding company that prioritizes sustainability in all of its products by using renewable, pesticide-free materials like bamboo and organic cotton.

Cariloha's men's Sleep Pants are made from both bamboo and organic cotton and have a very soft feel. They have an elasticized drawstring waistband but don't have a working fly. Instead, you'll find three decorative buttons down the front. They're also wide through the leg and pool a bit at the ankle. The roominess is welcome when it's time for bed since they don't cling to the body. I found them very breathable, stretchy, and easy to sleep in.

Other great items to wear are the Sleep Crew Shirt and the Sleep Shorts, which both have a similarly loose and roomy fit for comfort.

Shop all men's sleepwear at Cariloha here .

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here . Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .

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THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS by JOHN BOYNE
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Book Review
Our review: Parents say ( 19 ): Kids say ( 129 ): This powerful book about the Holocaust stands out in part because of the unusual perspective. It's told through the eyes of the 9-year-old son of the commandant at Auschwitz, a boy who has no clue as to what is going on around him. This perspective allows readers to feel a strong sense of ...
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
Book Review: The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is truly an amazing yet daunting novel that I will never forget. The author John Boyne did a masterful job of depicting the setting in such vivid detail and exposing the events in a manner that I felt a constant emotional pull as the story ...
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Publication Date: October 23, 2007. Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Holocaust. Paperback: 240 pages. Publisher: Ember. ISBN-10: 0385751532. ISBN-13: 9780385751537. John Boyne's novel is the gripping story of two boys --- one the son of a commandant in Hitler's army and the other a Jew --- who come face-to-face at a barbed wire fence that ...
Reviews of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Review contains plot spoilers: The Boy In The Striped Pajamas is presented as a fable, flagging to the reader up front that one is expected to disengage ones normal sense of reality and accept the story as given, but in this instance, when dealing with such an emotive, well recorded and historically recent subject as the Holocaust, this is difficult to do.
THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS
THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS. by John Boyne ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2006. Certain to provoke controversy and difficult to see as a book for children, who could easily miss the painful point. After Hitler appoints Bruno's father commandant of Auschwitz, Bruno (nine) is unhappy with his new surroundings compared to the luxury of his home ...
Review: The Boy In The Striped Pajamas
A difficult task for any child, but this pair has a lot to take in, and neither one understands what the adults around them are doing. A fictional story set during the Holocaust, The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas is both heart-warming and heartbreaking. Boyne sheds light on the faults of an adult world from the perspective of a young boy, whose ...
Sara Roth's review of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Sara Roth 's review. Jun 07, 2023. it was amazing. This book was an enjoyable, heartbreaking read. It was refreshing to see the Holocaust through a child's eyes and a bit of a twist when you learn that the eyes in question belong to the son of an SS commandant. You quickly find that he knows nothing of the war and carnage going on around him ...
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Boyne's lifelong interest in writing and literature culminated in the bestselling ' The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ' when the novel was published in 2006. Although sold as a children's book, it's been read by literature lovers of all ages around the world. Its intense subject matter has meant that some readers, young and old, can ...
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a 2006 historical fiction novel by Irish novelist John Boyne. The plot concerns a German boy named Bruno whose father is the commandant of Auschwitz and Bruno's friendship with a Jewish detainee named Shmuel.. Boyne wrote the entire first draft in two and a half days, without sleeping much; but also said that he was quite a serious student of Holocaust-related ...
Review of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
The Boy In The Striped Pajamas was published in the UK early in 2006, where it has received very positive reviews and much publicity, becoming one of those relatively rare books that crosses over from its intended market (teenagers) to be read widely by adults as well. It was published in hardcover in the USA in September 2006, and is just now ...
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Plot Summary. The story is told from the viewpoint of a 9-year-old German boy named Bruno. Bruno is the privileged son of a Nazi commandant during World War II. Bruno comes home from school one afternoon to discover his belongings packed and set near the door. His family is preparing to relocate from Berlin to a place Bruno believes is called ...
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
PBR Book Review: (by- Linda ) ... ExTRA THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS, was made into an award-winning Miramax film. The novel itself won 2 Irish Book Awards, the Bisto Book of the Year, and was shortlisted or won a host of international awards. Amongst other accolades, it spent more than 80 weeks at no.1 in Ireland, topped the New York Times ...
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, written by John Boyne in 2006, is a historical dramatic novel which is set during the Second World War when Hitler, the Fuehrer, dominated Germany and created concentration camps all over Europe to exterminate Jews, considered inferior to the rest of the human beings. In other words, this clearly is a book on the ...
Book Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Review. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a historical fiction novel by John Boyne, invites the reader into the world of nine-year-old Bruno as he and his family move to a house near a Nazi concentration camp. The book starts off with Bruno discovering that he and his family are going to move so that his father, a Nazi, can work at a ...
Book Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies. Title: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Author: John Boyne. Publisher: David Fickling Books. Publication date: 2006. Length: 215 pages. Genre: Middle grade fiction. Source: Purchased. Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed ...
Book Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Book Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. Years ago, I went on a reading binge of all the Holocaust books I could get my hands on. The experiences shared in those books were as much cast-iron testaments to the power of the human spirit as they were chilling. This book came out after that binge ended, but I kept hearing about it ...
Educating Bruno
Fri 20 Jan 2006 20.35 EST. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. by John Boyne. 224pp, David Fickling, £10.99. Bruno is a nine-year-old from Berlin who has three best Friends For Life, an elder sister ...
Book Review
Book Review - "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne. This was November's book on my Facebook Reading Challenge, the theme of which was a children's novel. It has very mature themes and requires a grasp of irony as well as some knowledge of history to fully appreciate, but it renders a difficult and complex subject accessible ...
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Author interviews, book reviews and lively book commentary are found here. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors.
Katie's review of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Katie 's review. Sep 05, 2023. really liked it. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is a heart-breaking story about a young boy who was called Bruno who moved to the countryside during the Holocaust. Bruno went on an adventure and found that his house was next to a place with a fence around it. A boy was sat by the fence on the other ...
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas : Book Review
The Diary of a young girl is the most moving book I've ever read. I was hoping for a similar rawness and innocence in this book, just like there was in Anne Frank's diary. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Book Review. The book warms your heart as much as it breaks it. It is from the point of view of 9-year-old Bruno.
Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Boyne)
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. John Boyne, 2006. Random House Children's. 215 pp. ISBN-13: 9780385751537. Summary. Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move from their home to a new house far far away ...
THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS
See The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Reader by John Boyne and The Boy In the Striped Pajamas (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Random House Movie Tie-In Books). An excellent novel that is easily read by students as young as 12 and appreciated by adult readers as well is The Book Thief by Mark Zuzak, an Australian writer.
The 14 Best Men's Pajamas in 2024
Target Leveret Men's Striped Pajama Set ... Read our full Jambys pajamas review. Shop all Jambys pajamas here. ... culture, and true crime. His newest book is "Satellite Boy: The International ...

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A World War II fable set in the Third Reich for teens, and with cross-over adult appeal.

Beyond the Book: A Brief History of Auschwitz

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