I read this book solely because the title caught my attention. I do that a lot and I'm glad that I do because I have picked up quite a few interesting books this way.
Lauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust tells the story of a girl who is tired of her life being defined by her Jewish heritage. She would be perfectly happy to never read another Holocaust memoir and would love it if her parents would quit pressuring her to join the activities with the other Jewish kids. More than anything she just wants to be a normal American teen. Things begin to change for her after two events. While doing research for school, she comes across the word holocaust but it is not capitalized nor does it relate to the mass killing of Jewish people during World War II. She is startled to learn that "holocaust" doesn't just refer to Jewish people. The second event includes many of her classmates, one of them being her crush, who start playing a war-like game that in some ways glorifies the Nazis. After these events, Lauren begins learns a lot about herself, the people around her and her heritage.
I have read a good number of books surrounding the Holocaust, both fiction and non-fiction. But I do this by choice and not because anyone makes me. In spite of this, I can easily see why Lauren would be exhausted by her family's history and be done spending so much time focused on that era of history.
Leanne Lieberman does a great job of capturing what it would be like to be in Lauren's shoes. Even someone who doesn't have their individual heritage pushed on them can relate to Lauren and her struggles. Though I feel that this book won't have as large of an audience that will enjoy it, I still recommend that people at least give it a try. You just might learn something about yourself as you read it.
Happy Reading!
-Melly
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