I Have Lived a Thousand Years: Growing up in the Holocuast

Bitton-Jackson, Livia. (1999) I Have Lived a Thousand Years: Growing up in the Holocaust. New York: Simon Pulse Publishing

This is a graphic memoir about the Holocaust only appropriate for high school level students. This is a story told in present tense of a thirteen year old girl living in Hungary when it was invaded by the Nazis. The history of the events are very true telling of a year of round ups, forced labor, shootings, deportation, and eventually liberation. Details are graphic. When deported the young girl is fortunate enough to stay with her mother and they work together to keep each other alive. They helped each other stay out of the gas chamber and just missing being put on a cattle truck. The girl survives and is released during liberation. She finds her brother and hears how her father dies. This is a fact based moving and graphic story that enhanced the curriculum for teaching about the Holocaust. High schoolers will be able to handle this book fine, but nothing below high school level.