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Reading White Bird as a banned book  + relaterede gode spørgsmål/tasks

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Reading White Bird as a banned book  + relaterede gode spørgsmål/tasks

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8. - 10. klasse

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White Bird (2023) New Trailer - Gillian Anderson, Helen Mirren

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Holocaust Center for Humanity - Flight & Rescue-Overview

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Rescue - A succesful escape from Denmark

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Rescue - A succesful escape from Denmark

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Rescue of Jews during the Holocaust presented a host of difficulties. The Allied prioritization of "winning the war" and the lack of access to those who needed rescue hampered major rescue operations. Individuals willing to help Jews in danger faced severe consequences if they were caught, and formidable logistics of supporting people in hiding. Finally, hostility towards Jews among non-Jewish populations, especially in eastern Europe, was a daunting obstacle to rescue.

Rescue took many forms.

Denmark

German-occupied Denmark was the site of the most famous and complete rescue operation in Axis-controlled Europe. In late summer 1943, German occupation authorities imposed martial law on Denmark in response to increasing acts of resistance and sabotage. German Security Police officials planned to deport the Danish Jews while martial law was in place. On September 28, 1943, a German businessman warned Danish authorities of the impending operation, scheduled for the night of October 1-2, 1943. With the help of their non-Jewish neighbors and friends, virtually all the Danish Jews went into hiding. During the following days, the Danish resistance organized a rescue operation, in which Danish fishermen clandestinely ferried some 7,200 Jews (of the country's total Jewish population of 7,800) in small fishing boats, to safety in neutral Sweden.

German-Occupied Poland

In the so-called Generalgouvernement (German-occupied Poland), some Poles provided assistance to Jews. For instance, Zegota (code name for Rada Pomocy Zydom, the Council for Aid to Jews), a Polish underground organization that provided for the social welfare needs of Jews, began operations in September 1942. Although members of the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa-AK) and the communist Polish People's Army (Armia Ludowa-AL) assisted Jewish fighters by attacking German positions during the Warsaw ghetto uprising in April 1943, the Polish underground provided few weapons and only a small amount of ammunition to Jewish fighters. From the beginning of the deportation of Jews from the Warsaw ghetto to the Treblinka killing center in late July 1942 until the German occupiers leveled Warsaw in the autumn of 1944 after suppressing the Home Army uprising, as many as 20,000 Jews were living in hiding in Warsaw and its environs with the help of Polish civilians.

Religious Backgrounds

Rescuers came from every religious background: Protestant and Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Muslim. Some European churches, orphanages, and families provided hiding places for Jews, and in some cases, individuals aided Jews already in hiding (such as Anne Frank and her family in the Netherlands). In France, the Protestant population of the small village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon sheltered between 3,000 and 5,000 refugees, most of them Jews. In France, Belgium, and Italy, underground networks run by Catholic clergy and lay Catholics saved thousands of Jews. Such networks were especially active both in southern France, where Jews were hidden and smuggled to safety to Switzerland and Spain, and in northern Italy, where many Jews went into hiding after Germans occupied Italy in September 1943.

Individuals

A number of individuals also used their personal influence to rescue Jews. In Budapest, the capital of German-occupied Hungary, Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg (who was also an agent of the US War Refugee Board), Swiss diplomat Carl Lutz, and Italian citizen Giorgio Perlasca (posing as a Spanish diplomat), provided tens of thousands of Jews in 1944 with certification that they were under the "protection" of neutral powers. These certifications exempted the bearers from most anti-Jewish measures decreed by the Hungarian government, including deportation to the Greater German Reich. Each of these rescuers worked closely with members of the Budapest Jewish communities. For example, Perlasca, whose credentials were the most vulnerable to challenge, worked closely with Otto Komoly and the Szamosis-Laszlo and Eugenia-to obtain protective papers and shelter for scores of Jews in Budapest.

The Sudeten German industrialist Oskar Schindler took over an enamelware factory located outside the Krakow ghetto in German-occupied Poland. He later protected over a thousand Jewish workers employed there from deportation to Auschwitz.

The deportation of more than 11,000 Jews from Bulgarian-occupied Thrace, Macedonia, and Pirot to Treblinka in March 1943 by the Bulgarian military and police authorities shocked and shamed key political, intellectual, and religious figures in Bulgaria into an open protest against any deportations from Bulgaria proper. The protest action, which included members of the government's own ruling party, induced the Bulgarian King, Boris III, to reverse the decision of his government to comply with the German request to deport the Jews of Bulgaria. As a result of Boris' decision, the Bulgarian authorities did not deport any Jews from Bulgaria proper.

Other non-Jews sought to expose Nazi plans to murder the Jews. Among them was Jan Karski, a courier for the London-based Polish government-in-exile to the non-communist underground movements. Karski met with Jewish leaders in the Warsaw ghetto and in the Izbica transit ghetto in late summer of 1942. He transmitted their reports of mass killings in the Belzec killing center to Allied leaders, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with whom he met in July 1943.

Groups

Some US-based groups engaged in rescue efforts. The Quakers' American Friends Service Committee, the Unitarians, and other groups coordinated relief activities for Jewish refugees in France, Portugal, and Spain throughout the war. A variety of US-based organizations (both religious and secular, Jewish and non-Jewish) cooperated in securing entry visas into the United States and arranging placement and, in some cases, eventual repatriation for around 1,000 unaccompanied Jewish refugee children between 1934 and 1942.

Choices in Extreme Circumstances

Whether they saved a thousand people or a single life, those who rescued Jews during the Holocaust demonstrated the possibility of individual choice even in extreme circumstances. These and other acts of conscience and courage, however, saved only a tiny percentage of those targeted for destruction.

Author(s): United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC

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Rescue of Jews during the Holocaust presented a host of difficulties. The Allied prioritization of "winning the war" and the lack of access to those who needed rescue hampered major rescue operations. Individuals willing to help Jews in danger faced severe consequences if they were caught, and formidable logistics of supporting people in hiding.

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Forløb med opgaver/aktiviteter til før, under og efter læsningen

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Forløb med opgaver/aktiviteter til før, under og efter læsningen

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Quiz - focus on plot, language and theme

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Quiz - focus on plot, language and theme

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6. - 8. klasse

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White Bird quiz for 6th grade students. Find other quizzes for English and more on Quizizz for free!

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White Bird: A Wonder Story | R.J. Palacio

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Vocabulary with pictures - hard/English-English 

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Vocabulary with pictures - hard/English-English 

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Finally, a fun way to reinforce the language of literature with small groups or the whole class! This familiar activity will have students actively thinking about and discussing the words Patricia Palacio used to bring the story of White Bird to life. Because students only have to recognize the word matching the definition, not generate it, it is ideal for discussing both new and familiar terms. 30 game cards are included to allow for whole class participation. The special calling cards, featuring fold over flaps to hide the answers, also give you the option of using them in centers - small group of students can play independently without a bingo caller. 30 vocabulary words are used on the cards, but each board only has 25; students have to really think about the words and their definitions, because they may not have a word to match every definition called. Options for extending play past the traditional 5 in a row format increase the learning potential.

The words used in this activity are aloof, antisemitism, begrudge, bicker, collaborator, confidant, cowering, cross, decrepit, defiance, expulsion, famished, frigid, haven, immodest, internment, noble, oblivious, ominous, outskirts, propaganda, ration, ravage, reclusive, renowned, Resistance, smug, statute, subside and thicket.

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These products have been designed to give you the option of printing two boards per page - when printing, select the "paper saving / 2-on-one" setting for your printer (be sure to deselect duplex printing if that automatically comes up).
KEEP THE FUN & LEARNING GOING with FREE activities that expand on Learning Fun vocabulary bingo games. See my FREE Vocabulary Bingo Extension Activities for 25 ideas that can be done with any Learning Fun bingo game and require minimal, or no, other supplies.

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Finally, a fun way to reinforce the language of literature with small groups or the whole class! This familiar activity will have students actively thinking about and discussing the words Patricia Palacio used to bring the story of White Bird to life. Because students only have to recognize the word...

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R.J. Palacio on "White Bird" | 2019 National Book Festival

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#VelshiBannedBookClub: R.J. Palacio on her heart-wrenching graphic novel “White Bird”

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#VelshiBannedBookClub: R.J. Palacio on her heart-wrenching graphic novel “White Bird”

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#VelshiBannedBookClub: R.J. Palacio on her heart-wrenching graphic novel "White Bird"

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How do you teach children about something as gruesome and disturbing as the Holocaust? It's painfully necessary, but admittedly challenging. Enter best selling author R.J. Palacio's newest book, "White Bird", a fictional account of a young Jewish girl's battle for survival in Nazi-occupied France.

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Research a historical time and present/interview a person and make a graphic poster

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Research a historical time and present/interview a person and make a graphic poster

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6. - 8. klasse

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Explore the impact small acts of kindness can have in the community. With activities that focus on kindness, hope, and self-reflection, students will practice research and communication skills. The activities can be used with or without reading the novel.

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The Impact of Kindness - inspired by White Bird by R.J. Palacio - ymiclassroom.com

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Explore the impact small acts of kindness can have in the community. With activities that focus on kindness, hope, and self-reflection, students will practice research and communication skills. The activities can be used with or without reading the novel.

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Let's do English ESL general grammar practice. Multiple choice questions in the area of grammar and vocabulary

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Saving the children from the Holocaust | 60 Minutes Archive

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Life in Shadows: Hidden Children and the Holocaust

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Life in Shadows: Hidden Children and the Holocaust

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When World War II ended in 1945, six million European Jews were dead, killed in the Holocaust. More than one million of the victims were children.

Driven by a racist ideology that viewed Jews as "parasitic vermin" worthy only of eradication, the Nazis implemented genocide on an unprecedented scale. All of Europe's Jews were slated for destruction: the sick and the healthy, the rich and the poor, the religiously orthodox and converts to Christianity, the aged and the young, even infants.

Thousands of Jewish children survived this brutal carnage, however, many because they were hidden. With identities disguised, and often physically concealed from the outside world, these youngsters faced constant fear, dilemmas, and danger. Theirs was a life in shadows, where a careless remark, a denunciation, or the murmurings of inquisitive neighbors could lead to discovery and death.

Choices

The vast majority of Jews in German-occupied Europe never went into hiding, for many reasons. Hiding meant leaving behind relatives, risking immediate and severe punishment, and finding an individual or family willing to provide refuge. Many Jews, no doubt, held out the hope that the threat of death would pass or that they could survive until the Allied victory.

Sadly, the willingness or ability of the non-Jewish populations to rescue Jewish lives never matched the Nazis' vehement desire to destroy them. Even in countries where hatred for the German occupiers ran deep, anti-Nazism did not necessarily generate aid for Jews. The Nazis portrayed the Jews as carriers of contagion, as criminals, or as "Bolshevik" agents anxious to subvert European society. The Nazis further discouraged rescue by threatening severe penalties for those caught helping Jews.

Discovered

Life in hiding was always hazardous. Throughout German-occupied Europe, the Nazis made a concerted effort to locate Jews in hiding. German officials and their collaborators harshly penalized those who aided Jews and offered rewards to individuals willing to turn in Jews. Beginning in March 1943, the Gestapo (the German secret state police) granted some Jews in Germany reprieve from deportation in exchange for tracking down their co-religionists who had gone underground. By spring 1945, when the Nazi regime lay in ruins, these informers had turned in as many as 2,000 Jews. In other countries, neighbors betrayed others for money or out of support for the regime. In German-occupied Poland, blackmailers squeezed money or property from Jews by threatening to turn them in to the authorities.

Jews in hiding were discovered by chance during raids seeking conscripts for forced labor, resistance cells, black marketers, or by random searches of documents. A slip of the tongue, improperly prepared false documents, or gossip could lead to arrest and deportation.

Author(s): United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC

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Life in Shadows: Hidden Children and the Holocaust

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When World War II ended in 1945, six million European Jews were dead, killed in the Holocaust. About 1.5 million of the victims were children.

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How Saba Kept Singing | David “Saba” Wisnia Returns to Auschwitz | PBS

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David “Saba” Wisnia revisits Auschwitz where he was held during World War II.

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING BOOK CONTAINS SPOILERS REGARDING TO SPECIFIC DETAILS AND ENDINGS OF THE STORY. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

White Bird: A Wonder Story

Previous

Next

We're all Wonders

N/A

White Bird is a graphic novel by R.J Palladio. It is a prequel to Wonder and Aggie & Me. The comic retells the story of Julian's grandmother, Sara Bloom, and her struggles in surviving World War II along with a special friend named Julian Bread. This is Palladio's first graphic novel.
The prologue takes place after Wonder, where Julian Allbans has already started his year at his new school. He contacts his grandmother, Sara Bloom, for a family assignment he has to complete. Sara is excited to see her grandson and asks how he is doing in the new school. Julian replies that he likes it, but still feels bad about last year and wishes he could have a do-over. He asks Sara if she could tell Julian her story back in World War II. At first Sara feels sad about it, but eventually explains Julian that she is going to tell her backstory in a more detailed perspective.

Sara was born in a village, Audits-aux-Boise, France and lived a happy life with her parents. Her father, Max, was a surgeon whom many people admired and depended on. Her mother, Rose, was a teacher in a university. Sara lived in a nice house, wore pretty clothes, and had lots of toys to play with. Near the village laid a forest called Merry, where it was dark and foggy in the winter(legend tells that wolves lurked there) and was colorful and vibrant in the spring with gorgeous bluebells. Sara and her family would have picnics in the forest. Her favorite thing to do was pretend she was a bird who could fly up high to the sky and as fast as a crow. Her life felt like a nightmare, until when the war came, everything had to change.

When WWII arrived, the Nazis had already invaded France on 1940. France was divided into two regions, the occupied zone and the free zone. Aubervilliers-aux-Bois was luckily at the free-zone. Sara was still able to ride her scooter to school and go shopping with her friends whenever she wanted to. However, she could hear and witness offensive remarks upon people, restrictions, and propagandas. Even though, Sara was hurt, she tried to keep hold of her fairytale life.

Sara attended a school called the Ecole Lafayette, runned by Pastor Lucy, who allowed all students by different faiths. Sara claimed that she was a gifted student, except for math. She loved her teacher Mademoiselle Petitjeans, who was always kind to Sara and the rest of the students, even if they got in trouble. One day in class, Sara was drawing in her sketchbook, which help her not worry about the war, Nazis, or anything else that was considered despicable. All was fine until Mademoiselle alerted her to return to her English homework. When the bell rang, all of the students happily left class, except for one boy who sat next to Sara, named Julien Bread.

Julian always waited until the class was empty, since he was crippled, and had polio. The student's always made fun of him by calling him, Tourteau(because he walked like a crab) and pushed him, aggressively. When class ended, Sara accidentally left her sketchbook, so Julien went out to give it to her. He finds Sara talking to her best friends, Marianne and Sophie. Julien gives Sara the sketchbook, as Marianne and Sophie laugh at Julien thinking that he likes Sara. Sara laughs back, but turns around realizing that she wasn't being very nice. Julien makes his way home with his crutches, until a boy named Vincent pushes him down, with 2 of his friends laughing along. Then Vincent turns to the girls to see Sara's sketch journal(only because all the other girls liked him). He takes a look and says that Sara is a good artist for a Jew, which hurts Sara's feelings even worse.

Later that evening, Sara's parents talk about their future in France. Her father, Max, wants to leave France where they could be safe from the Nazis. Her mother, Rose would rather stay in France, hoping that the war will all be over soon, despite that Jewish people(such as the Blums) were being threatened, meaning those threats would only get worse. Rose wanted to remain as a French citizen. Max agreed on Rose's opinion, but was worried about the possible threats. Sara chose Rose's decision and a deal was made. However, Max was still upset. At bedtime, Sara asked her father why the Nazis hate the Jews very much. Max tells his daughter that the Jews are special people that obtain a powerful light that gives them precious blessings, and how the Nazis and their supporters were jealous of their light and want to take it away from them. However their light was always stronger against their enemies. Max kisses Sara goodnight and reminds her to wear her winter boots tomorrow, due to a snowfall, but Sara does not want to because it was already April.

Sara kisses her parents goodbye and leaves home to the school. At the town square, Sara takes off her winter boots and changes to her favorite red shoes. At school, Mademoiselle Petitjean had a serious meeting with Pastor Luc. She returns to her class and tells her students that she will leave outside with Sara and another girl named Ruth. She tells the girls that the Nazis had come to take away Jewish children and they had to go with a French maquisard who will lead them to a forest where they can be safe. Sara feared about leaving from the Nazis. Mademoiselle comforts her and offers Sara her scarf. When the three reach the door, they see children gathered by the school entrance. Sara however, refuses to join along, only because she didn't want to get hunted down or have her shoes ruined.

Sara runs up to the school's belltower and silently watches from above. She sees all the children planning their escape while two German soldiers arrive in front of Pastor Luc. At a distance, Vincent calls to the Nazis about where the children have ran off to. The Nazis find the children and their escort. The maquisard is killed after yelling out, "Vive L'Humanite(Long live humanity)!". The Nazis round up all the children with Pastor Luc protesting to let them go. Mademoiselle chooses to go with them, knowing that the children will need at least one adult to protect them. She gets in a truck and later walks with them to the forest. According to Ruth, no one but her survived in the cold snow.

Sara remained in the belltower. She thought of her teacher. She worried if her parents were caught too. She watched as the German officers surrounded the school. She heard the door open, fearing that the Nazis found her. It was Julien who opened the door. He helped Sara through an escape passage from the bell tower, the cellar, and out from the sewer-works(where he and his father worked). The two walked together across the streets and into the woods that leads to a barn near Julian's home.

Inside the barn is very dark with lots of straw, an old car, and bats hung on the ceiling. Julian shows Sara the hayloft where she can sleep and hide in case of any danger. Julian joked that the barn was a great place, despite that bats lived there, which made Sara laugh a lot. She talks to Julian on how he thinks about the terrible event from before. He tells Sara that his parents are fine and he plans to show his parents to her. Julien also reminds Sara to call her by his real name and not Tourteau.

Julien returned to the barn with his parents, Jean-Paul and Vivienne. They offered Sara some soup, dry clothes, and comforting words. They helped dust out the cobwebs and stacked the hay to make the barn more luxurious. Sara falls asleep and starts dreaming. She dreamed herself as a white bird. Sara flies over from Aubervilliers-aux-Bois to the railway that leads to Auschwitz(a real-life death camp in Poland). Sara's mother Rose is seen to enter the camp. Rose turns around and smiles to know that her daughter is safe. Sara wakes up and sees Vivienne, who tells her that she will leave and return with more food and clothes. Vivienne tells Sara that she is sorry about all the dangers Sara and her family and promises that they will protect and care for her until her parents are found and safe. Sara later finds out that Rose was arrested by the Nazis and was sent to a train to Drancy and then to Auschwitz. That is where she died.

Sara remained in the barn after several days. The Breads tried, but could not find her parents. They plan to smuggle her to Switzerland, except there was a Nazi base in Dannevilliers. It was impossible for Sara to be smuggled out, because of that. Sara could not hide in Beamuiers home because of their neighbors(the Lafleurs) mysteriously watching them. However, Sara did have fun interacting with Vivienne such as playing cards and sharing meals together. Everyday, Vivienne would leave her home, walk to the town market, onto the streets, across the forest, and crawl through a hole in the barn wall. While Sara was alone, she would be either reading a book, drawing, exercising, daydreaming, or praying for the war to end soon and she could be free.

When the night fell, Sara was always excited to see Julien. They would gossip about school, go over homework together, play in the hayloft, or even pretend to drive in an old car. They could go on adventures to far away places without a worry in the world. Julien would have to leave her when it was bedtime. Sara was usually afraid of sleeping because of bats, strange sounds, and nightmares about a wolf from the forest of Mernuit.

Since she had first came, Sara felt that the barn was her sanctuary. She and Julien had become best friends. On evening, Sara is studying her math work while Julien builds a slingshot. He teases that he always pays attention to what's going on while Sara spends her time just drawing. Sara tells her backstory on how she used to pretend that she was a bird. Julien finds it cute and wishes he could fly as well. He comforts Sara that she will see her father sometime when the war is over.

While Julien was at school, he went to Pastor Luc's office. Pastor Luc congratulated Julien for his avocation on all his subjects including math. When the pastor left, Julien spots Sara's sketchbook on the office desk. He takes it and carries it to the barn. He gives Sara the sketch journal. Sara thanks him, but Julien hears a strange sound outside. He tells his friend to hide and never come out until the issue is solved. Sara does as she is told.

Outside of the barn, Julien's enemies, Vincent, Jerome, and Paul were searching for Julien. They find the barn and spot Julien. Vincent asks if he had stolen a book from Pastor Luc, but Julien confesses that it was only a book that he accidentally left. Vincent doesn't believe him and calls him deformed, pathetic, and weak. He tells them that Nazis will exterminate him and every other human with disabilities. Vincent punches Julien on the nose, but Julien got up and screamed, "Vive l'humanite!". He screamed so loud that the bats woke up and scared Vincent and his friends out of the barn! Sara comes over and tries to comfort Julien, but Julien is angry that Sara broke the rule, warned that his parents will be executed, and called her self-absorbed, stupid, snobby, childish, and never talked to him as before. With a heavy heart, Julien leaves Sara.

The next morning, Vivienne and Jean-Paul went to Ecole Lafayette to tell Pastor Luc about the attack of Vincent and Julien. Pastor Luc recommends they should call the police. The Breads chose not to because Vincent's father supports the Nazis and they don't want to bother them. Pastor Luc promises that he will confront Vincent's father and expel Vincent if he ever does that again. He wishes for God to end the malice, but Vivienne tells the pastor that it is up to good people to end the malice. She tells Sara about the meeting as Sara tells about what happened last night. Two weeks has past, and Sara had not seen Julien, until he returns and they play a game of belote. Julien was still angry at his friend and said that he was tired of people insulting him of his polio. He recalled that he used run fast and freely with healthy legs. Sara feels sorry and apologizes for being selfish and immature. Julien smiles and tells Sara that she was kind enough to save him that night. The two are happily friends and continue playing games together.

A year had passed and Sara was taller, thinner, and with longer hair. Sara was used to the nature and the clothing she wore in the barn. Nothing she thought had mattered anymore. Outside of the barn in France, the war was changing. For instance, Vincent joined a police force that worked for the Nazis, Pastor Luc joined a resistance that worked to destroy the Nazis, while maquisards planned assaults to destroy the Nazis. Julien also changed. He was much taller and more handsome, according to Sara. They had continued their days and games of best friendships. On Sara's birthday, Julien bestows her with a wooden bird. Jean-Paul and Vivienne also celebrate with a delicious chocolate cake to eat. It was the tastiest cake Sara had ever eaten. They later used a radio to listen to the news about the Allies surpassing the Axis. They were all excited that the Allies would save France. Hours later, Sara starts to believe that there will be hope after the war ends. She dreams of reuniting with her father, Max and starting a future life with Julien She changes to her night gown until Julien comes out to show her something.

The two leave the barn and to the Mernuit Forest. Bluebells that bloom across the trees astonish Sara. Julien confesses that he had a crush on Sara. Sara smiles and punches Julien. Sara gains romantic feelings for Julien, think that he could be the love of her life. The two returned to the barn. Sara gives Julien her sketchbook and thanks him for her wooden bird. Julien smiles before heading home. It would be the last time Sara would see him. That night, Sara slept peacefully than before. She dreamed of her walking in Mernuit with the bluebells blossoming and flying with a flock of white birds.

The next morning Julien looked through Sara's sketchbook. One page showed a beautiful note about Sara's feelings for him(see trivia to read it). Julien was adored by Sara's entry. Vivienne wishes her son a good morning. Julien greets her and tells that he can't be late for school. He kisses his mother goodbye(his last one) and heads off home like he always would. It was a long walk across the town to school. This morning was not as similar as expected because a car with Milice officers(the French-Nazi police) were on the lookout. They grasp Julien, brutally, leaving his crutches and Sara's sketchbook behind. Vincent watches the car pass on. He looks over the items left behind and observes Sara's sketchbook. By a snap, he finds out that he had to hunt down Sara. He rode his motorcycle to the barn. Vincent slowly opens the door. Sara wakes up alert, she crawls over the hay without making a sound. She sees Vincent carrying a rifle. He shoots to track down Sara, but misses and shoots the ceiling instead. Sara had an idea! She climbed up to the roof and broke a hole as an escape opening. She jumps outside of the barn and runs to Mernuit with Vincent chasing her. Vincent keeps shooting his rifle, but continues to miss. Sara hides behind a tree and sees Vincent backing away from a wolf with black fur(the one from her nightmares). The wolf did not hurt Sara as she had originally thought. Vincent spotted Sara, lunges at her, with the wolf lunging at him. The wolf attacks Vincent, and Vincent's life is done for. Sara approaches the corpse and sees the bag with her sketchbook. She is shocked that Vincent had planned to kill Julien, that she runs to Julien's home and warn Vivienne what had happened.

Sara climbed into the Breads house window and searches for Vivienne. She searched every room but was fruitless. All of the sudden, Sara hears footsteps on a staircase. She checks and finds a Rabbi named Abe Bernstein and his wife, who had stayed with the Lafleurs for quite some time. The Lafleurs open the door with Monsieur Lafleur holding a gun. Rabbi Bernstein tells him to stop and that it's just Sara. It had been revealed that the Lafleurs were not Nazi conspirators(which Sara and the Breads had thought before as the Lafleurs thought the same) and had been protecting Rabbi Bernstein and his wife for two years until the day they could smuggle from France to Jerusalem, Israel. The Lafleurs realize what they had done wrong and promise to take care of Sara until Vivienne returns. The Lafleurs watched over Sara in their attack. Sara tells them about how brutal Vincent had become. Madame Lafleur only assumed that Vivienne would spend the past days meeting with the Germans. Monsieur Lafleur mentions how he and Rabbi Bernstein had served in World War I and thought of him like a brother. The conversation ends with Vivienne watching outside. Sara hugs Vivienne and retells on how she knew that the Nazis were threatening Julien and other people with disabilities. Jean-Paul looked out to find where they had taken him. She and Jean Paul want to bribe the guards as suggested, but they don't have enough money. The Lafleurs decide to help them. Monsieur Lafleur escorts Vivienne to a military road. Sara remained in the attack using her senses to find her friend. Across the mountains, was a truck. The trucked stopped by a road blockage. The drivers plan to send the prisoners to Aubervilliers, but the road guards want those prisoners to be annihilated. The prisoners are told to leave the truck and head to the Merniut forest. The people plan to retreat from the Nazis. Julien senses Sara as he walks by. The prisoners begin their escape preparation. Julien sense to fly up high to the sky and as fast as a crow. Julien smiles, lets go of his crutch, runs and rises. The capturies retreat, but all are shot. Vivienne arrives and tries to rescue her son, but it was too late. For Julien however, he runs freely, away from his limitations, and flies as free as a bird.

After the shooting, the Nazis deny that it had happen and force her and Monsieur Lafleur to leave the area. No one knew where Julien's body was, but that didn't matter because he was free. As the war continued, the masquired supported the Allies on the Normandy Invasion (AKA D-Day). They fought bravely and died as heroes. Many bodies, like Julien's were never found. The prisoners from the truck were given a special plaque in memory of their courage against the Nazis. Julien's name was not written, but Sara and his family knew he was in fact, involved. Jean-Paul and Vivienne hoped that he was still alive. They never gave up trying to find their son. Jean-Paul and Vivienne continue to protect Sara, with the Lafleurs to help them. Soon World War II was over and France was liberated in 1944, but Sara was still sad. Although she was happy to see her friends(Marianne and Sophie) again, everything still felt so different. All that changes, when Sara receives a telegram from her father, Max. On April 1943, Max had hid in Mernuit. He returned home hoping Sara and his wife, Rose would come back. He stayed for a week, but had to leave. He took a pathway through the forest, where maquisards found him. They smuggled Max to the border of Switzerland. After the war, he moved to Paris and got a job in a hospital. He spent his time trying to find his daughter. He mourned over those who perished in the Holocaust, including Rose. One day the phone rang and heard that his daughter was alive. Max cries in joy and is happy to see Sara again. The two move to Paris and bid the Breads a warm goodbye. Sara gives Vivienne the scarf that Mademoiselle PetitJean gave to her. As the years passed, Sara would visit the Bread once a summer. Vivienne, Jean-Paul, and Max even walked Sara through the synagogue aisle on her wedding day. When she had her first son, he was named after Julien(with an "a" instead of an "e"). When the Breads died on 1985, Sara had never forgotten the kindness and love they had given her. Sara mentions to her grandson, that it always takes courage to be kind. But in those days, when such kindness could cost you everything--your freedom, your life--kindness becomes a miracle. It becomes that light in the darkness that Max talked about, the very essence of our humanity. It is hope.

In the present, Sara's story for Julian comes to a close. Julian cries feeling sorry for all the horrible things that happened in the war. How Julien was lost, and that world nearly did nothing to stop the Holocaust as soon as possible. However, Sara told her grandson that it was up to good people to end times of malice and hatred and to make sure that Julien's generation must never forget and never let an event of human genocide and intolerance to ever happen again. Julian promises his grandmother to fight and speak up for what is right, especially if a sign of injustice happens again and to shine his light for Sara. Julian tells Sara that he loves her and is proud to be his grandson. She smiles with tears, says she loves Julian back, and bids a goodnight. Sara turns off her phone. She opens a wooden box with the wooden bird that Julien had given her.

One month later, Sara reads through an international newspaper. She reads through an article about 800 children being separated from their parents as a part of Donald Trump's, "Zero Tolerance" policy. Sara cries feeling sorry for the victims, believing that the world has become a bystander. Sara looks up to the window, sees the white bird, and smiles realizing that there are good people, fighting for love and against hate, including Julian who holds up a sign to tell that they must never spread more hate again.

August does not have a large appearance unlike in Wonder, Auggie & Me, 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Precepts, or in We're all Wonders. He appears in one panel and is mentioned by Julian on how he still feels bad about what he had done to Auggie.

This is the 5th story where August is not the main protagonist.

The white hummingbird that appears in several panels may possibly be Sara Blum's spirit animal.

The entry that Sara wrote on her birth was written, "28 May, 1944 - Such a beautiful night, with beautiful people! How blessed am I to have the Beaumiers in my life! Thank you, life, for all you have given me. Mostly, the belief I now have that all human beings in this world are somehow connected to each other. Maybe I always knew this, but from my little window inside my little barn, I can actually hear the secrets of the world in the still of the night. I swear there are even times when I can hear the planet spinning! I can hear in the flutter of bat wings, the quickened heartbeats of the maisquards hiding in the mountains. I can hear in the soft cooing of the night owls, my papa, somewhere, calling my name. Funny, I used to be so afraid of the night. But now, I see it as my time for listening to the soul of the world telling me its secrets. And tonight it whispers, over and over again like a song: "You love Julien" Yes, I answer, I know. I love Julien."

The graphic novel was done in Procreate, an art app that is available on the iPad Pro and iPhone.

The movie had an open casting call to find its two main leads.

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING BOOK CONTAINS SPOILERS REGARDING TO SPECIFIC DETAILS AND ENDINGS OF THE STORY. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! White Bird is a graphic novel by R.J Palladio. It is a prequel to Wonder and Aggie & Me.

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White Bird pages 1-16 quiz for 7th grade students. Find other quizzes for English and more on Quizizz for free!

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Lav lign. trailers, summaries el. scener i Pixton eller Powtoon på SkoleTube

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These resources for the Holocaust may or may not be appropriate for some groups of students. Please use your best judgment when selecting materials for your students. For more information about teaching the Holocaust, see our History of the Holocaust lesson plans.

Storyboard That also offers an extended image pack (included with subscription) which contains graphic imagery, including Holocaust victims and Nazi soldiers. Due to the nature of this material, it is hidden by default. Modify your account settings.

Student Activities for White Bird

Essential Questions for White Bird by R.J. Palacio

1. Who are the main characters in White Bird and what challenges do they face?

2. What were some allusions (references to real people, places, events, sports, and art/literature) present in the novel? What can you learn about the time period from these allusions?

3. What are some of the themes, symbols, and motifs present in the novel? How does the symbolism help you better understand the characters and their motivations?

4. What are some of the messages the author conveys to the reader about kindness and courage? Why is it so important to teach, learn about, and remember the Holocaust?

5. What are some examples of prejudice and injustice in today's world that require "good people to decide to put an end to it"?

White Bird Summary

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Author R.J. Palacio places this profound quote by George Santayana at the start of the Prologue, setting the tone for the reader. ﻿Sara Blum had an idyllic childhood with her loving Maman and Papa in a picturesque town in France beside a fairytale forest. Her father was a successful surgeon and her mother a mathematician, the first woman professor in the town. The family enjoyed picnics among the bluebells at the edge of the forest where Sara's father would swing her in the air so she could "Fly high like a bird". Their innocent game of flying high above the world like a bird is woven throughout the book as the white bird symbolizes the beauty and interconnectedness of humanity.

Grandmère explains the incremental ways the Nazis and their French collaborators stripped the rights of Jewish people, oppressed them, and dehumanized them in propaganda. Sara also introduces us to Tourteau, her classmate at school who has always been tormented by bullies. She has not, herself, teased the boy, but she has stood by and watched. The classmates nicknamed him "Tourteau" as a cruel joke. It means "crab" in French and it was given to him because his legs had been partially paralyzed by polio as a child and he walks with crutches. His real name is Julien Beaumiers. Despite the fact that Sara sat next to him for three years in school, she never knew his name and only refers to him as "Tourteau" throughout the beginning of the story.

Then the worst happens. The Nazis begin rounding up Jewish people all over Sara's town. Her teachers try to hide the Jewish children, but they are caught by the Nazis and the children are sent to their deaths in concentration camps along with a teacher who wouldn't leave their side. Sara manages to escape! She hides in a bell tower and is discovered by Tourteau. He helps her sneak through the sewer tunnels which he knows well because his father is a sanitation worker. Tourteau brings Sara to his home and hides her in his barn. When Sara expresses her gratitude, she finally learns his name, Julien. Grandmère tells her grandson, "And that is the name, of all the names in the world, that I have held closest to my heart since then. It is the name I gave to your father. It is the name he gave to you, Julian."

Julien and his parents, Vivienne and Jean-Paul Beaumier, care for Sara throughout her time in hiding. They bring her food, clothes, and blankets. They visit daily; Vivienne helps Sara wash and Julien plays games and teaches her what he is learning in school. However, the Beaumiers were always in fear of the Nazis. If they were caught hiding a Jewish person, they could be executed. They feared their neighbors, the La Fleurs, because they had become withdrawn and the Beaumiers were sure that the La Fleurs were Nazi collaborators. Despite the isolation, the bats and mice, and the sadness over the loss of her parents, Sara perseveres throughout her years in hiding. Julien and Sara became best friends, confiding in one another; their feelings even blossoming to love.

One day, Julien sees Sara's treasured sketchbook in his principal's office at school. He secretly takes it as a present for Sara because he knows how much she loved to draw in it every day. Sara is delighted but their joy is short lived. Vincent, a classmate who became a Nazi and who passionately hates anyone who was different from him, follows Julien and accuses him of stealing. He beats Julien ferociously until Sara starts to stand up in hiding and bats swoop down from the loft and scare him away. Later, Vincent realizes that Julien must be hiding Sara, the one Jewish classmate who escaped the Nazi roundup. Vincent has the Nazi's kidnap Julien while he is walking to school. The Nazis abduct Julien along with patients from hospitals and mental institutions. Then, Vincent sneaks out to the Beaumiers and into the barn where Sara is hiding. He shoots at her and barely misses, but she is able to escape through a window and into the nearby woods. By chance, while she is running from Vincent, a wolf leaps out, attacks, and kills Vincent. Sara sees her sketchbook lying next to Vincent and realizes that he must have taken it from Julien. She knows that Julien must be in danger. She rushes to tell Julien's parents. They try in vain to rescue Julien, but the Nazis murdered Julien along with the other hospital patients. Grandmère describes it as the Massacre of Mernuit Forest in May, 1944.

Sara manages to survive the war with the help of the Beaumiers and is eventually reunited with her father. But, her beloved Julien, her mother, her Jewish classmates, and 6 million Jews were murdered by the Nazis along with 10 million Russians, Poles, Serbs, Romani, disabled, LGBTQ, and others in the Nazi's evil effort to eliminate anyone who was different from them. At the close of her story, her grandson, Julian, tearfully promises his Grandmère that he will help to ensure that no one ever forgets and that history does not repeat itself. Julian says, "I will never let them forget. I will shine my light ... for you." Grandmère reminds Julian and the reader that, "Evil is only stopped when good people come together to put an end to it."

Check out other lesson plans on history and literature during World War II and Holocaust
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How To Facilitate a Discussion on White Bird By RJ Palacio in Class

Frequently Asked Questions About White Bird by R.J. Palacio

What is the connection between "White Bird" and "Wonder"?

"Wonder" and "White Bird" are connected because "White Bird" elaborates on the narrative of Julian's grandmother, Sara Blum, who is referenced in "Wonder." It helps us comprehend Julian's family background better. Students can compare both stories to find out better how the characters are interconnected and impact each other.

Is 'White Bird" a real story?

Although "White Bird" is a work of fiction, it was inspired by actual historical occurrences, notably the Holocaust, a horrific time during World War II when the Nazis persecuted millions of Jews and other people.

Who are the main characters of the story?

The story is based on the survival of Sara Blum who is a young Jewish girl escaping from the Nazis during the Holocaust. Besides Sara, readers also get to know Julien (the boy who helped her despite getting bullied) and his family.

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White Bird by R.J. Palacio | Summary & Free Activities

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Discover the connection between White Bird and Wonder at StoryboardThat & discuss events of the Holocaust. Explore summary & free activities in our lesson plan.