Yanek and his family live in Krakow, Poland. But in just a blink of an eye, their city was invaded by the Germans beginning WWII. For now, Yanek and his family remain in Krakow. For a little while they stay in their flat with several other families. Anti-Semitic rules have been put in place that persecute Jewish people, taking away any rights they had. Over time, walls are built up around the ghetto to contain the remaining Jews who have not been taken for resettlement or deportation yet. One-by-one many Jews were relocated to other Jewish ghettos, work camps, concentration camps or were killed on site.

Yanek's Figurative Journey

With the stress of no food and constant hiding, Yanek is living in fear of being caught by the Nazis. His emotional state is one of constant terror and panic at what awaits him at every turn. The unknown aspects of the war leave a feeling of being unsettled, Yanek's early life as a 10-year-old boy before the war was very normal. He attended school, played with friends, and went to the synagogue with his family. He loves his Mom and Dad and looks up to them but as the war continues Yanek begins to doubt his father's constant hopefulness and positivity and wonders who is really right- his father or Uncle Moshe. "I still worried he was wrong, but fresh bread made me forget all my troubles. For a little while, at least." (pg 25) Doubting your parents for the first time is a struggle for Yanek especially in war-torn Poland.

In these chapters, Yanek goes through a lot, which affects his mental state. He loses his parents and a lot of his extended family. He only has one family member left, his cousin, Sala. Yanek gets taken from his work and moved to the Plasow Concentration Camp. Yanek sees a lot of violence in the Plasow Concentration Camp led by Amon Goeth. If he reacts, he will also get killed. Eventually, in the camp, he finds his Uncle Moshe. Moshe tells him, "We cannot let these monsters tear us from the pages of the world." (pg 70) Yanek doesn't think he has a purpose to live anymore, but once his uncle says this, he realizes that the Jews need him to survive.

Yanek arrives at his new work camp, The Wieliczka Salt Mine. While getting a small tour, he stumbles upon a beautiful salt cathedral. He also finds beautiful intricate sculptures and even a chandelier made of salt. These beautiful things that he has found distract him from what is going on in his camp, and what is happening with the war.

When Yanek gets to Trzebinia, he is furious. He wants him and his fellow Jews to turn against the Nazis since there are so many Jews in the camps. Very soon after, Yanek feels fear. One Jew starts to get beaten by a Nazi but ends up taking his weapon and beating the Nazi on the head. The Jew ends up getting shot in the head by another Nazi. Yanek soon starts to accept that the Jews will never succeed in overthrowing the Nazi soldiers.

Yanek starts at a camp in Trzebinia, where the Nazis taunt and play with them for entertainment. Eventually, he is put into a disgusting cattle car on a train and transported to a brand-new camp. His journey takes about two to three days. Everyone is cramped in the train car so tightly that nobody can lift their arms. Once they arrive, they stay in place for around half a day. People complain that they can smell the burning bodies of Jews and other prisoners. Many people end up dying on this journey, and as he gets out, the bodies fall right onto the ground, some people dying from thirst, malnourishment, or sleep deprivation. They get led into showers. All the prisoners are weeping, and preparing for their deaths. But the showers turn on and instead of the toxic gas, it is water.

Yanek's Figurative Journey

Yanek is at his lowest point in the showers. He has no will to live, and he's forgotten what his Uncle Moshe had told him. "Go on! Go on, do it! I dare you! What are you waiting for? Kill me! I give up! You win!" Yanek shouts at the Nazi officers. (pg. 129) Once the water comes down on him, he is so joyful. The water is freezing but he doesn't care. He is so glad to be alive, he knows that he needs to keep fighting so he doesn't get torn from the pages of the world. Once he is out of the showers, his head gets shaved and he gets new prison clothes and shoes. Along with his clothes and shoes, he gets a tattoo. It reads "B-3087". Once he sees this, he feels like he doesn't have any more sense of individuality. He feels like nothing and he is treated like nothing by the Nazi officers.

Yanek travels to many different death camps but miraculously survives. He goes to Sachsenhausen, and Bergen-Belsen. While he is in these camps, it is complete chaos. The Nazis know that the Allies are coming, so now they are just playing around with the Jews. The Nazi soldiers made the Jews sing while they ate and had boxing matches, all while making the other Jews watch. Almost all of the Jews are awaiting liquidation. They are getting nervous. They need to get out of these camps, but they aren't sure if it will be easy.

When Yanek arrived at Bergen-Belsen, the camp leader told them to eat and rest in their barracks for a week. All of the prisoner's bodies were not used to the food and they all got horrible stomach cramps. Once Yanek and all the prisoners felt a little better, they had to return to work. While Yanek was working, a kapo called him over. He got beat for no reason by the man the Jews called "Moonface". Yanek soon found out that Moonface was a murderer before the war.

At Buchenwald, Yanek has to pull rocks up and down a steep hill. The couple that owns this camp are ruthless—killing many Jews for no reason. This camp has a zoo, and the animals get treated better than the prisoners. The families of the Nazis get to go to the zoo, and young children get to see these prisoners. Yanek is still fighting to survive in these camps. The memories of his family are what are keeping him going in these camps. He wants to survive for them and have a chance at a normal life away from all the war and death.

At Auschwitz, Yanek sees new prisoners arrive at the camp. None of them know what will happen, and he tries to help the family in front of him but they don't understand. Once he gets to the table to talk to Doctor Mengele, he lies about his age and job so he doesn't get sent to die. If the people running the camps don't think you're fit to work, you get sent to the gas chambers to be killed. Many women and young children get sent to be killed since the Nazis don't believe they can work.

Yanek went to ten concentration camps over 6 years. He says that none of the camps were better or worse than others. On page 215 he says, "As I worked, I told myself there would be another world after this one. A shining, beautiful future, where I didn't wear blue and gray stripes, where I ate three full meals a day, where I wouldn't work until I passed out. Where I could have friends again. Where I could have family again. Where I could laugh again. That world existed, I knew. I couldn't reach it now, not yet, but soon.". Yanek also has a dream, he is in a perfect, beautiful meadow, with green grass and a breathtaking sunset. But slowly a storm comes in and destroys everything around him. This storm represents the Germans coming to invade. In his dream, Yanek is trying his best to not get stuck in this hole that the Nazis are creating.

In chapter 29, the Allies come and rescue the Jews. Yanek is going through so many emotions. First, his day starts when he wakes up and sees no guards. All the prisoners are confused and think that once they come out the Nazis will ambush and kill them all. Once they see the Ally tank, some prisoners run and hide, but others, including Yanek, stay in the courtyard. The tank comes up to the courtyard and soldiers get out. A soldier approaches Yanek and tells him everything will be okay now. Yanek and so many prisoners break down in tears. They've been dreaming of this for six years, and it is finally coming true.

Yanek has finally found peace in Munich. He and so many other prisoners are not used to the hospitality that the Americans are giving them. Yanek asks one of the soldiers how many people he has to share the bunk with. The soldier seems shocked and says he doesn't have to share with anyone. Yanek is so happy that he finally lives somewhat normally. He is so happy that he has necessities, such as bedding, a toothbrush, and basic food. But he still feels like his life is not complete without his family.