Overview

The Boy Behind the Door is historical fiction inspired by the true story of Salomon Kool, a Dutch teenager who evaded the Nazi dragnet and survived the German occupation of the Netherlands from May 1940 to the end of WWII. Sal had just celebrated his Bar Mitzvah when the city of Amsterdam was invaded. After hiding behind the door of his bedroom as Nazis searched his house, he was soon on the run, terrified and never sure who he could trust or if he was safe. Sal survived the war through a combination of wit, guts, good luck, and the help of a few courageous Dutch Christians. But like millions of others, his parents and three siblings disappeared and later died in concentration camps before the Allies liberated the Netherlands. Sal had to grow up and adapt without a role model and had to learn to control his emotions in the midst of a turbulent and hazardous situation, full of life-and-death decisions. His story is a powerful and moving document of a period in world history we must never forget. It can be difficult to find Holocaust literature that will interest and enlighten young readers, especially boys, but The Boy Behind the Door is appealing and accessible to emerging adults of all reading levels.

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Reviews

David Tabatsky is a gifted storyteller. I was caught up in Salomon's life, and shared his fears and joy. I held my breath when the Nazis climbed those stairs, prayed they would not find him, experienced his loneliness with the loss of friends and family; so effective is David's narrative. The horror that man is capable of must be remembered. Seen from the eyes of a young boy growing into manhood, he could not believe such horror could exist. It did, and these elements still exist today. We must be on alert, and books like this serve as a reminder; and a warning. Highly recommended. - Nameer El-Kadi I love that David Tabatsky has written a book about these historic awful events in a way accessible to young readers. It is important to keep the discussion alive, so that people learn to develop compassion and understand the dangers of silence when atrocities are occurring. The main character is so earnest and the book is read through his eyes. I loved it and am grateful to David for writing this book. - Diver

Author Information

"David is a writer, editor, and performing artist, based in New York City. His memoir, American Misfit, was released in 2017. He is the co-author of several books about cancer, including Rx for Hope, Reimagining Women's Cancers and Reimagining Men's Cancers, The Cancer Book: 101 Stories of Courage, Support and Love and the author of Write for Life: Communicating Your Way Through Cancer. He coauthored The Intelligent Divorce, The Wright Choice: Your Family's Guide to Healthy Eating, Modern Fitness and Saving Money, and was consulting editor for Marlo Thomas and her New York Times bestseller The Right Words at the Right Time, Volume 2: Your Turn. David has performed as an actor, clown and juggler, at Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre and throughout the United States and Europe, most notably at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where THE STAGE wrote, ""He is a supremely skillful performer and fine actor, reaching levels no other comics have matched at this Fringe."""

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