Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne, a powerful and memorable story that tells of two boys who encounter the best and worst of humanity, at the time of the Holocaust. It is Berlin, 1942, and Bruno returns home form school to find his belongings packed in a crate. His father has received a promotion and the family must move far away. His new home is boring, with no one to play with, and nothing to do. There is a tall fence that stretches as far as his eyes can see, cutting him off from the strange people in the distance. When Bruno decides to explore this new environment, he meets another boy_a boy in striped pajamas who's life and circumstances are very different from his own. Their meeting brings friendship, but eventually leads to devastating consequences. Paperback 224 pages. Ages 12 to 17 years old.