'The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas' By John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a gripping book by John Boyne. The story is told by nine year old Bruno,who is unhappy about moving away from his home and friends in Berlin because of his father’s new job.

Bruno is bored one day and decides to explore the huge camp surrounded by a tall wire fence. Bruno has been looking at the camp for months now from his bedroom window. It is there that Bruno meets Shmuel,a young boy around Bruno's age. Shmuel wears striped pyjamas like all the other people in the camp.

The boys’ friendship develops and they continue speaking to each other everyday. The fence around the camp separates them. Bruno questions a lot of things that separates him and Shmuel but he easily brushes them off. You see Bruno is young and knows nothing of concentration camps. He is innocent to the terrible cruelties going on in Shmuel's camp.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a fantastic book that explores the close friendship between Bruno and Shmuel. They are the best of friends even though they are from two different worlds.

I would highly recommend this book but be warned there is a tragic ending. However, I do not think any other ending would have given the book justice.

By Rebecca Carey