Rose Blanche

Gallaz, C. & Innocenti, R. (1985). Rose blanche. Mankato, MN: Creative

Rose Blanche is a picture book about a young girl that lived in Germany. Everyday she watched the soldiers drive their truck and tanks through their town. She would watch and listen she always wondered where they were going. She say a young boy try to run away when the truck stopped in the middle of town one time. The young boy was stopped by the towns mayor. Rose was so curious she followed the boy far down the road. When she finally walked through the woods she say a camp full of sad hungry children. Everyday after that she took food from her home to the camp for the children. People in her town were leaving. One day things got really bad in her small town she went to the camp and saw nothing it was all gone with soldiers standing there. New soldiers ones she had never seen before.  Read Rose Blanche to discover what happens to Rose on that sad day in Germany.

Throughout this book there are many descriptive words that would paint a picture in your head if there were no pictures on the page. The environment, weather, clothes, shoes, trucks were all described so well it was as if you were in the book with Rose. This book has bright vibrant illustrations with lines that show details.

This book is considered a picture book because of the very descriptive pictures but I feel like it is so descriptive that it could be a book with no pictures and students could still have a picture in their minds of what the author was saying.

The main character in this book is Rose she is a young curious girl that tries to help others that are in need. There are a few more minor characters in this book but are not described in great detail like Rose.

This book could be used in conjunction with an Holocaust unit. The unit that I have attached gives an opportunity for students to compare two books about the Holocaust and determine how they are alike and different. To view the lesson plan go to amhist.ist.unomaha.edu/countDownload.php

While reading this book in class students could relate to it because they would know how the little girl felt if she didn't know where people were being taken. They could also relate by thinking about a time in their lives when they had been very scared and gone to places they shouldn't have but in the long run it was worth it.

Rose Blanche is on a third grade reading level but I think it could be used up into middle school because of the seriousness of the content and the topics it covers.

Questions to Ponder..............

- If others in your town were being taken away would you want to know why? Do you think you would follow them?

- Would you risk your own life to take food to others who were in need?

- Do you think you would try to stop someone who was taking people from your community? If so how would you do it?

- After reading this book how do you feel about the war in Germany?