Thank you, Netgalley, for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

This is a wonderful nonfiction graphic novel for children! This is not your typical story about Jewish refugees during the Holocaust/WWII. This story shows you a different kind of refugee, one family who lived because they made it to Camp Gibraltar in Jamaica. To be honest, I had never heard of Camp Gibraltar before, but this book peaked my interest, so I will definitely try to learn more about that. And I think that is what this book is all about ... it shows human fate, but also makes you want to know more.

We love reading true stories and this book was so interesting and we really enjoyed learning this part of history!

There are many subjects related to the Holocaust and World War II that are not heavily discussed and this book hits two of them in one go. The internment camps in Jamaica as a stop gap for fleeing Europe is a new area that I was unfamiliar with, especially in children's literature. Additionally, the discussion of Vichy and occupied France is one that does not often occur in children's literature. I've seen it often enough in adult fiction and nonfiction, but the French cooperation with the Nazis is hardly ever covered in children's books.

I think this graphic novel provided enough narrative to read like fiction while still remaining true to its nonfiction core story. I also liked the story nesting inside the story aspect. We see young Maurice through his son's eyes, but we also see his grandfather through his father's eyes. It shows a type of reverence and love that really shines throughout the book.

I love it when a book both surprises and informs me, and Maurice and His Dictionary did just that. Reading this in one quick sitting, I was surprised to learn about the transportation of Jewish refugees to Jamaica, as well as Canada's shameful period of denying entry to Jewish refugees. Overall, I loved this short graphic novel and especially appreciated the gradual shift in colour scheme from fairly dark and monochromatic to light and colourful. This is a powerful story of perseverance and a lovely tribute to a father from his son. Thank you, Cary Fagan, for sharing your family's story.

Teaching Themes: World War II, Immigration, Internment Camps, Perseverance, Family, Education, Following Your Dreams

This was a great book to read to my children. My boys are 7 and 9 and they were able to appreciate the message in this book. In this graphic novel Maurice, and his family as they flee their home in Belgium during the Second World War.. My children know that this war was a bad one. This based on a true story shows what actual people went through. This book is well researched and I felt that my boys were able to get a history lesson in it as well.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, all thoughts are my own.

Reading about the 1930s and the 1940s has always been something that I enjoy. I have read many stories that took place in Europe during this time period. But this was something I have never read about before. I want to read more about what was going on outside of Europe during the 30s and 40s.
I wanted to pick this up because I like anything that in about this time period or anything about words/dictionaries/libraries.
This will definitely be a good story for children to read. It's educational and it shows them that even in the most difficult of situations, you can make something of yourself if you are willing to go for it.

Maurice and His Dictionary tells the story of Maurice, a Jewish boy escaping persecution from Belgium during the second World War. The illustrations are very well done and made it easy to follow. This book would be a great addition to any classroom library. Understanding history and providing texts to develop deep conversations around sensitive topics. Maurice's love of learning is contagious and I loved that Cary wrote the graphic novel through the lens of his father's escape from Nazi's. Maurice and His Dictionary is a story of resilience and hits home the idea of knowledge is power. I would read it again in a heartbeat!

A moving and heart-wrenching biographical story about teenage Maurice, who, in the early 1940s, must leave his home and everything he knows to find safety with his family before he’s rounded up by the Nazi’s for being Jewish.

The fear and anxiety about the Nazi’s is present in the story, but it’s Maurice’s studiousness and love of learning and love for his family that kept me reading. I love how he simply wanted to learn and to finish school in order to achieve his goals. His parents and siblings all care so deeply for each other and push him to be the best he can be and to do what he can to achieve his goals even amidst a war and such terrible struggles.

The artwork is lovely and I love the muted and yet somehow vibrant colors. I like how more grays are used in fake times and more yellows are used in happier times. I love how the characters and the places they go are illustrated — the shading and colors and cute rosy cheeks are wonderful.

I love that this story is written by a son telling the story of his father. It adds an extra level of heart and soul and warmth to it. A lovely read!

"Maurice and His Dictionary", by Cary Fagan is a short children's graphic novel inspired by the real life escape of Maurice, the author's father, and his family from Belgium to Jamaica, and later Canada, during World War II. Maurice and his family are Jewish, so when the war arrives in Belgium they need to escape the Nazi army in order to escape being taken to the concentration camps. They manage to board a ship headed to Jamaica, where they start building a new life at the Gibraltar Refugee Camp.

I really enjoyed the story and the illustrations, and what I felt set this story apart from other similar survival stories was Maurice's passion for his future and his education. Despite running for his life, Maurice is concerned about missing school. He dreams of becoming a lawyer, and takes the horrifying acts that occur around him during the war to fuel his passion for law and becoming a lawyer to ensure equality and fairness for all. His family and community is also very supportive of his dreams and aid him the best they can along his path.

This would make a great read for children in upper elementary and older, and would also be a great conversation starter about refugees, and displacement. Maurice's resilience could inspire children and young adults from around the world, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, to never give up on their dreams and always work hard to make them come true. Thank you NetGalley and Owlkids for the opportunity to read this graphic novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received an electronic ARC from OwlKids Books through NetGalley.
Fagan tells his father's story of fleeing from the Nazis. His family began their journey in Belgium and fled to several countries before ending up in a camp in Jamaica. Maurice studied hard and was determined to become a lawyer. Readers see his determination as he sought out teachers and tutors. Though fluent in French and Yiddish, he needed to speak and understand English to move forward. The dictionary he purchased allowed him to continue his education and be accepted by a university in Canada.
Touching moments throughout as Fagan shares his family history. His father, two siblings and his grandparents were able to stay together and survive because his grandfather planned their escape and was resourceful. They survived difficult situations and supported each other.
The illustrations show the despair and joy that surrounded them.

This is a individual, poignant story during terrible historical event. It is a time where Canadians and Americans turned away Jewish people in need, and while the story is not centred on this point, it is covered enough to spark important discussion in the classroom. I look forward to sharing this with my students.

What an amazing story about the author's father's family, fleeing the Nazi's multiple times until ending up in Jamaica. So much research went into this story, and it ends with some photos, including one of the MC's beloved dictionary. I learned things about the war that I didn't know before.

Well written with the perfect illustrations, this book is a must for all classrooms. Without showing the violence of WWII, the story keeps us on the edge of our seats hoping that Maurice's family gets away to safety.

Review will post to blog on Oct 11/20.

Maurice and His Dictionary is a wonderful true story of a boy who worked around so many roadblocks to get his education. Maurice fled Europe during WWII and ended up in an internment camp where he couldn't finish high school. He managed to get tutors from all over the camp and studied to get into a local school and take a test to finally get his diploma. He then pursued University in Canada at the age of 16.

I really liked the perseverance of Maurice and his family as well as the fact that this was a true story. I do wish the ending was a little more resolved so that it was just a bit longer and we could find out what happened to Maurice in the later years of his life. The author's note provides a little of this and the real history behind this story, but it still doesn't feel totally wrapped up like it should.

Would recommend to lovers of history, fans of graphic novels and students in grades 3-6.

A great graphic novel set during World War 2 about what a boy must do to survive and get an education when most countries were closed to Jews.

Maurice and His Dictionary is an inspiring look at the journey from Belgium during WWII to, eventually, Canada by Jewish refugees. This text is based on the author's family history and shows the little examined history of those who made it out of Europe but were still prisoners of racism and unaccepted by potential host countries. I loved learning about the Jamaican experience which I haven't read much of and the determination of Maurice to achieve his dream, no matter what obstacles the world put in his path.

This graphic novel, chronicling the author's father's experiences as a refugee who ends up in Jamaica during WWII, is outstanding. The part of history that is revealed is obscure and fascinating. The text is entertaining narrative and the illustrations compliment the overall story arc nicely. The end pages provide enough detail and photographs to complete the story for a reader. It's a wonderful tribute of the author to his father that will also illuminate the life of Jews in a Jamaican internment camp (something that I was not previously aware existed). I was impressed with all aspects of the book, and I will certainly be adding it to my school's collection. Brilliant!

I’d recommend this book to anyone, Jewish or not. It’s an amazing (true) story of a boy dreaming of being a lawyer and the lengths he went to during the Holocaust to make the dream a reality. The artwork is also incredible. It’s a really amazing piece of history, with events I wasn’t aware of. Highly recommend reading this and especially recommending it to younger students.

This is a wonderful graphic novel depicting the story of Maurice, a refugee, overcoming great odds to continue his education and reach his personal goals. The colors use is more subtle in its abundance of earthy tones until moments of extra hope in which there is a more vibrant blues, reinforcing the great emotion within the story. It was also well-researched and created with love by Maurice's son, and the final product shows.

A new angle on the well-trodden WWII Jewish refugee tale. Given the title, I thought they would play up the significance of the dictionary a bit more, but overall a good story. Art went well with the narrative.
3.5

I requested and received an e-ARC of this book from Cary Fagan and Owlkids Books through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a fantastic story about Maurice Fajgenbaum and the journey he took with his family to escape the Nazis during World War II. The journey took them across the world and throughout it all Maurice never wanted to stop learning. I love that Cary still has Maurice’s dictionary; you can feel the love Cary has for his father throughout this book.