The Teacher of Warsaw by Mario Escobar

Janusz Korczak was a remarkable and unselfish man and I truly wish I met and had gotten to know him in my own lifetime. He was in charge of an orphanage, Dom Sierot, in the Warsaw ghetto. He loved all his charges as if they were his own and never thought of leaving them when he was given more than one opportunity to leave the horrible life of the ghetto but stayed with his children up to the very end.

Some parts of the book where difficult to read but only because our current life is so far different from the life the Jewish people had to endure during that time in history. “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Winston Churchill
This is the third book I have read by Mario Escobar and I have found all three books inspiring.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Harper Muse for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This book was a hard book to get into, despite the fact that I normally find myself unable to put down such books. Despite the hard subject matter, I've always felt it's important to not forget what happened in the past, and even in the case of fictional stories, one can still get the feel of what horrible things happened throughout history. Being based on a real person, I thought this would be yet another one I couldn't put down.

Unfortunately, while it a decent book, I found myself at times forcing myself to get through it. The chapters seemed jarringly short at times and while I felt for the characters, I just couldn't ever bring myself to get drawn into them. At times during reading this, I wondered if the translation of the original book was the problem - things felt flat, which I've often found in other translated texts. From other reviews, I'm clearly in the minority, but I can't help but feel that there are so many stand outs that I've read (and I'm sure, have yet to read) that this one ranks fairly low on the list of "must reads" of the genre.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A beautifully written heartbreaking story full of hope, courage and love during a time of unimaginable horrors.
This is a must read for lovers of The Tattoist of Auschwitz! It is a book that I will be recommending to everyone as a must read.
The Teacher of Warsaw is a WWII historical fiction inspired by true events.
The story is based in Warsaw, starting in 1939. The children and teachers of Dom Sierot Jewish Orphanage are enjoying a beautiful day outside. This ordinary day suddenly becomes a day that will change their lives forever. Within hours, the Nazis invade. They are pushed from their beautiful orphange into The Ghetto, to live behind closed walls banished from the life they knew. Sixty-year-old Janusz Korzsak, the director of the orphanage, refuses to leave the children, for what reason is there to live other than through love of others. The story pushes through cold winters, disease, lack of food and the hardships entailed to ensure as many of these children survive and have a future.

The story is full of hope, courage, tears and frustration. It is beautifully written. At no point did I feel the story was dragging on, it was a perfect pace, always leaving me wanting to read on. The ending leaving you wishing you could continue the journey and know more. The events are not sugar coated and every heartbreak and horror is felt.
I truly recommend this as a must read; not just for the impassioned story but to feel and understand the heartbreak this world has gone through in it's past. I will most definitely be looking to read more of Mario Escobar's books in future.

This was good, but not great. He was an inspirational man, to be sure, but the plotting of the story felt slow and repetitive. I was told about his great connection the the children, but I didn’t feel it. It was humbling to read about this man and everything he gave up for the children and heartbreaking to know their end, but it didn’t feel as devastating as it truly was, if that makes sense.

For some reason lately I have been reading numerous books about the Warsaw ghetto, several of which referenced Janusz Korczak and his orphans. I have read Maerio Escobar's last novel "The Librarian of Saint-Malo", which is also based on true events and cried m es out. This story was no exception.
Janusz Korczak's story is a tragic yet beautiful one. It is the story of a man,m a trained medical doctor who devoted his life, his entire being to taking care of the neglected, the unwanted, unloved children of Warsaw Poland. Long before there was a Nazi invasion and occupation, Korczak started his infamous orphanage Dom Sierot, teaching his children, love, caring and a dignity which would uphold them until the very end. Korczak never gave up, always fighting for his children, finding ways to feed and care for them even in the most horrific of circumstances.
Though he was offered escape from the ghetto, from Poland, where he and his children were imprisoned along with the thousands of other Polish Jews, Dr. Korczak refused escape, he would not, could not abandon the children, he would not leave them alone, to be scared and unloved when they faced their fate. Instead Korczak along with his partner, Stefania, who was beside him and the children every step of the way, took that final walk through the ghetto with his beloved orphans, heads held high, all bearing a quiet dignity that no amount of evil could ever take from them.
What a tragic story, what a wonderful, caring, selfless man Janusz Korczak was. A revolutionary for children's rights, he is the reason for modern laws and rights for children. His courageous story is told here with beautiful, quiet dignity, his teachings shared and live on as they should.
Once again Mario Escobar's writing has made me cry, if you possess a heart, have tissues at the ready, this book needs to be read and felt by everyone!
Thank you to Harper Muse and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

a hopeful read that is emotionally raw and real - I could not put The Teacher of Warsaw down even for a moment!

I have always cried and feel down whenever I see how children are affected during wars. But now I get to read a book about the horific experiences the children had to face during the holocaust.The fears , the uncertainties , overwhelming mixed emotions , desperations and false hopes took me awhile to fully understand and digest what had happened. Knowing that these are based on true events, my heartaches even more as I read more. This books shows how desperate everyone was. Even the children. A lot of children lost their family and was left alone to die on the sidewalks. They were left helpless.

Told from Janusz Korczak’s (Doctor/Teacher) point of view , this book gave me new perpectives and views about how children were badly treated and tormented. As an ex military doctor and then the Director of an orphanage, Korczak stories can sometime be relateable. Love can make a person do anything for anyone. For Korczak, it was his love for the orphans. I knew how much he loved them when he said “More will die tonight. At least we can hold them as they go” It broke my heart. He had so much love but that is all he could give to the orphans. Not forgetting shelter and food.

When one is in despair and have lost hope, one would start thinking of “I should have…” That is the nature of a human. Regretting after things don’t go their way. Or even worst, when they are desperate. This book portrays a lot of this scenarios. It is sad to see people and children in this conditions. War is for no one. Not for aging adults and especially children no matter what their faith is.

Some excerpts :-

They were taking away the only noble, beautiful thing each of us has; our compassion and mercy. When anything goes, nothing is worth it anymore. (Page 117)

Fear is what makes hatred, and fear comes from not knowing people . (Page 161)

We can respond to life in two ways. We can complain as if the universe owed us something, and doubtless we have the right to; or we can be grateful. (Page 231)

The important thing isn’t the world around us but what we do with it (Page 244)

The way we see ourselves is the way everyone else will end up seeing us (Page 271)

I just reviewed The Teacher of Warsaw by Mario Escobar.

The characters are beautifully written and I came to love them within the first few pages and was rooting for them all the way to the end. At times I wanted to stop reading because I just wanted the experience to go on for longer.

The Teacher of Warsaw is both a heartwarming and gut wrenching read. Mario Escobar doesn't spare us the details of the horrors that went on inside the Warsaw Ghetto, but he shines a bright light on a man who lived out love and dignity in the midst of this horror. I had never heard of Janusz Korczak or Stefania Wilczyńska before reading this book. I hadn't heard of an orphanage called Dom Sierot. Those are not the stories we read in high school History, so I'm thankful to authors like Mario Escobar for taking the time to bring such inspiring stories to light. Now I want to read something by Korczak himself.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reflecting on history and what moves humans to behave the way we do.

With thanks to Mario Escobar, Harper Muse and Netgalley for the ARC.

Mario Escobar has written a very emotional account of Janusz Korczak during his time in the Warsaw ghetto. Korczak does all in his power to protect "his" children, refusing opportunities to escape himself. It's always difficult to read about this time in history and this is no exception. The brutalities of the Nazi treatment of Jews through the eyes of Korczak are devastating and emotional draining but how inspiring this one man's love and actions for the children in his orphanage. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This historical fiction novel is actually based on the true story of Dr. Janusz Korczak, an inspiring and well respected man who devoted his life to education and children. He also founded an orphanage for Jewish children in Poland and the story revolves around this orphanage right before the Nazi invasion. He is truly dedicated to the orphans and does everything in his power to save them even when the orphanage is forced to move to the Warsaw ghetto.
I was excited to get an advanced copy of this book as it had received so many 5 star reviews. I found it to be powerful, awe-inspiring and heart-rending. However, I also found this book difficult to read - not so much because of the subject matter but because of the writing style of the author. The author included many of the actual teachings of Dr. Korczak, which were important but I found myself skimming over them at times because they were too wordy and somewhat rambling in nature. While I ended up learning much about this incredible man and admiring him for all that he did for the orphans, staying with them til the very end, I found this book to be written in an extremely dark and depressing style.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read many many novels about WWII but The Teacher of Warsaw was truly a wonderful and unique story. This historical fiction novel by Mario Escobar is based on the true life story of Janusz Korczak. Korczak dedicated his life to protecting and educating children. He was operating an orphanage in Poland when the Jews of Warsaw were forced to relocate in side the gates of the Ghetto. There , he continued to run the orphanage as best he could with the limited supply that were available. Korczak continued to love, teach, and protect the children until the very end.

This is the first WWII novel I have read that focused on the children/orphans in the Warsaw Ghetto. Such terrible things were happening to the Jews in the ghetto but when you consider these small tragic children, it is so much more devastating. A quote from the book said, “While we work ourselves silly giving children things or teaching them math, the only thing children actually need to be happy is to feel love.” Korczak tried to make sure every child in his care felt loved.

If you are a fan of historical fiction and WWII novels, this is a must read. This beautifully written touching story is one you don't want to miss.

Unforgettable, devastating, harrowing.
The Teacher of Warsaw follows the story of Janusz Korczak, a teacher and author who follows his orphanage to the ghetto and beyond. I love books that educate me on the holocaust and despite already knowing this story and it’s I couldn’t put it down!
This was easily a 5 star read for me!

Janusz Korczak, a Jew from Poland who set up Dom Sierot, an orphanage in Warsaw, has always made children a priority. When the Nazis invade, his priorities are put to the test. Author Mario Escobar pulls back the curtain on the Warsaw Ghetto and allows us to see the overcrowding, disease, starvation, and political tension that prompted the Warsaw uprising. Writing in first person, Escobar ensures that his readers are part of the setting and, as a result, instantly affected by the events. As adults, we the readers and those in the ghetto, know what’s going on, but Korczak refuses to allow it to predominate the children’s thoughts. Putting their needs first and at the risk of his own life, he courageously becomes “the richest man in Warsaw.”

Escobar doesn’t whitewash the brutality of the Holocaust. Be forewarned. His focus is on the good that existed in the midst of the atrocity and the delicate and precarious balance that needed to be achieved in keeping evil at bay. I loved the thought that Korczak was forming his own tiny army of love and bravely preparing them to march towards the future. What a beautiful image to hold on to after reading about such horrors. Anxiously captivated for the entirety, I closed this book, thankful for those in my profession who continue to put the needs of children first and in awe of those who displayed optimism and resiliency during one of history’s darkest times.

Never stop loving. It’s a liferaft in difficult times.

I was gifted this advance copy by Mario Escobar, Harper Muse, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

What a truly heartbreaking, gut wrenching tale of one man's fight whiles living in the ghettos during ww2.
I had to take several breaks from this book due to some of the most extremely graphic scenes that I have ever read. Having already read many books on ww2 I thought that I had read the worst but this book really proves just how wrong I am.
Learning about Janusz Korczak life and what he endured during the war to protect those who he loved and cared for in his orphanage is truly amazing, heartbreaking and shows a whole new level of courage expecially when he refuses to flee from the ghettos because he just couldn't leave the children behind.
Because of the way the teaching were told and the variety of subject i did find the book a little hard to follow at times.
I can't wait to read more by this author!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This historical fiction portrays the life of Janusz Korczak based on his journal and accounts of people who knew him and knew of him in Warsaw, Poland. The individual interactions and some of the characters are fictionalized for the sake of the story; however most of the characters in the book are based on real people. Dr. Korczak was the director of an orphanage in the Warsaw ghetto as well as a well respected author and educator across Poland.
As a teacher, I always tell the story of Dr. Korczak during my Holocaust unit of study, so I was absolutely thrilled to read this book and I devoured it! Even though I knew the ending (and still cried like a baby when it happened), this book had me captivated from beginning to end. The writing is so good and really shows the impact of the ghetto on everyone while showing the inner political workings of the ghetto too. I fell in love with the children and was reminded of why I share this story every year with my own students. It needs to be told!

Teacher of Warsaw is an exceptionally informational novel of the Nazi and German invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War Two and the persecution of the Jewish people. It especially highlights the dire situation of the orphanages during that time and the work of the Teacher who is responsible for protecting and saving many lives during those years. It is a very moving book although fiction based on the life of a true saint.

This wasn’t my favorite book by this author. I had a difficult time getting into the story. Thank you to NetGalley for the early read.

A story that will transport you back to Warsaw Ghettos during WWII and remind you of the horrors that occurred within those closed off neighborhoods. Shining through the horrors of events one man refused to give up hope and love for the sake of his orphans. A historical fiction that will claim your heart from the very beginning and leave you with the knowledge of how powerful love and hope truly are. One person can change the world and make a difference!

This book gives us the privilege of walking with a special man, a doctor and teacher of young children who was born and lived in Poland. “The Teacher of Warsaw” is based on the the life of Janusz Korczak We meet up with this kindly older gentleman as he plays with the children of the orphanage he runs, on September 1, 1939.

All too soon, Dr. Korczak, and the children and staff of his orphanage must leave their beautiful grounds and move to a squalid building in the Ghetto of Warsaw. This book is well-written in the first person, and thus we feel like we are walking with Dr, Korczak in the Ghetto as he tries to find food for “his children” or seeks ways for his children to escape. Life was brutal and horrible.

Or was it? For many of the hundreds of thousands trapped in the Ghetto, it was indeed a horrific time. But what if you lived with Dr. Korczak, who had the power of love on his side? His love for the children, and his faith, gave everyone a new viewpoint. He did everything he could to make them feel loved and safe. He had lost everything but the ability to love and be loved. And that was enough. “He was “the richest man in Warsaw”. He made sure that they all found joy in whatever time they had left.

“The Teacher of Warsaw” by Mario Escobar is a sad and difficult story. We feel the hatred of the Nazis and the never-ending love of Dr. Korczak. There is no happy ending except that Dr. Korczak never stopped loving.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.