"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.

If this wasn't the story of the author's family, this family would seem almost too lucky to be real (if you can call their story of survival lucky, considering their hardships).  Managing to escape and stay out away from the Nazis to safely arrive in Jamaica seems almost miraculous.  However, once there, they are still restricted to an internment camp.  I think the internment camps like the one in Jamaica have been glossed over by history and more stories about them need to be told.

This sensitively told graphic novel memoir of one Jewish family's journey to safety during the Holocaust  is an excellent  resource for children ages 10 through 14.  A good starting point for discussion and further exploration of this important topic, especially during our time of refugee crisis.  I recommend it to be shared with an adult to allow for meaningful conversation.

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.

A great introduction to the Holocaust, this picture book portrays a young man  who not only survived, but with hope and persistence managed to continue his education and eventually go on to become a lawyer. It will also resonate with recent immigrants, as well.

As a member of the NBGS Selection Committee, I am unable to offer feedback at this time.This book is under consideration for the list.

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

Maurice and His Dictionary is a sweet retelling of the author’s father’s life. Maurice and his family are a Jewish family forced to flee Brussels in the midst of German invasions; they find their way to Jamaica, where they are able to be free - after a fashion. They are housed in the Gibraltar Internment Camp, where they are free from Germany, but cannot make or sell things, work, or leave without permission. There is no school, so Maurice, who dreams of becoming a lawyer, takes things into his own hands. He gets his hands on an English language dictionary and studies to fulfill his dream of being a lawyer. 

The illustrations are beautiful and organized well. The way the color pallets switch depending on where the family is (Brussels, France, the ocean, Jamaica, a memory) is a nice visual cue for the reader. The author’s information about his father, as well as the photos of his father’s family - and the dictionary - are an excellent finishing touch to the book; these help connect the reader with the character of Maurice and his family. 

This is a quick, excellent read for anyone looking to add to their World War II/Holocaust collection or graphic novel collection. 

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

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.

Maurice and His Dictionary is a wonderful of story of a family as they flee the Nazi's and live in an Internment Camp in Jamaica. I say wonderful because Maurice works so hard to follow his dreams even during what was a very chaotic time his his childhood. Enjoy a beautifully drawn book of triumph and family with Maurice and His Dictionary.

Maurice and His Dictionary is a short, but extremely moving and important, middle-grade graphic novel biography. It tells the true story of the author's father and how he (Maurice) and his family found themselves in a Jamaican refugee camp during World War II. The beautiful illustrations and meaningful storyline will perfectly enthrall and educate 4th graders and beyond.

his was a short and beautifully crafted graphic novel that I would read a sequel of in a heartbeat. It follows Maurice and his family as they flee from 1940’s Belgium. We follow the family through several different countries and on Maurice’s journey to finish his education. Maurice wants to make a better world for people and education is the main stepping stone for him to achieve his goals, so he seeks help from the educated village members who guide him. 

The art, coloring, and lettering were all fantastic and the characters and plot were interesting to follow. The only thing that I was disappointed by was that it ended so suddenly. I honestly could have read 50 more pages of Maurice’s story, so I hope we get more!


*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*