A powerful glimpse into life inside the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII. Escobar’s writing of Korczak—a devoted teacher and pediatrician—is heartfelt and dignified, capturing his unwavering commitment to the children in his care. The narrative is emotionally rich and researched. It’s a poignant tribute to courage, compassion, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harpermusebooks for the review copy of The Teacher of Warsaw by Mario Escobar.
If you could undo the death of a fictional character who would that character be?

In 1939, Janusz Korczak is sixty years old and is a well-known author and children’s advocate in Warsaw, Poland. He runs a large Jewish orphanage and is a widely respected man. As the Germans take over, Korczak tries his best to keep his children fed, but will he be able to keep them safe through the war?

My thoughts on this novel:
• This was my second Mario Escobar read in June and it was another heartfelt historical fiction novel set during WWII. I really enjoyed both books and I am ready to read more.

• Korczak was a great man and was so compassionate. He had many times when he could have escaped and saved himself, but he stayed to help the children. Much of the book was him trying to find any way that he could to survive and help the kids to thrive in desperate times.

• The story is primarily told through a journal that is said to have been found that Korczak had kept. This part of the story was put together using a short real diary that Korczak did keep in 1942 along with other facts from that time.

• The description of the Ghetto was horrifying as people starved and turned desperate.

• The ending of this story is seared into my mind.

• The end of the novel has great historical information about the real Janusz Korczak as well as references, and discussion questions. This would make a great book club read.

Favorite Quotes:
“The Teacher of Warsaw is much more than a story about the life of Janusz Korczak and his orphanage. It is the memory of those who, at the some of the world’s darkest moments, when evil’s grip on Europe seemed eternal, fought to turn the hellish Warsaw ghetto into a dignified, inhabitable place.” – from the author’s note

“Everything happens for a reason. Even the greatest misfortunes can become the sweetest blessings.”

“The best lesson we can ever teach is to show love to those around us without expecting anything in return.”

“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.”

“How is the value of a human life to be measured? Did culture or status make one person more valuable than a beggar child or an illiterate woman?”

Overall, The Teacher of Warsaw by Mario Escobar is a historical fiction WWII story that I will not forget. Janusz Korczak lived during some of the darkest times in history in the Warsaw Ghetto, but he kept his humanity and compassion and was with his orphans until the very end. If you love WWII historical fiction, you must read this novel.

A novelization of the true story of Janusz Korczak, a doctor and teacher who ran an orphanage in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation in WWII. This is a sometimes difficult story to read. The story is based on Korczak's own diary of life in the Warsaw ghetto and the brutality of Nazi treatment of the Jews. Filled with Korczak's philosophy and stories, it is also an uplifting story of courage and resilience and love and faith. Unfortunately, sometimes the narrative lingers too long on those philosophical musings and teachings. When that happens, the narrative drags. Although fascinating for those who enjoy philosophy and religion as a discussion topic, I'm sure others will find it tedious and boring. Otherwise, the personal stories of Korczak and the others around him -- the other teachers, the children, the members of the Resistance, and even the Nazis -- are intriguing and emotionally captivating. This is NOT an easy book to read -- it is heartbreaking and made me so angry at times. It is an important story to tell. I just hope it doesn't get lost in the plethora of books set in WWII.

An important book on the power of one man’s ability to continue to care and support others when the world is coming down all around him. This story and the authors other works remind us all that this capacity exists and heroes exist.

Real life Holocaust heroes. I love reading books about these heroes or based on these heroes. This teacher is definitely inspiring as were those who helped him. And drawing attention to the most innocent of the Holocaust, the children. With everything going on now, it brings so much more emotion to these reads.
I have read this author before and am definitely a fan of the stories and writing.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Yet another gripping piece of historical fiction by this author. Set in Warsaw during Nazi occupation and an extremely unstable period for the Jewish community. Our protagonist Dr Korczak, the director of a home for orphaned children endeavours to provide a place of safety, security and shelter whilst keeping the horrors of the war away from their walls. Despite their move to the ghetto he continues his fight against their aggressors and refuses to give in. Based on a true story, Escobar’s research is meticulous and brings the story to life.

Thanks to Netgalley for an arc in return for an honest review.

Thank you for the ARC. This is a wonderful book, sad in parts. Never knew about him. Almost similar to Schindler’s list. Good read!

Loved this book. This is a Page turner. keeps you on edge. definitely recommend. Will look into other books by this author.

Plot:
* in the vein of The Warsaw Orphan and The Tattooist of Auschwitz
* WWII historical fiction
* inspired by real-life events and hero of the Holocaust
* a story of bravery, hope, and love

My Thoughts:
This was such a powerful and memorable historical fiction read. Escobar's writing is stunning here as he crafted such a gripping read that had my interest piqued from start to finish. The author well-illuminated this part of history through the story and characters, and there was so much that I personally learned here. Moving, emotional, and chock full of inspiration amongst immense difficulty, this is a book that sits with you for time to come. I am so glad to have picked this one up!

Many thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the gifted e-copy!

It feels mean to rate such a sad story so low, especially since it's based on a true story, but I didn't feel this was very well-done. There were a few spelling errors, and overall the pacing and tone was odd. It constantly went into philosophical musings, which took me out of the story.

Unbelievable book! I am a big fan of Escobar, and I appreciate the way he writes such gripping historical fiction books. I know his books are so important, as he presents aspects of history we must learn from and never forget. This story was unbelievably moving, and in typical Escobar fashion, I was underlining so many of his memorable quotes. Thank you for the opportunity to read and to review this!

Teacher of Warsaw is a fictional story inspired by the true life story of Janusz Korczak, a generous and courageous man who was admired and loved for his selflessness and devotion to the children he cared for and housed in his Warsaw orphanage that was relocated to the Warsaw ghetto during the German occupation. While Korczak was offered sanctuary by the Polish underground on numerous occasions, he would not abandon his children, relying on help from many brave citizens, including Irene Sendler. In 1942, Korczak was led from the ghetto with more than 190 orphans and serval staff, head held high and leading them in story and song, to the trains that took them to the extermination camps of Treblinka.

Like most books from this time period, this was a difficult read as the author doesn’t gloss over the horrific details of the life within the boundaries of the ghetto walls, but there was also beauty between the pages in the form of courage, hope, bravery, compassion and love. An Incredibly difficult yet I inspiring read of ordinary people doing extraordinary things during one of the most horrifically difficult of times. This one will stay with me for a very long time.

A hearty thank you to Harper Muse Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this story. This is my honest review and the opinion expressed here is my own.

I love historical fiction books and especially those that occur during WWII. The teacher of Warsaw, Janusz Korczak, was an extraordinary man. The horrors that the children in Korczak’s care had to experience will break your heart. Korczak’s dedication and willingness to care for the children was admirable. This was a little different view of WWII. While there were allusions about concentration camps and the violence the Jewish people endured, the focus of this book spoke more to the lengths decent human beings would go to make a difference in the lives of children.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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A beautiful, touching story that stands out among the many books on the subject of World War II that I have read so far.
Beautifully written, informative, full of interesting historical facts and tragic human stories that are so easy to identify with.
Strong characters and excellent constuction of the plot. Definitely recommended.

Janusz Korczak runs a Jewish orphanage in Warsaw as WWII breaks out. Janusz has lived through two wars already and he will do everything he can to protect his children. He moves the orphanage into the Warsaw ghetto and works even channel he can to get the children the food and supplies they need. But the conditions are worsening and the number of orphans is growing. Janusz is determined to get as many children as possible to safety and to fiercely love the ones he has in his care.

This book broke my heart over and over. Janusz's love for the orphans and his willingness to do anything, while knowing how this story ends, was so emotional. This story is beautifully written. After reading the synopsis, you should be aware of how heavy this book is, but I also loved how Janusz tried to find light moments with the kids and put on plays for the community. He was a true hero to those children when they had no one else to fight for them.

Escobar based his book on a real person, a beloved teacher who worked tirelessly to protect his orphans in Warsaw, Poland. As the Germans increased their efforts to rid Poland of its Jews, vast numbers of orphans were in desperate need of care. Janusz Korczak was in his 60’s at the start of the war and during the war he did everything in his power to get food and provisions for his children. He was highly respected in the community and he used every possible connection to beg for money, food, clothing, medicine and goods for the growing number of orphans.

This is a story of a real hero who put the needs of children before his own. He never gave up or let the children down. Escobar reveals the story of Janusz, a simple man who loved the children in his care and who forfeited his own well-being to be the best teacher and provider he could. The story is very interesting and admirably depicts this selfless man, but the characters deserved a little more depth. Readers may also crave more emotion, given the nature of these highly charged times.

What a wonderful and tragic book! It’s based on true facts about the Jewish Ghettos of WWII and what happened inside there. It is a tough read but one I would recommend that everyone should read! Thank you Mario for writing this great book!

A powerful tale, rich in historical detail.
Many thanks to Harper Muse and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I was hoping it would grab me from the beginning but it didn’t

Janusz’s story is so beautiful and inspiring. However, this just isn’t my style of book. It was written very much as Janusz’s inner monologue, without much plot. He would mention that something had happened, like that many of the orphans had died from disease, but it wouldn’t be explained as part of the story. I also thought there could’ve been more character development where we learned more about the children, their tutors, and the people who helped Janusz. Again, this is a beautiful, tragic story but it was not my favorite historical fiction read.