114 pages • 3 hours read
Jerry SpinelliMilkweed
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2003A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli follows a young, unnamed orphan boy in Warsaw, Poland, during the Holocaust, who is taken in by a group of orphans led by Uri. Uri renames him Misha Pilsudski and they witness the Nazi invasion. Misha befriends a Jewish girl, Janina, and they struggle to survive as the situation in the ghetto deteriorates. Sensitive topics include the traumatic experiences of the Holocaust.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli is praised for its poignant portrayal of World War II through the eyes of an orphaned boy. Readers commend the novel for its emotional depth and vivid historical setting. However, some critics find the narrative occasionally simplistic and the protagonist's perspective inconsistent. Overall, it is seen as a powerful, accessible introduction to the Holocaust for younger audiences.
Who Should Read Milkweed?
Readers who would enjoy Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli are typically young adults with an interest in historical fiction and coming-of-age stories set during World War II. Fans of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne or Number the Stars by Lois Lowry would find a similar emotional and narrative depth in Spinelli's work.
RecommendedReading Age
10-14yearsLexile Level
510LBook Details
Historical Fiction
Children's Literature
Education
Education
Military / War
History: World
WWII / World War II