After the War

by Tom Palmer

What the Book Is About

After the War tells the story of three boys, Yossi, Leo, and Mordecai, who survived the Holocaust and were rescued from Auschwitz, one of the worst places anyone could be during the war. In 1945 they are brought to England with a group of other children to find a place of safety and peace where they can hopefully begin to recover. They arrive with almost nothing: no family, no home, and memories that still hurt. The book follows them as they try to feel safe again, make friends, and figure out what normal life even means after everything they went through.

It is not a scary book, but it is emotional. The boys remember things from the war, and sometimes those memories come back suddenly. There are also hopeful parts like football games, new friendships, and moments where they finally feel like kids again.

Who This Book Is For

I think this book works best for ages 10 to 14. It is short, easy to read, and written in a way that makes sense even if you do not know a lot about WWII. Kids who like history will understand it quickly, but even kids who do not usually read war stories can follow it.

There are sad parts, but nothing graphic. It is more about feelings like fear, hope, friendship, and starting over.

What I Thought

My favourite part was when the boys got to eat breakfast for the first time in England. They rushed into the dining hall and tried to sit in the best spots so they could get food first before it ran out. They did not know there would be enough for everyone, so when they saw soft white bread, they actually thought it was cake. They grabbed food as fast as they could and even pocketed jars of jam to save for later, just in case this was their only meal for days. It was funny picturing them scrambling for seats and stuffing bread and jam into their pockets, but it also showed how much starving had changed the way they thought. It made me realize how different life was for them and how long it takes to feel safe again.

Final Thoughts

If you like history or stories about friendship, you will probably like After the War. It is short, powerful, and makes you think about what life was like for kids after WWII. It shows that even after terrible things, people can still be kind, brave, and hopeful.

Book Review by a Junior Company Reader, age 14

Parent Note: Why After the War Is on Our Reading List

After the War, by Tom Palmer, is included in our Junior Company reading list because it offers young readers a gentle, accessible way to understand what life was like for children in the aftermath of the Second World War. The book follows three Jewish boys who arrive in England in 1945 after surviving the Holocaust. Through their friendships, fears, and small moments of hope, students see history not as dates and battles, but as the lived experience of real children.

We chose this book for three reasons:

• Age‑appropriate insight into history Palmer writes with clarity and care, making complex events understandable for readers aged 10–14. The book avoids graphic detail while still being honest about the boys’ memories and emotions.
• A focus on resilience and rebuilding Although the boys carry trauma, the story centres on healing, football games, new friendships, and the slow return of normal life. It helps students see that history includes not only suffering, but also courage, kindness, and recovery.
• Supporting thoughtful conversations Many families in our community have personal or ancestral connections to WWII, whether through military service, immigration, or cultural history. This book opens space for gentle, age‑appropriate discussion about responsibility, remembrance, and empathy.

Our goal is not to burden children with the weight of the past, but to help them understand how young people lived through it and how communities helped them rebuild. After the War encourages compassion, curiosity, and a deeper appreciation for the human stories behind the history we study.