Religious Persecution, Genocide & War Injustice Books
These books explore the experiences of people and communities who have faced religious persecution, genocide, war, displacement, violence, and the loss of their homes and loved ones. Through fiction and nonfiction, these stories bear witness to unimaginable suffering while giving voice to those who endured, resisted, survived, and fought for peace, justice, and human dignity.
Elementary
The Cat Man of Aleppo
By Irene Latham & Karim Shamsi-Basha
The Cat Man of Aleppo tells the true story of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, a man who remained in the war-torn city of Aleppo, Syria, and began caring for abandoned cats. As the conflict intensified and many people fled their homes, Alaa created a sanctuary where hundreds of cats could find food, shelter, and care. The story highlights compassion and humanity in the midst of war and shows how one person can bring hope to a community experiencing unimaginable hardship.
Recommended for grades 1-4
Why It Bears Witness: The Cat Man of Aleppo bears witness to the devastation of war and its impact on people, families, communities, and animals. Through Alaa's compassion, the book also shows how acts of kindness and humanity can survive even in the midst of violence and displacement.
The Whispering Town
By Jennifer Elvgren
During World War II, a young girl named Anett lives in a small Danish fishing village where Jewish families are secretly being helped to escape the Nazis. When Anett’s parents hide a Jewish family in their cellar, she helps keep their presence a secret as the villagers work together to get them to safety. The story shows how ordinary people can find courage and stand against persecution during one of history’s darkest periods.
Recommended for grades 2-4
Why It Bears Witness: The Whispering Town bears witness to the persecution of Jewish people during the Holocaust and the dangers faced by those who resisted Nazi oppression. Through the courage of Anett, her family, and their neighbors, the book reminds readers that ordinary people can make extraordinary choices to protect others and stand against injustice.
Middle School
Number the Stars
By Toni Morrison
Number the Stars follows ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen, a Danish girl living in Copenhagen during World War II. When the Nazis begin relocating Denmark’s Jewish population, Annemarie and her family risk their safety to help her Jewish friend, Ellen Rosen, and her family escape persecution. Through Annemarie’s eyes, the novel explores courage, friendship, sacrifice, and the power of ordinary people to resist injustice.
Recommended for grades 5-7
Why It Bears Witness: Number the Stars bears witness to the persecution of Jewish people during the Holocaust and the courage of those who risked their lives to protect them. Through Annemarie's story, readers see how bravery, compassion, and resistance can take many forms—even when ordinary people are facing extraordinary danger.
Young Adult
Internment
By Samira Ahmed
Internment follows seventeen-year-old Layla Amin, a Muslim American teenager who is forced into an internment camp with her parents after the government begins targeting Muslim Americans. Inside the camp, Layla refuses to remain silent and joins other young people in resisting the injustices they face. As she fights for her freedom, she discovers the power of courage, solidarity, and speaking out against oppression.
Recommended for grades 9-12
Why It Bears Witness: Internment bears witness to Islamophobia, discrimination, government oppression, and the dangers of targeting people based on their religion or identity. Through Layla's resistance, the novel challenges readers to recognize how quickly prejudice can become systemic oppression and emphasizes the importance of speaking up when people's rights are threatened.
Adult
All the Light We Cannot See
By Anthony Doerr
All the Light We Cannot See follows Marie-Laure, a blind French girl, and Werner, a German boy whose talent for radios draws him into the Nazi war machine, as their lives unfold during World War II. Their paths eventually cross in occupied France, where both must navigate the dangers and devastation of war. Through their stories, the novel explores courage, survival, humanity, and the choices people make during times of extraordinary conflict.
Recommended for Adults
Why It Bears Witness: All the Light We Cannot See bears witness to the human cost of war and the devastating effects of Nazi occupation during World War II. Through Marie-Laure and Werner, the novel reminds readers that behind the enormous events of history are individual people—each facing fear, loss, difficult choices, and the struggle to hold onto their humanity.