The Boy on the Wooden Box

By: Leon Leyson, Marilyn J. Harran

Narrated by: Danny Burstein

“Much like The Boy In the Striped Pajamas or The Book Thief,” this remarkable memoir from Leon Leyson, one of the youngest children to survive the Holocaust on Oskar Schindler’s list, “brings to readers a story of bravery and the fight for a chance to live” (VOYA).

This, the only memoir published by a former Schindler’s list child, perfectly captures the innocence of a small boy who goes through the unthinkable. Leon Leyson (born Leib Lezjon) was only ten years old when the Nazis invaded Poland and his family was forced to relocate to the Krakow ghetto. With incredible luck, perseverance, and grit, Leyson was able to survive the sadism of the Nazis, including that of the demonic Amon Goeth, commandant of Plaszow, the concentration camp outside Krakow.

Ultimately, it was the generosity and cunning of one man, Oskar Schindler, who saved Leon Leyson’s life, and the lives of his mother, his father, and two of his four siblings, by adding their names to his list of workers in his factory—a list that became world renowned: Schindler’s list.

Told with an abundance of dignity and a remarkable lack of rancor and venom, The Boy on the Wooden Box is a legacy of hope, a memoir unlike anything you’ve ever read.

A boy in the concentration camp

This book is the only memoir published by a former Schindler's list child. Leon Leyson (Leib Lezjon) a Polish-Jew was 10 years old when the Nazi attacked Poland. His family was placed inside the Krakow ghetto. Part of the book goes into detail of his life in the ghetto. The plant his father worked for was taken over by Oskar Schindler but the papers provided by Schindler did not protect the family for long and they were placed into the Plaszow concentration camp on the out skirts of Krakow. Leyson goes into detail about his life in the camp his fear of Captain Amon Goeth and his guards. The story does tell of fear, hunger, and death but also of hope and the goodness of people even in horrid conditions. Some claim the Amon Goeth(commandant of the concentration camp) should be counted as a savior of Jews because he took bribes from Jews and Schindler to send certain Jews to labor camps instead of death camps, Leyson primarily paints him as a cruel bully. He describes how Schindler managed to get his family and 1200 Jews out of the Camp. The ending of the book reveals Leyson life in California his education and become a teacher. Many years later he had newspaper and T.V. interviews and found that people were very interested in his life as a teenager in the concentration camps. When he first came to the USA people were not ready to hear his story. This is a must read book for everyone but teenager would benefit greatly from the message in the book. This book would make a great selection for a school book report. Danny Burstein did a great job narrating the book with all the Polish and German words.

Loved the boy!

The audio did not match the book. I had my 7th grade classes listened and follow along with the book. It was confusing when the text did not match up.

This is my kind of story

Beautifully written, powerful and moving. I love such nonfiction with such important historical significance and such remarkable human resilience.

Truth

true stories like this must be heard... Trump days can make it all happen again. Not in Germany but here in United States of America

Why this book is amazing.

Summer always comes around and that means fun but also summer assignments. So every summer for English class I have to read a book... Well I hate reading because it's boring for me and I easily get lost. Audible made it so easy to comprehend and enjoy this book. Although this certain book was devastating and depressing, it was a beautifully written story. I would recommend this to anyone.