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Product Description
The story of a young boy's journey through Europe after escaping from the camp where he had lived all his life. Sea, mountains and flowers, the colours of Italy, the taste of fruit, people laughing and smiling, all are new to David. And David learns that his polite manner, his haunted eyes and his thin features are strange to other people.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
84 of 85 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Starting this review, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I first read this book when I was in my early teens and have since owned three copies of the book in the 15 years since. This is a book that will always be in my personal collection and one that will be passed onto my children when they reach a similar age.
I Am David is the tale of a young boy who has spent all of his known life in a concentration camp and the story begins as he is helped to escape by one of the guards. Why the guard has helped him is unknown and thoughout the early part of the story, David is certain that is some sort of ruse.
As the book moves on, David makes his way across Europe before finally reaching his destination in a touching finale.
Along the way, David learns how his time in the camp has made him different to all those he travels amongst as finds his haunted features and inability to smile mark him apart.
Througout the book, I found myself humbled by the spirit of David and his value of even the smallest item in his possession. This book makes you realise how much you take for granted when a small boy treasures something as simple as a bar of soap.
Overall, this is a well written story that inspires real emotion in it's readers and makes you realise how thankful many of us should be for the lives we lead.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I Am David is one of the most evocative books I have come across to read aloud to a class of children. I say that as a teacher of twenty years experience and having taught in schools in four continents. It is a magical book - not afraid to confront some difficult themes, but always maintaining the unique perspective a child with David's background would have.
Indeed the only gripe I have with this book is nothing at all to do with Anne Holm's creation but the stupidity of the United States' publishing industry in insisting on retitling classic European books (in the US this classic story is titled "North to Freedom"!) As "I Am David" this book successfully explores far more profound questions than freedom. David's journey is a process of self discovery and a self-imposed restructuring of a broken human spirit. Though told in the third person, the narrative invites us into David's young mind and allows us to see the wonder of objects and concepts that we all take for granted but which are new to the young escapee. Music, play, the taste of an orange, the feeling of being clean, language, colour! David's voyage of discovery is a bitter sweet mixture and we learn the awful truth about his past during his trek across Europe at the same pace as he does himself.
I have read this book with classes of children from fourth to seventh grade, as well as with adults. It is a book for all seasons, and I can still turn the pages with pleasure and wonder.
The wonder of realising what it is to say "I Am David" is what the book is all about! "North to Freedom" is a lousy title - meaningless in fact; David's first steps to freedom take him south! But this should not dissuade anyone from reading Anne Holm's book. The greatest children's story to come out of Denmark since Hans Christian Andersen.
Indeed the only gripe I have with this book is nothing at all to do with Anne Holm's creation but the stupidity of the United States' publishing industry in insisting on retitling classic European books (in the US this classic story is titled "North to Freedom"!) As "I Am David" this book successfully explores far more profound questions than freedom. David's journey is a process of self discovery and a self-imposed restructuring of a broken human spirit. Though told in the third person, the narrative invites us into David's young mind and allows us to see the wonder of objects and concepts that we all take for granted but which are new to the young escapee. Music, play, the taste of an orange, the feeling of being clean, language, colour! David's voyage of discovery is a bitter sweet mixture and we learn the awful truth about his past during his trek across Europe at the same pace as he does himself.
I have read this book with classes of children from fourth to seventh grade, as well as with adults. It is a book for all seasons, and I can still turn the pages with pleasure and wonder.
The wonder of realising what it is to say "I Am David" is what the book is all about! "North to Freedom" is a lousy title - meaningless in fact; David's first steps to freedom take him south! But this should not dissuade anyone from reading Anne Holm's book. The greatest children's story to come out of Denmark since Hans Christian Andersen.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio Cassette
This book tells of the journey into life of a young boy of 12 who has spent all his years in a communist concentration camp and is mysteriously encouraged to escape by the camp commandant.His journey to Salonika thence to Italy and onwards to Denmark opens him to the world of free people. His education amongst imprisoned intellectuals gives him both the ability to look on the world with a mature brain and an inability to open his heart and trust others. There is much adventure on the journey; much amusement caused by old attitudes in a young body and great sorrow as we begin to realise the deprivations of his childhood.Each chapter draws us further into his psyche and gradually reveals the emotional desert in which he has lived. Hope is awakened by his choosing of a god and we learn of the spiritual though non-religious side of his education. The book ends in hope tinged with sadness. All is left open for the reader to meditate upon.The book was written in Danish and the English translation portrays a mumsy style which may not reflect adequately the original. A review by a Dane would be enlightening.Altogether a most moving book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Truly Touching Novel
I was pretty young when i first read this book, and didn't think much of it, partly because i didn't understand David's feelings, but then i gave it another go when i was older,... Read more
Published 18 days ago by POPSTARYAS
Probably in my 3 fav novels of all time
Amazing, stunning, elegant and brilliantly constructed. Don't write this off as a children's book as its not. i wouldn't let my 10 yr old read it yet. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Remismum
Extraordinarily elegant and humane
Anne Holm's 'I am David' is an wonderful achievement - mixing beautiful humanity and acute perceptiveness of humans' soul, both good and bad, with the harsh reality of the world. Read more
Published 3 months ago by aus_books
A book that I will always own
I first read 'I am David' when I was a young teenager and the story stayed with me so much so that when I had my own children, I bought another copy of it (the first one having got... Read more
Published 4 months ago by J. Sumpter
Quite simply, one of the greatest books I ever read
Most of my reviews are long and analytical. But quite simply, you would do well to read this book. You will certainly cry at the end. It is amazing.
Published 9 months ago by G-man
Every child should read this
Had to buy a birthday present for an 11 year old this week. And two paperbacks I recall from my own childhood still stand out as essentials for any youngster's book case. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Benj R
Fantastic
I have to agree with the other reviews. I first read this book aged nine when i borrowed it from the school library. i brought it home and shared with my mother. Read more
Published 19 months ago by JB
Fantastic book
I first read this book when I was 10 or 11, it belonged to my friends brother and when I stayed over it was always the book I plucked from his bookcase. Read more
Published 22 months ago by T. MCMICHAEL
Makes you appreciate life
This is my first ever review of a book, and having read hundreds of titles, I believe, even for myself, it is indicative enough that I decided for it to be the first I would... Read more
Published 23 months ago by H. Georgiev
Superb
I had high hopes for this book following all the reviews and i was not let down. Easy to read and hard to put down. I was intears throughout the last chapter... Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2010 by Abs
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