Upon
the Head of a Goat, by Aranka Seigal
Starting next week, Book Talk will be moving to an every
other week schedule.
The
Story
Upon the Head of a Goat is the account of Piri, a 9 year old
Jewish girl, who is visiting her grandmother in Ukraine when World War II begins. As the Holocaust
creeps closer, her life begins to change. Piri's friends turn their backs on her,
and her family is forced to move to the Jewish ghetto. Eventually, she is
forced onto a cattle car along with the rest of her family, destined for a
concentration camp.
This book is unusual in that its focus is not on the
concentration camps, but on the experiences and emotions of Piri and her family before they entered
the camps. The turmoil, shame, fear and confusion Piri feels aptly illustrate
the effects of Nazi discrimination and destruction during the opening of World War II. Upon
the Head of a Goat is based on the writer's own experiences as a Holocaust
survivor.
Besides Upon the Head of a Goat, Aranka Seigal has written
several books about her experiences during the Holocaust, including one
describing her experiences in the concentration camps. Upon the Head of a Goat
has won several awards, including a 1982 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for
Nonfiction and a 1982 Newbery Honor Award. It has been published in over 7
languages. Upon the Head of a Goat is aimed at Grades 6-8.
Resources
Check out this lesson plan for Middle School and High School
students, which includes daily lessons, activities, multiple choice and short
essay questions, homework and tests. Also check out this handout, identifying
the story's main characters and providing a map of the areas the story takes
place in. In addition, explore these discussion questions from Web English
Teacher.
About Me
Leah Kuriluk is the Holocaust Education Resource Center's Library Intern. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Library and Information Science and a certificate of Information Management at Wayne State University. Leah also has a BA in History.
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