Willy & Max: A Holocaust Story

By Amy Littlesugar, Illustrated by William Low (Philomel Books – 2006)

In Antwerp, Belgium, Willy’s papa put a painting in his shop window. A man came with a young boy and he bought the painting named The Lady. The young boy named Max met Willy, and they were happy to have found each other. But Max lived in the Jewish quarter-in a very dangerous time for the Jews. Willy and Max promised friends forever even through the Nazis came to the town. The two boys separated by circumstance, but held together through generations by one simple painting-and unbreakable spirit of their extraordinary friendship.

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ベルギーのアントワープで、Willyの父親は店の窓に絵画を展示した。その絵The Ladyを買いに父親とやって来た少年Maxは、Willyに会うと直ぐに大変仲良くなった。しかしMaxはユダヤ人居住区に住んでいて、当時はユダヤ人が災難にあっている時代であった。やがて彼等の町にナチスがやって来たが、二人の少年達は永遠の友情を誓い合った。その後離れ離れとなった二人だが、世代を経てもつなぎあった絵画と二人の変わらぬ友情のお陰で、二人の絆は生きていた。