A heartbreaking tale about the friendship between two little boys, Bruno and Shmuel, who had no clear understanding of what was surrounding and separating them beside a tall, barbed-wire fence. Delivered by a clear and uncomplicated narrative, the Holocaust is seen through a different perspective -no ghastly descriptions, no monstrosities- and it's recounted with the profound simplicity of a nine-year old child. Knowing history and considering the time/social frame, I do sort of agree with some reviewers who maintain that the character of little Bruno was perhaps a bit implausible, considering his age and the fact that he was the Nazi Commandant's son at Auschwitz -and for quite a long time-. But it does not matter, at least not to me. In fact I think that the author was able to convey the innocence of childhood in a very straightforward, raw and achingly touching way, which will linger on because of its wrenching final message. Well done. I would recommend this book for young readers too (14+).