A children’s book about the
relationship in Auschwitz between a young
inmate and the commandant’s son won two prizes at the Irish Book
Awards.
John Boyne’s “The Boy in the Striped
Pyjamas” won children’s book of the year and a people’s choice award after
spending 40 weeks at No. 1 on the Irish bestseller list. It has been nominated
for numerous prizes in the United Kingdom, United States and Italy.
The novel tells the story of Bruno, the young son of Auschwitz’s new commandant, who escapes loneliness by
befriending Shmuel across the wire in the camp.
The book has been a major global
success for Boyne, who also has written four
works of adult literary fiction – none of which have approached the popularity
of his children’s story. “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” has been
translated into 24 languages, including Hebrew. Miramax is scheduled to start
shooting the film version in Budapest in April.
