A temporary exhibition for children at the Montreal Holocaust Museum aims to inform children as young as 8 about the dangers of racism and anti-Semitism through the personal stories of people who lived through the Second World War.

Tell me a story! Youth literature and the Holocaust will be presented at the Jewish Public Library, located within the Montreal Holocaust Museum, until March 1 and features five children’s books inspired by true stories.

In Hiding is a memoir of Holocaust survivor Marguerite Élias-Quddus, who describes three years of her life when she and her sister lived under fake names with numerous families in France during the Holocaust.

The Fresh Smell of Soap, by Kees Vanderhayden, tells the story of his friendship with Traudi, an Austrian boy who was sent to live with his family during the war in the Netherlands.

Montreal-based author Monique Polak shares her mother’s story of being jailed at Theresienstadt during World War II in What World is Left.

Fellow Montrealer Anne Renaud’s children’s book Fania’s Heart is about the true story of Fania’s 20th birthday gift, a heart-shaped booklet, and how it was made, against all odds, within the confines of Auschwitz.

Hana’s Suitcase, by Ottawa-based writer Karen Levine, is about a Tokyo museum curator’s quest to discover what happened to one young Holocaust victim, Hana Brady.

“Young people are able to better understand the dangers of hatred and the impacts of genocide when they learn through personal stories,” explained Marie-Blanche Fourcade, Head of Collections and Exhibitions at the Montreal Holocaust Museum.

The Holocaust Museum is located at 5151 Cote Ste. Catherine Rd. For more information, click here.