Historical · Young adult
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Bestseller: about 11 million copies (estimate)Bruno, the nine-year-old son of a Nazi commandant, is moved to a bleak house in the countryside and befriends a boy who lives behind the wire fence in what Bruno takes to be a strange farm.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 2006
- Pace
- Fast
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 215
- Format
- Book 1 of 2 in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Read this if you want a very short, simply told fable about childhood innocence set during the Holocaust.
Skip this if you want historical accuracy; many readers and historians criticise its plausibility.
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Content warnings
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Quick answers about The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
- What is The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas about?
- Bruno, the nine-year-old son of a Nazi commandant, is moved to a bleak house in the countryside and befriends a boy who lives behind the wire fence in what Bruno takes to be a strange farm.
- Who should read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas?
- Read it if you want a very short, simply told fable about childhood innocence set during the Holocaust. Skip it if you want historical accuracy; many readers and historians criticise its plausibility.
- How long and how fast is The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas?
- It is a fast-paced, short read of about 215 pages, first published in 2006.
- Does The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas have content warnings?
- Content we flag: War, Genocide, Child death, Death, Violence.
- Can I borrow The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas?
- Readers who liked it often move on to The Book Thief, Sarah's Key, The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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