The Underpants

The Underpants

book

2023, Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction

WISE
85%

WISE Score

4.6

Amazon

Don't let the title fool you; this isn't a potty-humor picture book—it's a gut-wrenching, essential true story of Holocaust survival.

Amazon4.6
Common Sense Media

Where to Read

Amazon
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Libby
Libby

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, if you’re searching for the Tammi Sauer picture book about a kitty in a pair of briefs, keep scrolling. This is NOT that.

This is the harrowing, true story of Moshe Kessler’s survival in Buchenwald’s Block 66. It’s a 10/10 for historical importance, but a 0/10 for bedtime stories for five-year-olds. It’s gut-wrenching, visceral, and essential for teens who are ready to handle the heavy lifting of Holocaust history.

Just make sure you’re buying the right 'Underpants'—this synopsis actually describes the book widely known as The Boy from Block 66. It's as far from 'brain rot' as you can get, but it's also about as far from a 'fun weekend read' as a root canal. Read it for the perspective, not the entertainment.

Age Fit

Best for ages 13 and up. This is a heavy, mature read for middle and high schoolers that requires a level of emotional maturity to process the historical trauma involved.

WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
85

While the setting is the darkest chapter of human history, the core of the story is about the 'secret resistance' and their mission to protect children from harm. It models extreme courage, self-sacrifice, and the preservation of humanity in a place designed to strip it away.

Imaginative
60

As a true story, it doesn't lean into fantasy or 'imagination' in the traditional sense, but the narrative of the 'Block 66' resistance provides a compelling, almost thriller-like look at how prisoners outsmarted their captors.

Safe
40

This is a massive safety trap. The title 'The Underpants' sounds like a silly picture book for toddlers, but the content describes Auschwitz, death marches, and the horrors of Buchenwald. For its intended teen/adult audience, it's 'safe' historical non-fiction, but for a child expecting a laugh, it's traumatic.

Enriching
98

This is top-tier historical literacy. It offers a visceral, primary-source-based perspective on the Holocaust, resistance, and the specific history of Moshe Kessler. It builds deep empathy and ethical understanding.

Parent Info
✓

Why It Might Be Great

  • Incredible true story of Moshe Kessler and the secret resistance of Block 66.
  • Highlights a lesser-known aspect of Buchenwald: the coordinated effort to protect children.
  • Visceral, primary-source historical education that builds deep empathy.
  • Gripping narrative that avoids 'history book' boredom while remaining factually grounded.
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What to Watch For

  • Brutal depictions of camp life, including starvation, death marches, and the horrors of Auschwitz.
  • The title is a major misnomer; do not accidentally give this to a toddler looking for a laugh—this is the opposite of 'Captain Underpants.'
  • Intense emotional weight that may be too heavy for sensitive readers under 13.

Conversation Starters

  • "How did the older prisoners in Block 66 manage to keep their humanity while being treated so inhumanely?"
  • "Why was Moshe's survival considered 'impossible' without the secret resistance?"
  • "What does this story teach us about the difference between just surviving and actively resisting?"
  • "How does knowing this is a true story change the way you feel about the characters compared to a fictional book?"

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