Remember Julian, you carry the name of the kindest person I have ever known.

I will never let them forget. I will shine my light ... for you.

White Bird tells the story of Sara Blum, the grandmother of Julian, the famous bully from the book Wonder. Julian asks his Grandmère Sara to tell him about her life as a young Jewish girl during WWII in Nazi occupied France.

Sara's hiding place was discovered by Vincent, a classmate turned Nazi. He tried to shoot Sara in the barn, but she escaped to the nearby woods. By chance, a wolf attacked Vincent and she fled!

Sara realized that Vincent must have also led the Nazis to capture Julien. She and Julien's parents tried in vain to rescue him but they were too late. The Nazis murdered Julien and many others for being disabled in what was called the Massacre of the Mernuit Forest in May 1944.

More than 6 million Jews were murdered along with 10 million Russians, Poles, Serbs, Romani, disabled, LGBTQ, and others under the Nazi regime. Julian promises he will help ensure that no one ever forgets and history does not repeat itself.

White Bird by R.J. Palacio

Tourteau (Julien) helped Sara escape and hid her in his barn. Julien and his parents cared for Sara, but were always in fear of the Nazis. Julien and Sara became best friends, playing games and confiding in one another; their feelings blossomed to love.

Sara had an idyllic childhood with her loving parents. They enjoyed picnics where Sara's father would swing her in the air so she could Fly high like a bird. Everything changed when the Nazis invaded France in 1940. All the Jewish children in Sara's school were captured except Sara.

Evil is only stopped when good people come together to put an end to it.