We are so pleased that you want to use free, age-appropriate books about the Holocaust to teach your Grade 6 classroom! In 2025/2026 we are once again featuring To Hope and Back: The Journey of the St. Louis by award-winning Canadian author, Kathy Kacer. This true story follows the 1939 voyage of the MS St. Louis, a ship of Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, denied entry into Cuba, the US, and Canada, as seen through the eyes of two child survivors and the ship’s heroic captain. Our educators selected this book for its sensitive, age-appropriate handling of historical context, aligning with Grade 6 social studies curriculum expectations on the Holocaust and Jewish history in Canada. The story is published by our generous partner, Second Story Press.
This year, the Government of Ontario has generously funded a French edition of To Hope and Back. To apply for French copies, please click here.
Additionally, we are offering a free illustrated poster to enhance classroom learning which will be included with each book shipment.
There are many excellent resources to help you teach this story at www.liberation75.org/ernie. We encourage you to use them!
Every year Liberation75 holds a virtual Teacher Professional Development event as well as Student Day. Please keep your eye out for updates on these important events. We encourage you to attend these sessions and watch our other resources as they will make teaching much easier for you. You can access recordings to past sessions and many other resources at www.liberation75.org/library
To apply for free books and an educational illustrated poster, please complete the following application form and note the following considerations:
- You will be asked to include your intentions for how you will use these books in the classroom.
- Books should remain the property of the classroom and returned to you by your students to be used in subsequent years.
- You will be expected to attend or view a recording of the Challenging Stories Book Club event, or attend our Teacher PD (date tbd). This will provide you with the context and resources to help you teach this book most effectively.
- You will receive up to 30 books. Please remember to include a copy for yourself (the teacher).
NOTE: If you are a teacher who has copies of To Hope and Back: The Journey of the St. Louis, but would like the illustrated poster we are offering, please fill out this Google Form instead.
