Editions

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

The story of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is very difficult to describe. Usually we give some clues about the book on the cover, but in this case we think that would spoil the reading of the book. We think it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about.

If you do start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy called Bruno. And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence.

We hope you never have to cross such a fence.

Reviews

  • "An account of a dreadful episode, short on actual horror but packed with overtones that remain in the imagination. Plainly and sometimes archly written, it stays just ahead of its readers before delivering its killer punch in the final pages"

    Independent

  • "A small wonder of a book. Bruno's education is conducted slowly, through a series of fleeting social encounters rather than by plunging him into a nightmare landscape"

    Guardian

  • "An extraordinary tale of friendship and the horrors of war seen through the eyes of two young boys, it's stirring stuff. Raw literary talent at its best. More please!"

    Irish Independent

  • "Quite impossible to put down, this is the rare kind of book that doesn't leave your head for days. Word of mouth should be strong and this has the potential to cross over to an adult audience. A unique and captivating novel, which I believe deserves huge success"

    The Bookseller

  • "Overwhelmingly powerful . . . This is a story so exceptional and vivid that it cannot be erased from the mind"

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About the Author

John Boyne

John Boyne was born in Ireland in 1971. He is the author of eleven novels for adults, six for younger readers and a collection of short stories. Perhaps best known for his 2006 multi-award-winning book The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, John’s other novels, notably The Absolutist and A History of Loneliness, have been widely praised and are international bestsellers. Most recently, The Heart's Invisible Furies was a Richard & Judy Bookclub word-of-mouth bestseller, and A Ladder to the Sky was shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award in association with Listowel Writers’ Week. His novels are published in over fifty languages.

John Boyne

Related articles

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Recommendations

4 Irish books we can’t wait to read this Spring

From John Boyne to Jan Carson, here are four books the Penguin Ireland team can’t wait to start reading this Spring.
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Extracts

What if your favourite writer was a total sociopath? John Boyne delves into A Ladder to the Sky

John Boyne’s A Ladder to the Sky tells a timely tale of the lies, ambition and manipulation of a ruthless writer with great talent but no imagination. Maurice Swift, a would-be author who befriends an older novelist to further his career is the main character. Here, John Boyne introduces an extract by explaining his motivation.
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Features

The Making of the A Ladder to the Sky audiobook

Have you ever fancied a sneak peek behind the mic of your favourite audiobook? Step in to studio with author John Boyne as he chats with the cast of his book, A Ladder to the Sky.

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