Yavin of Auschwitz Curriculum

Curriculum designed to accompany Author Alexandra McCarthy's debut children's book, Yavin of Auschwitz. The book is designed to help teachers teach the Holocaust to 4th-12th grade student, and includes leveled curriculum appropriate for each grade levels. Made to match standards for ELA and History (in South Carolina, but applicable for other states.) Included are over 30+ pages of activities for students to use, as well as book pairing ideas. For middle/ high, book pairing activities with Night, as well as figurative language, passages, etc, to use this book with your other Holocaust unit.

Yavin is a street pup that everyone loves in the town of Oświęcim. But the town begins to quickly change, and suddenly Yavin finds himself in a town that looks familiar, but feels…. Different. The town’s name change not only makes everything heavier, but also brings unexpected changes. As Yavin spends his days trying to enjoy his favorite things–chasing butterflies and roaming the town streets; he begins to understand the importance of remembering moments and places, and promises never to forget.

Yavin of Auschwitz is Alexandra Kay McCarthy’s debut children’s book. She holds a PhD in Genocide and Holocaust Studies and has been an educator for over a decade. She currently resides in South Carolina with her husband, children and their pet dog, working as a teacher in a local high school. She loves to read and spend time outdoors with her family.

Alexandra McCarthy has been in public education for 12 years, teaching both high school English and History. She holds a PhD in Genocide and Holocaust Studies, and was a Gratz Wietzman Fellow in the 2024-2025 academic year, where she helped to develop the "Stories that Shaped a Nation" educational curriculum in partnership with Gratz College and The Wietzman National Museum of Jewish American History.