T4 by Ann Clare LeZotte Grades 7+ 112 pages Houghton Mifflin September 2008 Hardcover     The horrors committed by the Nazis were beyond moral comprehension, especially when you consider their abhorrent treatment of Germany’s most vulnerable, non-threatening citizens – the disabled. Disguised as merciful euthanasia, with the aim of creating a “pure” race, Hitler’s new program Tiergartenstrasse 4 (T4) sought to murder the mentally ill and disabled. T4 is the fictional story of Paula Becker, a young deaf girl living in 1939 Germany. Fiercely protected by family and friends, Paula moves from place to place hiding from the Nazis. Helped by the family priest, other clergy, and an older man she knows only as “Poor Kurt,” Paula successfully evades the Nazis and is reunited with her family. First-time author Ann Clare LeZotte, deaf herself, tells Paula’s story in sparing free verse. Every poem’s title, every word is carefully chosen to tell the heart-wrenching story of a young girl coming of age and hunted in her own country. Although Paula was not an actual person, her story is a reflection of the atrocities committed against the disabled. The character of Kurt represents the gypsies who were also murdered under Hitler’s eugenics programs. Although the later romance between Paula and “Poor Kurt” feels somewhat contrived, this story is one that deserves a place with the canon of Jewish Holocaust literature for young adults. An author’s note further explains background information. Pair this book with Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy, another novel in verse, about ghettos of Warsaw. Recommended for grades 7 and older.     web reviews   Kristine Wildner/2009 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)