Teacher Guide

The Devil's Arithmetic Lesson Plan

Introduction to The Devil's Arithmetic

First published in 1988, The Devil's Arithmetic is a middle-grade historical fiction novel by Jane Yolen. The story revolves around Hannah Stern, a Jewish girl living in New Rochelle, New York. Tired of hearing her older relatives talk about the past, throughout the novel Hannah is taught about the importance of remembering the history of where one comes from. During a Passover Seder Hannah is transported to Poland in the year 1942. There, she is sent to a Nazi concentration camp after symbolically opening the door for the prophet Elijah.

At the camp, Hannah is believed to be a girl named Chaya Abramowicz. Hannah recognizes the people who will, in the future, be her aunt and her...

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