I am an observant Jew, so Todd Strasser’s novel The Wave played with my emotions in a strong way. It made me mad and angry, but most of all, it gave me a desire to want to help, and not be able to.

The question that constantly pops into my mind when thinking about the Holocaust is, “How did people let it happen?” The Wave answers that for me, showing how a small group can start off with a basic idea of how people are supposed to act and behave, make them feel as though they belong and are needed, which is certainly a universal human need. In fact, even I wanted to join The Wave because it was the cool thing to do.

As details were thrown at me, I felt like I was there, and at the beginning, I really enjoyed it. As the story progressed, I spotted some foreshadowing and it was then that I began to realize that I could easily compare what was happening in this book to the origins of Nazism, which totally scared me. I saw how easily a cult can get started and pick up momentum ... and become dangerous.

Soon, the whole school and the neighborhood gets involved in the plot, which only makes Strasser’s point stronger. I was there with Rachelle (one of the main characters) when she sees where the club is headed and wants to end it before it gets worse. When she writes an article against the club, I thought that was extremely brave. That is a barrier many people, including me at times, cannot overcome. I really admire her strong character.

When things get out of hand and the end is near, my heart was really pounding. “The national Wave leader is coming!” I had a hunch it was, and as I read, my eyes widened. The ending is amazing and made my jaw touch the floor.

The novel is extremely moving as it reveals how the Holocaust occurred and shows me how I might be able to stop something before it gets out of hand.