Teaching about the Holocaust through White Bird

Join us for a special book club event commemorating Genocide Awareness Month, featuring White Bird by R. J. Palacio. Deepen your knowledge on Holocaust education through the story of White Bird, an unforgettable graphic novel now adapted into a major motion picture starring Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson. The story powerfully illustrates how kindness can change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives during the darkest of times. Dr. Irene Ann Resenly will lead a discussion on White Bird and how to incorporate its themes into K-12 classrooms. She currently teaches eighth grade in Middleton, Wisconsin and was awarded the 2025 National Council for the Social Studies Middle Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year. Her work focuses on teacher education, genocide memory, memorial site pedagogy, and making hard histories accessible to students. The first 25 K-12 educators who register for this event will receive a free copy of the book! Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with fellow educators, deepen your understanding of Holocaust education, and gain practical insights from Dr. Resenly’s wealth of experience.

About White Bird

Sara Blum lives an idyllic life with her adoring parents in Vichy France. But her world comes crashing down when the Nazi occupation separates the family and forces the young Jewish girl into hiding. Her classmate Julien and his family will risk everything to ensure her survival, and, together, Sara and Julien manage to find beauty in a secret world of their creation.

About Dr. Irene Ann Resenly

Dr. Irene Ann Resenly brings over two decades of experience as a social studies educator in diverse contexts. She has worked for a Holocaust survivor at Boston University; as a museum educator at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City; as a private school teacher in Poland; as an university instructor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison; as a public school teacher in Wisconsin; and for state-wide and national educational organizations. She is currently an eighth grade teacher in Middleton Wisconsin, and has received state and national honors for her teaching. Irene Ann holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction-Social Studies Education from UW–Madison. Her research examines teacher education, genocide memory, memorial site pedagogy, and making hard histories accessible to students.