Eve Bunting is a prolific and versatile writer with over 100 books to her credit.  Among her books is a small but powerful allegory of the Holocaust and what happens when one turns a blind eye to the terrible things that are being done to others instead of standing up for what was right.

TASK To yourself or in your group, carefully read (or watch below) Eve Bunting’s Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust. (ISBN: 978-0-8276-0325-7)

1.  When everyone has finished with the reading, discuss the following questions and record your answers in your packet:

1. How did the animals in the woods get along before the Terrible Things came?

2. How did the animals react to the Terrible Things when they first came for the creatures with feathers on their backs?

3. Why do you think the Terrible Things take away the animals one group at a time?

4. Why does Big Rabbit disagree with Little Rabbit when Little Rabbit wants to move?

2.  Any study of the Holocaust recognizes three elements in addition to the victims: perpetrators, collaborators, and bystanders. In your packet, answer the following questions:

1. How is the bystander represented in the book? 

2.  How is the collaborator represented in the book?

3.  How is the perpetrator represented in the book?

3.  Assume the role of Little Rabbit.  Think about what advice you would give to the other forest creatures when you go to tell them about the Terrible Things.  

1. Individually, write your advice (a sentence or two) in your packet.

2. Share your advice with your group.