Commemoration and Remembrances: Yom HaShoah and Anzac Day

Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, begins at sundown on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, April 24, 2025.

This the 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar, and is the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

Note: International Holocaust Memorial Day is 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Every year, Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, and Tonga commemorate Anzac Day on 25 April.

Anzac Day commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served.’ It is the anniversary of the first campaign that led to major casualties for the Australian and New Zealand (ANZAC) forces during the First World War.

On the face of it, these commemorative days have little in common.

As someone from Aotearoa New Zealand, I could see the resonances between the two.

Both are seminal events for a group of people – for survivors and relatives. For the world, with impacts throughout the generations since.

Both are horrific and incredibly sad events.

Which raises the question: how do you write about these in a way that is appropriate in a picture book?

Please note: because of the subject matter, many of these books are not appropriate for a public library storytime setting.

Also check out our blog post: Everybody Hurts: dealing with tragedy.