Monday, September 28, 2009

The Boy Who Dared

This was another one of those books that kept popping up on Amazons recommendations for me and it is by a Utah author who I like to try to keep tabs on what they write, how I feel about them etc. Along with my great intrigue with Greek societies, one of the other societies that I am a little too obsessed with is WWII Germany, especially when it is someone who didn't experience the concentration camps. I wonder if they really were aware of what was going on, if they were too intimidated to do much about it or if they were the people who were secretly trying to help others even at the cost of their lives.

This is the story of a young LDS German boy who, as the power in Germany is shifting and people are just following, has a conflict with what is happening in the world around him and what he is taught in his faith. Helmuth reluctantly joins the groups as he is required and tries to do what is necessary to not cause any harm. Then his brother comes home for a short leave and brings a radio. Helmuth sneaks the radio out each night and becomes astonished at the truthfulness of the BBC and realizes very quickly how many facts are being distorted by his government. He receives his call to action after he sees a classmate beaten for his faith.

Somehow I expected this book to draw me in more, but it didn't. I spent some time trying to figure out why it didn't and I think it is because this is really a book for middle school children who haven't had much WWII information - a book that would introduce them to some of the things that happened in WWII Germany without being too harsh or gruesome. Taking that into consideration, I really feel comfortable recommending this book. Just know that the language and pacing may not compare to other books of this genre that you may have read. But for a 10-13ish aged child, it is the perfect book to introduce this part of history.

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