"The Borrowed House," by Hilda Van Stockum

Janna is an eleven-year-old girl who lives in a small German town during WWII. She is a proud member of the Hitler Youth group, and admires Hitler above all else. All of her life she has been told that the Jewish people are dangerous criminals and that Hitler is doing the world a favor by getting rid of them. She believes that the Jews are being sent to a special place where they will be treated kindly and kept from harming other people.

One day Janna is sent to Holland to live with her parents, famous German actors who she has not seen in 2 years.

During her stay in Holland, certain events occur that slowly but surely began to shake her faith in Hitler and his soldiers, and which challenge her bigotry against Jewish people.

This thoughtful, descriptive story by one of my favorite historical-fiction authors instantly grabbed my attention. It explores the lies Hitler told to his people and unearthed the reasons so many German young people admired and believed in him. During the book, instead of feeling angry at Janna and other young people for supporting Hitler, I was deeply saddened for them. They were carefully shielded from the truth and consistently spoon-fed lies, ultimately becoming brain-washed supporters of one of the most terrible and wicked tyrants who ever lived.

As you read this book you will cheer Janna on as she searches for the truth.

Inspirations 4 Writing

Write a story from the perspective of a person who holds views you do not agree with. Reveal why this person believes the way he or she does. Does this person end up changing his or her views? If so, why?

Book Review of "Snow Treasure" by Marie McSwigan

Peter Lundstrom and his friends are ordinary Norwegian children living in 1940. They enjoy excitement of any kind and love to sled, build snowmen, and have snowball fights. Peter could never have foreseen that these innocent pastimes would become the tools for a daring mission…but that is exactly what happens when the Nazis invade Peter’s small town. Peter and his friends must now use their sleds to smuggle millions of dollars worth of gold under the very noses of the Nazis. If their country’s gold fell into enemy hands it would spell disaster for Norway.

Often in literature, unassuming heroes are the ones that endear themselves to the reader. These are exactly the sort of heroes that Peter and his friends are. They did not want to be heroes. They never planned to risk their lives for their country. But when circumstances call for immediate action they choose to do whatever it takes, even self-sacrifice. A story of courage, danger, and loyalty, this book is a must-read!

Inspirations 4 Writing

If you were faced with a life and death situation, what would you do? Write a story using an autobiographical character and place this character in just such a situation. How does this character choose to act?