December 15, 2019
A Dutch teenager is caught in a web of wartime conspiracy. When the German army invaded the Netherlands and Belgium, Michiel was 11. He thought war would be exciting and hoped it would last a long time. Now, in the winter of 1944, he wishes the war would end. The son of the mayor of a rural village, Michiel knows how to keep a secret. No longer able to attend school, he runs errands and helps his family give shelter and sustenance to people walking hundreds of miles to bring food to their families in famine-stricken cities. He also listens with pride to Uncle Ben's stories of his resistance work. When Michiel's neighbor is captured by the Nazis, Michiel becomes responsible for more secrets than he thought possible. As winter stretches on and Michiel strives to do the right thing, he becomes increasingly embroiled in dangerous situations that seem to precipitate terrible consequences. Originally published in Dutch in 1973 and newly translated here, this gripping tale of conspiracy and humanity is based on the author's childhood memories of the war. Suspenseful third-person narration provides historically and culturally specific details along with insight into Michiel's inner thoughts. The contradictions and the horrors of war are laid out in succinct, powerful prose. Winding to a quiet yet satisfying ending, Terlouw laments the never-ending cycle of war. All characters are assumed white. A nuanced perspective on World War II and a testament to the power of a young person to resist. (Historical fiction. 12-16)
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January 1, 2020
Gr 5-7-A new translation of the Dutch novel about the Nazi occupation of Holland. Terlouw's semi-autobiographical tale is set in a small town in the winter of 1944-45. Fifteen-year-old Michiel is out of school due to fuel rationing. He spends his time helping his fellow Dutch, the locals as well as the refugees on the move who come to stay with his family. Suddenly he is thrown into Nazi underground resistance work when his neighbor asks a favor and Michiel inadvertently becomes responsible for a British pilot in hiding. In the shadowy world of the resistance, Michiel must quickly make judgments on whether or not he can trust his neighbors. Are they Nazi sympathizers or are they working for the resistance? This title can be added to a list of books about World War II but not necessarily about concentration camps like Michael Morpurgo's An Elephant in the Garden, Maryann Macdonald's Odette's Secrets, and Margi Preus's Shadow on the Mountain. Readers will be fascinated and impressed by Michiel's clandestine movements through his village and his leadership when it is time to make important, life-altering decisions. VERDICT It is easy to understand why the novel has never been out of print in the Netherlands. A solid purchase for middle grade libraries, especially for those with young patrons who devour World War II novels.-Kim Gardner, Fort Worth Country Day School, TX
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July 1, 2020
In a village in the Netherlands, in the winter of 1944-45, teen Michiel van Beusekom becomes involved in anti-Nazi resistance activities -- hiding and feeding a wounded British airman, smuggling two Jewish men out of the area -- all the while knowing that someone in the village is betraying the cause. The pace is fast; the action is riveting; the mystery of the traitor's identity is compelling. But this is no "adventure novel": it's about war and fear and deprivation, told from personal experience (the book is based on the author's own boyhood). As such, it has a strong anti-war message: "Don't be fooled, Michiel, by the romance of war, heroism, sacrifice, excitement, adventure. War means injuries, grief, torture, imprisonment, hunger, hardship, injustice. There's nothing romantic about it." First published in 1973, this Dutch classic has been in print in Holland continuously since its publication -- and deservedly so.
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