Book Review: Hitler Youth

 NONFICTION: Hitler Youth

 

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2005. HITLER YOUTH. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-1-338-30984-3

 

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

 

This book presents the experiences of young people with facts through their stories. This makes it to where the reader can connect with the people whose stories are represented. This book shows readers how, through trial and tribulations, what some young people have to do to survive in a time that was unimaginable. These people are often demonized, but were they forced into a way of living to avoid a different life, potentially the ending of their life?

 

3.    CRITICAL ANALYSIS

 

After the Table of Contents listing the Chapters and their titles, there is a section that features information about the young people in this book. This is a great way to learn more about the people in this book as I feel like when reading you are always wondering more. With a book presenting information about a group of people we find hard to relate to and don’t understand their experiences and stance, this section is a nice touch. The real photographs in this book are so intriguing. They show so much detail about what life was like and really bring the reader into the Hitler Youth’s experiences. This book is laid out fabulously for young adult readers. The spacing on each page is manageable with breaks for photographs to process the material.

 

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

 

·         ALA Best Book for Young Adults Top Ten

·         ALA Notable Children’s Book

·         Booklist Editor’s Choice

·         Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book

·         Horn Book Fanfare

·         IRA Notable Book for a Global Society

·         Junior Library Guild selection

·         Kirkus Editors’ Choice

·         NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book

·         Newbery Honor Book

·         Orbis Pictus Honor

·         Parent’s Gold Choice Award

·         Pennsylvania Carolyn Field Award

·         Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year

·         School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

·         Sibert Honor Book

·         Sydney Taylor Notable

·         VOYA Nonfiction Honor

·         YALSA Best Books for Young Adults

 

5. CONNECTIONS

 

-          Students could compare and contrast the experiences of Jewish children and Hitler youth during this time.

-          Students could do a writer’s response: How would life be different if the Hitler Youth did not join?

-          Students could do a writer’s response: Would you join Hitler Youth?

 

*Other books about libraries Hitler Youth:

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti ISBN 9780739374085 (eBook)

 

Based on a review by Barbara Jean Thompson