It’s been over 75 years since the start of the Second World War, a global conflict that saw almost every major nation take sides, with human casualties in the millions. Young readers continue to be fascinated by this time period, hungry for fiction and fact about the remarkable men and women who survived the era that earned them the term, “The Greatest Generation.” New works include Aharon Appelfeld’s tender depiction of boyhood friendship amidst the start of war to Gruenbam’s memoir of his time in a concentration camp to several stellar works (including multimedia offerings) on the Dutch resistance to Nazi aggression.

Appelfeld, Aharon. Adam and Thomas. tr. from French by Jeffrey Green. illus. by Philippe Dumas. 160p.ebook available. Seven Stories. Oct. 2015. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781609806347.

Gr 4-6 –Originally published in France, this story is about two Jewish boys who have been left in the woods near their home by their mothers who must return to the ghetto. The boys survive by eating berries, foraging for food, and milking cows for fresh milk. Readers get a sense of the larger context of World War II through some minor characters, who make appearances as runaways or fugitives. There are several allusions to spiritual beliefs, but they are not overt. Dialogue is lyrical and a bit dreamlike, and the characters are sympathetic. The sentence structure and vocabulary are simplistic. Dumas’s illustrations add to the dreamlike quality of the text. VERDICT An fine addition to elementary and middle school libraries looking for tender friendship and survival stories set during the second World War.–Melissa Etheridge, Siegel Middle School, TN

Gruenbaum, Michael with Todd Hasak-Lowy. Somewhere There Is Still a Sun. 384p. photos. S. & S./Aladdin. Aug. 2015. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781442484863.

Gr 5-8 –Michael (Misha) Gruenbaum lived an untroubled existence in Prague until the Nazis invaded in 1939, and he documents his life between the ages of nine and 15 in this poignant memoir. Misha’s family was sent to the ghetto, where new and oppressive rules were imposed nearly every day. There, his father was arrested and later was reported to have died of kidney failure. Along with his mother and his sister, Marietta, Misha was eventually sent to the concentration camp Terezin, where his experiences ran the gamut, from the exciting and even enjoyable (staging musicals for the Red Cross) to the horrific (standing in freezing weather for hours for a population count). Eventually, transports to “the East” (Auschwitz-Birkenau) began. Young Misha’s narration sets this Holocaust memoir apart from others. Initially unaware of the dark implications of the events, Misha adapted to camp life, playing soccer and making new friends, until he could no longer ignore the truth. His innocence contrasts with what readers (and the adults around Misha) know is going on, which creates a foreboding tone. The use of present-tense narration contributes to the urgency of the narration, and Misha’s sense of fairness and his unfailing faith that things will improve will resonate with students. Some fictionalizing occurs: coauthor Hasak-Lowy explains in an afterward that he had to “fill in gaps” in the book, such as writing the dialogue. VERDICT An excellent introduction to the Holocaust for those who may not be ready for every grim detail.–Katherine Koenig, The Ellis School, PA

Hopkinson, Deborah. Courage & Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark. 352p. bibliog. chron. further reading. index. notes. photos. websites. Scholastic. Sept. 2015. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780545592208; ebk. $17.99. ISBN 9780545592222.

Gr 9 Up –As the book’s subtitle indicates, this narrative is a chronological collection of personal stories of the daring exploits of the courageous and (mostly) young people who fought German occupiers from the shadows, in many cases defying the Danish government’s collaboration with Hitler. Hopkinson explains that this book isn’t a complete history of World War II Denmark, and she focuses on a small group of people, most men, who waged a secret war against Germany by establishing an intelligence and resistance force with British aid, carrying out individual or small-group acts of sabotage or printing or distributing underground newspapers. Well-documented chapters include background about the war and the lives of the resistance fighters and incorporate lengthy quotes from published accounts and memoirs, giving readers the opportunity to understand the fighters’ motivations, reactions, and fears. Hopkinson also describes the spontaneous and altruistic efforts of countless Danes who first sheltered and then relocated Denmark’s small Jewish population to neutral Sweden. The strongest and most moving section of the book is about the arrests, imprisonment, and concentration camp internments of captured fighters, who found their enemy more evil than they could have imagined. The text is supplemented with large period photos of resistance fighters and wartime Denmark. This book is generally well written, and although it lacks the drama and teen focus found in Phillip Hoose’s outstanding The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club (Farrar, 2015), its coverage of an often overlooked topic makes it a solid option. VERDICT A strong supplemental purchase choice.–Mary Mueller, Rolla Public Schools, MO

The Whispering Town. 9 min. Dist. by Dreamscape Media. 2015. $38.99. ISBN 9781633799288.

PreS-Gr 3 –During World War II, Denmark continued a quiet but effective rebellion against Nazi occupation, ferrying many Danish Jews to sanctuary in Sweden. Ordinary people put their lives at risk and worked together to accomplish this task. Set in a small fishing village, this film centers on a family that hides Jews in their basement. Meanwhile, Nazi soldiers are everywhere. How can the family members get their guests to the harbor, to the boat, to safety, without the moon lighting the way? Through whispers—neighbors standing in doorways whispering directions to the fleeing fugitives. Elizabeth Cottle reads the story by Jennifer Elvgren (Lerner, 2014), which is based on a true incident, and gives a clear voice to the child narrator. Fabio Santomauro’s bold block illustrations are scanned, their sharp corners softened by occasional soft curved lines, much as human kindness softened the harshness of Nazi rule. There is also a short segment explaining the wartime situation in Denmark. VERDICT This is a thoughtful production that will help children better appreciate what it means to be part of a community.–Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA

Elvgren, Jennifer. The Whispering Town. 1 CD. 9 min. Dreamscape. 2015. $14.99. ISBN 9781633799318.

Gr 2-4 –An African proverb states that “it takes a village to raise a child,” but in 1943 Nazi-occupied Denmark, it takes a village to lead a young Jewish mother and her son to freedom. In a small Danish town, “new friends” have arrived at Anett’s house. While they wait patiently in the cellar for a ferry to transport them to Sweden, Anett visits local businesses, which willingly (and secretly) provide additional rations. Tension builds as suspicious Nazi soldiers comb the streets, going door to door. Time runs out waiting for a moonlit night to light the way. The cleverness of one small child and the collaborating efforts of one small village make one big change in two lives. Elvgren’s story is based on a true moment in history and is sure to spark interest in young minds regarding the Holocaust. Elizabeth Cottle provides solid narration. VERDICT An excellent addition to Holocaust literature for young students.–Cheryl Preisendorfer, Twinsburg City Schools, OH