Books Addressing Young Peoples' Experiences During World War II

Books Addressing Young Peoples' Experiences During World War II

This article relates to Impossible Escape

The Second World War has been written about extensively from many different points of view. However, the history of this war is filled with unheard stories of individual heroes who played a significant role in their own way. Here are six books, some memoirs and some fiction based on true stories, that recount the tales of these unsung bravehearts.

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
Based on true stories of female pilots in World War II, this young adult novel explores the status of women and racial minorities in the United States at the time and how their situations evolved rapidly due to the war. The protagonist, Ida Mae Jones, is a Black woman who hopes to enlist in the newly established Women Airforce Service Pilots to fight in the war. However, it is only open to white women. Ida is faced with a difficult decision — whether to be true to herself or try to pass as white to fulfill her childhood dream of being a pilot.

My Real Name Is Hanna by Tara Lynn Masih
The protagonist of this young adult novel, Hanna Slivka, is a Jewish girl who has to flee her home when Hitler invades Ukraine. Hanna and her family must learn to survive in a forest, with the constant threat of being discovered. As they settle into their new reality, Hanna's father goes missing and she is tasked with finding him. Based on a true story, this book narrates her struggle to find her father and the harsh realities of being a Jew in Nazi-occupied Soviet Ukraine.

The Choice by Dr. Edith Eva Eger
This memoir by Holocaust survivor Edith Eger narrates the author's experience as a teenager when she was separated from her family and sent to Auschwitz. At the concentration camp, she endured the loss of her parents, inhumane working conditions, and the humiliation of being forced to dance for senior Nazi officials, among other traumas. This is her story of determination and survival.

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
This young adult novel narrates the story of real-life hero Helmuth Hübener, a 17-year-old German boy who was the youngest person to be sentenced to death by the Nazis. Helmuth is an ardent Nazi supporter until he comes to understand the reality of their horrific crimes. Upon learning the truth, Helmuth begins disseminating anti-Nazi leaflets — until he is caught. This book follows the brave journey and heroic death of Helmuth Hübener.

White Rose by Kip Wilson
In this young adult novel, Sophie Scholl is a university student in Nazi Germany who, along with her brother, is secretly operating a Nazi resistance group called White Rose. She criticizes Hitler and the Nazi Party and distributes leaflets counteracting false Nazi propaganda. When caught, she is accused of high treason and interrogated under extreme conditions. Sophie shows bravery beyond her years, and despite the torture she faces, she refuses to give up the names of other members of White Rose. This novel is also based on a true story.

In My Hands by Irene Gut Opdyke
This memoir recounts the story of a young Polish nurse who endangered her life to save Jewish prisoners. Forced to work in service to the Nazis, she listened in to their meetings to obtain sensitive information. She brought supplies to prisoners and helped some escape. Her most daring feat involved hiding 12 Jews in the home of a Nazi major for whom she worked as a housekeeper, ensuring they were safe until the end of the war.

Filed under Reading Lists

This article relates to Impossible Escape. It first ran in the September 20, 2023 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.

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