Winter In Wartime - Jan Terlouw
And therefore, Michiel, don't be fooled by the romance of the war, the romance of heroism, sacrifice, suspense, adventure. War means injuries, grief, torture, prisons, hunger, hardship, injustice. Nothing romantic about it.
Oorlogswinter (Winter in Wartime) has been a classic in the Netherlands for decades. It is the story of a boy working for the resistance while his country is occupied by the Nazis. Michiel spends his time riding his bike to do errands for his friends and neighbors while staying out of the way of the Nazis that have occupied his town. When his friend gives him an envelope to pass on to a member of the resistance before he goes missing, Michiel finds himself doing his part to help the resistance and must discover who is leaking information to the Nazis. This is an incredible novel that unveils a side of WWII that hasn't been mentioned much before in children's literature, what it was like to live in a land occupied by the Nazis and the male viewpoint provides a protagonist that boys will be able to relate to. There are dangers, grief, and mystery, but above everything, there is love, courage, and kindness. This is the book I highly recommend every one of you to read at least once in a lifetime.
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