A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Phillip Hoose's The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club is the remarkable true story of a small group of courageous Danish teens whose acts of sabotage against the German military inspired their country to rise up against the Nazi occupation. The book interweaves Hoose's narrative with the memories of Knud Pedersen, who was the young leader of the Churchill Club, and includes many black-and-white photos. Although set in a violent and terrifying time, the violence is never described in any detail. This is a story so compelling it's sure to captivate even readers who "hate" history. Hoose is the author of the Newberry Honor Book and National Book Award-winning Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice.
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What's the story?
After Germany invades Denmark in April 1940, its citizens do not resist -- something that 15-year-old Knud Pedersen can't understand. So with his brother and a small group of friends, Pedersen forms the Churchill Club, named after Great Britain's feisty prime minister. If the adults won't stand up to the Germans, the Churchill Club members will do it for them. THE BOYS WHO CHALLENGED HITLER: KNUD PEDERSEN AND THE CHURCHILL CLUB recounts how, between December 1941 and May 1942, the teens commit numerous acts of sabotage and steal an arsenal of weapons from unsuspecting German soldiers. Finally caught by the German authorities, the boys are tried and imprisoned, but their heroic exploits inspire the Danish nation to rise up against the Nazi occupation.
Is it any good?
This true story of courage and resolve is history that reads like a thriller, as a group of unlikely teen heroes are pitted against a formidable and ruthless enemy. Pedersen's first-person accounts give a real sense of immediacy to the story, as do the many black-and-white photographs. There's even a Danish police photo of an army truck vandalized by the club and several photos of the boys in the club. The writing is accessible enough for younger readers and the story fast-paced enough to keep older readers engaged.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about keeping secrets. Was is right for the boys to undertake actions that could have meant arrest (or worse) for their families without telling their parents?
Members of the Churchill Club communicated with one another and did all their planning without any of the modern technology we take for granted. How difficult do you think it was to take on the German army without cell phones or computers?
Are there challenges faced by your community in which teenagers can take the lead in finding solutions?
- Author: Phillip M. Hoose
- Genre: History
- Topics: Adventures, Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, History
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Publication date: May 30, 2015
- Number of pages: 208
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Award: ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated: June 19, 2019
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For kids who love history and World War II
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