“The Boy Who Dared,” by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

“The Boy Who Dared,” by Susan Campbell Bartoletti is a historical fiction novel based on the life of a young boy who fought the Nazi’s during World War II.

Book Cover Art for The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell BartolettiLike most other Germans Helmuth Hübener is glad when Adolf Hitler is elected as leader of Germany. Hitler has plans for Germany, and he seems determined to help Germany recover from its national depression and become a great country again. “Hitler will get Germany out of this mess! No more unemployment! No more inflation! He will bring jobs! Food for our tables!” the people say. But not everyone supports Hitler. Some protest that Hitler is a madman, a lunatic who is sure to bring war and suffering to Germany.

No one can agree, and when Hitler is elected as chancellor, half of the people Helmuth knows rejoice, while the other half feel a sense of foreboding. Helmuth doesn’t know what to think at first, but as he sees the effects of Nazism take over, he begins to feel disgust toward Hitler and his national party. Hitler and his Nazi party spread anti-Semitic doctrine, claiming that all Jews are evil. Hitler and the Nazi’s want a Jew-free Germany, and these attitudes spread through the German people, even reaching the Hitler Youth group that rules Helmuth’s school yard.

As time passes and Hitler and his party become increasingly cruel toward the Jewish people living in Germany, Helmuth wishes that he could do something to change the situation. Hitler takes away the freedoms of the German people, and most of them stop supporting him, but they don’t dare do anything to oppose him.

So Helmuth finds his own way to oppose the German government. As World War II rages, and the German government spreads propaganda and outright lies over the radio, Helmuth uses a special shortwave radio to tune in to British stations, where the truth is reported.

Helmuth trusts the British radio news, because it has full transparency. The British announce their own losses as well as the German losses. So Helmuth begins using an old typewriter to write pamphlets containing the real British news, as well as exposing the lies and brutality of the German government.

But Helmuth must be careful, for he knows that if he is caught, or exposed, the results will be just as swift and brutal as Hitler’s treatment of the Jews.

“The Boy Who Dared” is fascinating from a historical point of view. Helmuth’s heroic decision to do what he could to fight Hitler is admirable, and the book that Susan Campbell has written about his life is poignant and educational at the same time. The novel feels very genuine, and shows a different side of Germany, from the point of view of a German living under Hitler’s rule.

I would definitely recommend “The Boy Who Dared” as historical fiction that everyone should read.

Inkweaver Book Rating:

★★★★Plot

★★★★★Characters

★★★★Presentation

★★★★Overall

Your Rating:
Inkweaver Review 2009-07-19T17:11:00-05:00

21 replies so far. What are your thoughts?

Anonymous said...

the book is awesome

Christian Spurlock said...

The book is true and thats why i like it

Anonymous said...

One of the best books I have ever read.

Anonymous said...

i like WW2 books so i enjoyed reading this great book

Anonymous said...

the book was sad i didnt like ending but good book overall

Anonymous said...

i loved this book

Anonymous said...

Helmeuth dies

Anonymous said...

it was really good but it was sad when Helmuth died and it was a true story

Anonymous said...

He had to die... it is based upon the truth. He also might have died because Susan wanted to show the readers the severity of the Holocaust.

Anonymous said...

I loved this book. It was true but sad

Anonymous said...

best book I ever read :)

Anonymous said...

I HATE IT:(

Justin Bieber said...

most of the flashbacks (witch make up about 90% of the book) are HORRIBLE and BORING but the italics part (witch is present time)is very interesting.

Anonymous said...

This book is weird in some ways but it is still good

Anonymous said...

Adolf Hitler is a Nazi

Anonymous said...

The book was so decent and hitler is a bad man who was a nazi and mean to people,now you can read the book

Anonymous said...

I made a ending where helmuth servives and i wrote the last comment and the book is good but kinda confusing for a 7th grader

Anonymous said...

Good book.

HELMUTH DIES!!!!
RUDI AND KARL GET JAIL TIME BUT THEY LIVE!!!

Did I spoil the book? Sorry.

Anonymous said...

Sucks that Hulmuth dies, almost sadder than Rues death in the Hunger games

Anonymous said...

I read this book a year ago and now I have to do a book report on it, SUCKS

Anonymous said...

If you say you hate it, you suck