Hitler's Youth: Growing Up In Hitler's Shadow

1.   BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell, 2005. HILTER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW, New York, NY:  Scholastic. ISBN 0-394-80020-6

2.   PLOT SUMMARY

A nonfiction book that describes how young boys and girls followed Hitler and his Nazi party and were called the Hitler Youth.  “Some Joined because they desired to…others because it was dangerous not to” and they were trained to be “Stormtroopers”. Hitler gathered over 3 million of these children who willingly follow in his “shadow”.  This book told of horrifying stories from both Nazi and Jewish children about the mass murders of Jews by the Nazi German party.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This historical nonfiction book was painfully riveting to read and made you wonder how so many children seem to be “brainwashed” by Hitler and the his movement. 

The documented photos exhibited appeared grim and sorrowful; some of the children seemed emotionless, making you feel their anguish. The author words made you feel as if you were there when children would turn on their own parents saying, “I had to pick”. The book included actual interview from the young people featured in this book who lived through this horror.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Epilogue that described what happened to the children featured in this piece, including where they moved and if they were imprisoned. 

4.   REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

School Library Journal: This book “challenges readers to prevent history from repeating itself”

Newbery Honor 2006 and Sibert Honor Award-winning Book

5.   CONNECTIONS

* Also read the book GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT by Hesse.

*Explore related teaching about the rise and fall of Hitler.