The Boys Who Challenged Hitler Analysis
History is a subject that intrigues me, and then mix in an adventure, I’m hooked. The nonfiction, adventure novel, The Boys Who Challenged Hitler, by Phillip Hoose met all my qualifications. This Young Adult book shares the escapades of teenaged Knud Pedersen and his cohorts during Germany’s occupation of Denmark. Knud and his older brother, Jens, lead a group of Danish boys to resist the Nazi military and they called themselves the Churchill Club after Britain’s leader Winston Churchill. The undertaking of these boys was intense. Their exploits were amazing as they were dangerous. The most astonishing feat was that the youths’ parents were unaware of the boys’ actions until they were arrested. The brave teens sparked the Danish Resistance against Germany during World War II. This story expresses how anyone, even a teenaged boy, can be a catalyst for change in the world.
The literary genre of The Boys Who Challenged Hitler is nonfiction prose. The story is not just a historical account from Knud Pederson; however, the author did spend two weeks living with Knud and interviewing him. Phillip Hoose also interviewed other living Churchill Club members and friends, read court documents, newspaper articles, and books as well as scoured European World War II museum exhibits. Not only is this book a detailed narrative, it is an inspiring journey of a Danish World War II survivor.
Some of the literary techniques in this novel cannot be escaped. The setting is World War II and the plot is the evasion of the German Nazis. But, the point of view is unique and engaging. This story is being told from the point of view of a teenager who is Danish and not Jewish. Yet, he and his friends sees the danger that the Nazis bring to Denmark. The main character of young Knud Pedersen is so disarming. He is a real person and the author’s own fondness of him soaks into this character making Knud come across as genuine and believable. The actions and feelings of all the characters are rich and accurate for their age and time period. The history does come to life and the tale is fresh and remarkable.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Boys Who Challenged Hitler. The novel gave me a perspective that I had not been introduced to before in my history classes. The teens involved with the Churchill Club were daring and brave heroes. They took a stand against the Nazis when their own parents did not. The author, Phillip Hoose, wrote a dramatic and credible chronicle of the Churchill Club’s feats and Knud Pedersen’s experiences. Mr. Hoose expertly captured the fear and motivation of Knud from his outrage of the German occupation to the degradation encountered in prison. The reader is bombarded with the good, bad, and ugly of young Knud’s teen years. I cheered, worried, and prayed for Knud Pedersen during this story. The Boys Who Challenged Hitler is sure to be a World War II classic tale as soon as more readers discover this book.
