by Lois Lowry
ages: 9+
First sentence: “I’ll race you to the corner, Ellen!”
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I read this a long time ago, but only wrote this little review about it:  “A compelling story about a Danish family during the Nazi resistance and how they help save their Jewish neighbors. Made me proud to have Danish ancestors. (Though, admittedly, none were there in 1943.)”

While I had much of the same reaction upon rereading, I was struck with how simple this book was.

It’s the story of a Danish family in 1943. The Nazis have taken over Denmark, and the Johansens — Father, Mother, daughters Annemarie and Kirstie (their older sister Lise died a couple years before) — is learning to adapt. It’s not fun, it’s not easy, but they’re stalwart and determined. Then, one night, the rabbis warned their congregations that the Nazis were coming for them. That includes the Johansens’ neighbors and good friends, the Rosens. It falls to the Johansens to help the Rosens escape to Sweden.

I think the best part of the book is that it’s based on a true story. The Danish really did help the Jews escape the Nazis. There really were courageous people who sacrificed their safety to help their friends.

But the story itself was… simplistic. I know Lowry was writing for middle grade readers, but there lacked a complexity that even the best middle grade readers have. It was straightforward, matter-of-fact, and lacked a depth that I had hoped for.

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the book; I did. It’s just that there are better WWII books out there. Even though, as a Dane, I do appreciate having this story told.