Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Hitler's Canary by Sandi Toksvig

Hitler's Canary is the story of the invasion of Denmark by the Nazis in World War II. Bamse's family is a quiet, peaceable family, but when the Nazis arrive, everything changes. His brother Orlando starts doing dangerous work for the resistance while his father believes they should sit the war out. But Bamse's friend Anton is a Jew, and soon working against the Nazis is no longer an option but a necessity.

This book was a fresh and interesting look at the traditional Nazi/Jew story. My favorite parts were the ones that talked about Bamse's mother's eccentric thespian ways, and their life surrounding the theater. I could definitely relate to this quote:
"We lived in a make-believe world and it was hard for me to imagine doing anything else with my life."
The writing was perhaps a little lacking, but the book is still worth reading. If a somewhat simple story, Hitler's Canary was still quite interesting and the characters' heroism inspiring.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Moscow, ID USA