Starred review from July 15, 2016
The son of the Irish ambassador to Germany poses as a member of the Hitler Youth in order to support the Allies during World War II. Just like his parents, 13-year-old Michael O'Shaunessey, from the politically neutral country of Ireland, becomes a spy in Nazi Germany. When a downed British pilot alerts him to the existence of Projekt 1065--an effort by Nazi Germany to build a faster warplane that works without propellers--Michael discovers that his classmate Fritz's father is designing the plane, which gives him remarkable access to the blueprints. Michael's photographic memory comes in handy for remembering enemy codes and formulas. When, as a junior Gestapo, he joins the group assigned to assassinate a Jewish physicist who is working on developing an American atom bomb, he becomes embroiled in a complex drama of espionage and betrayal. Through Michael's narration and an accessible story and characters, Gratz sheds light on the connection between Fascism and bullying, the moral dilemmas of war, and the lesser-known, common use of children for serious tasks by the Nazi regime. He doesn't shy from challenging his readers, offering them a coming-of-age story that concludes that sometimes good people must be sacrificed or wrong things must be done in order to win a larger battle. A rare insider's glimpse into the Hitler Youth: animated, well-researched, and thought-provoking. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 10-14)
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Starred review from August 1, 2016
Gr 7 Up-Michael O'Shaunessey may be the son of the Irish ambassador to Germany, but in 1943, with his flawless German and easy intelligence, he represents the perfect Hitler Youth, ambitiously climbing the organization's ranks. Michael is living a lie; he despises the Nazis and all they represent. He enlisted in the Hitler Youth in order to infiltrate Nazi hierarchy and access information that will assist his parents in spying for the Allies. When a friend shows him plans for the new jet airplane the Nazis are developing, his covert activities turn deadly serious. Gratz returns to the World War II era of his Prisoner B-3087 to illuminate a little-known aspect of the war. Although Ireland declared itself neutral, documents declassified decades after the war revealed its diplomats were actually collecting intelligence for the Allies. Gratz takes readers inside daily life in Germany as well as the Hitler Youth organization, deftly conveying the suspicion and fear that were the constant companions of German citizens. Michael grapples with deep moral dilemmas, including the painful choice to sacrifice one life for the greater good. An author's note offers supplemental information and background on the Hitler Youth. While the book is replete with fascinating historical insight, Gratz has also crafted a suspenseful mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With short, action-packed chapters, it is a great choice for reluctant readers as well. VERDICT A winning combination of action, suspense, and historical setting. Recommended for all collections.-Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor School District, Lancaster, PA
Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2016
Grades 5-8 Michael O'Shaunessey seems an unlikely candidate for the Hitler Youth. It's 1943 and the Irish lad lives in Berlin with his parents, where his father is the Irish ambassador. But both parents work undercover supporting the British war effort, and since Michael attends school with German classmates, what better way to spot and thwart Nazi plans than to join the Hitler Youth? Despite an overload of subplots and simplistic coincidences (the harboring of a fugitive British airman; some easily retrieved sketches for the titular Projekt 1065, a new German jet-engine warcraft; the thwarting of the assassination of a nuclear scientist), readers will nonetheless be caught up by this high-action spy thriller. So, too, will they marvel at the erstwhile teen hero, especially as he learns to overcome his fear of heights and utilize his conveniently photographic memory to reconstruct Projekt plans. A solid effort that evokes the desperation of the waning days of Nazi power and sheds light on the undercover role neutral Irish diplomats actually played during the war.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2017
Thirteen-year-old Irish boy Michael and his family are Allied spies in 1943 Nazi Germany, where Michael is posing as a member of the Hitler Youth. He becomes involved in a plot to uncover Projekt 1065, Germany's development of a new, faster plane without propellers. Based on true events and documented facts, this historical thriller and coming-of-age novel will keep readers highly engaged.
(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)