"The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti is set in the 1930's and 1940's during World War II. Helmuth is a young boy living in Germany when Hitler comes to power. At first, people are wary about Hitler and doubt that he is good for Germany, but Hitler soon controls the country with fear and the Gestapo. Young boys in Germany at this time were put into "Hitler Youth Groups" to learn how to be a "good German" and to prepare them for the military. Helmuth is placed in one of these groups but knows deep down what he is learning is wrong....very wrong...

We study WWII in 4th grade and read "Number the Stars" and "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes".

"The Boy Who Dared" is an amazing book about World War II but I'm not sure it is appropriate for 4th graders to read - the book's plot makes it more appropriate for 5th or 6th graders.

I really enjoyed this book and reading about another viewpoint on World War II.

This book might be the Caudill Winner...