Courage & Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark

by Deborah Hopkinson

Overview

When the Nazis invaded Denmark on Tuesday, April 9, 1940, the people of this tiny country to the north of Germany awoke to a devastating surprise. The government of Denmark surrendered quietly, and the Danes were ordered to go about their daily lives as if nothing had changed. But everything had changed. Award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson traces the stories of the heroic young men and women who would not stand by as their country was occupied by a dangerous enemy. Rather, they fought back. Some were spies, passing tactical information to the British; some were saboteurs, who aimed to hamper and impede Nazi operations in Denmark; and 95% of the Jewish population of Denmark were survivors, rescued by their fellow countrymen, who had the courage and conscience that drove them to act. With her talent for digging deep in her research and weaving real voices into her narratives, Hopkinson reveals the thrilling truth behind one of WWII's most daring resistance movements.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545592222
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/25/2015
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	229,258
File size:	83 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Deborah Hopkinson is the acclaimed author of over forty award-winning books, including Shutting Out the Sky, an NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book and a Jane Addams Peace Award Honor book; Up Before Daybreak, a Carter G. Woodson Honor Award winner; Titanic: Voices from the Disaster, a YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist and Sibert Honor book; Courage & Defiance, Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark, a Sydney Taylor Notable book and Orbis Pictus Recommended title; and Dive! World War II Stories of Sailors & Submarines in the Pacific. Deborah lives with her family near Portland, Oregon.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Courage & Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark:

A Sydney Taylor Notable Book
An NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book
A Cybils Award Finalist

"With numerous pictures and illustrations accompanying the text, this is a fascinating look at a little-known corner of WWII." -- Publishers Weekly

"[A] spirited, inspiring, and extremely well-researched book... ideal for both classroom use and independent reading." -- Booklist

Praise for Titanic: Voices from the Disaster:

A Sibert Honor Book
A YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist
An ALA Notable Children's Book
An IRA Teacher's Choice
A Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Year
A Horn Book Fanfare Book
A Cybils Award Finalist

"An affecting portrait of human ambition, folly and almost unbearable nobility in the face of death." -- The Wall Street Journal

"A meticulous recounting of the disaster... Hopkinson's reporting is so rich with information that it will be equally fascinating to young readers and adults alike."
-- Los Angeles Times

*"Hopkinson knows precisely what's she doing in her coverage of the Titanic disaster... [A] fine book." -- The Horn Book, starred review

*"Fascinating... A thorough and absorbing re-creation of the ill-fated voyage."
-- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"Riveting." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

*"An absorbing and richly satisfying read." -- School Library Journal, starred review

Praise for Up Before Daybreak:
*"Rarely have the links between northern industry, southern agriculture, slavery, war, child labor, and poverty been so skillfully distilled for this audience." -- Booklist, starred review

*"Superb nonfiction writing." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"Excellent." -- School Library Journal, starred review

Praise for Shutting Out the Sky:
*"Nonfiction at its best." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review
*"[A] fascinating read." --School Library Journal, starred review

From the Publisher

On Tuesday, April 9, 1940, the government of Denmark quietly allowed Germany to take over their country, leading to just over five years of German occupation. While some Danes tolerated the occupation, others resisted. Some worked alone; others were somewhat organized in groups. Hopkinson focuses on certain individuals or groups who destroyed German vehicles, stole weapons, or bombed German facilities; wrote, printed, and distributed leaflets urging resistance; spied on the Germans and gave the information to the British; or quietly aided the removal of Jews before the Nazis could round them up. Most were young males with strong personal convictions. Hopkinson uses a chronological approach to her well-researched and documented text, which is mesmeric at times. Photographs, illustrations, and documents supplement the text, as do a Danish pronunciation guide, “People in this Book” section, chronology, map, bibliography, source notes, and index. Unfortunately, the book itself will appear dense to its audience since the text is long. Most will not read it cover to cover, but rather use it as a research tool. That is a shame, as the book reads like a real-life spy thriller. Chapters are like small stories, with topics sometimes revisited later. Hopkinson has pulled together several narratives to create a multifaceted, complex, and thought-provoking look at an extremely difficult period. Hopkinson’s scope is broader than Hoose’s The Boys Who Challenged Hitler (Farrar, 2015). Both make clear that ordinary people put their lives on the line when it matters, underscoring that one person can indeed make a difference in the world. Reviewer: Peg Glisson; Ages 12 up.

Children's Literature - Peg Glisson