Ah, yes, a little light reading: Hitler Youth

1. Campbell Bartoletti, S. (2005). Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow. New York: Scholastic Nonfiction, 176 pp.
Nonfiction, WWII History; 2006 Newbery Medal Honor Book

2. As I said, curl up, grab a nice relaxing glass of wine, and prepare yourself for a calming bit of WWII horrors. Bartoletti's Hitler Youth details the beginnings of the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth to us not from the Fatherland) through the breadth of WWII. Rather than follow one or two people across that entire scope, Bartoletti instead uses a broad brush stroke to incorporate what the Youth were doing--war games, ditch digging, passing out propaganda--while also setting the scene and climate of Germany leading up to WWII. Bartoletti uses many chilling photos from the period (I know I cringe at a small child in an SS outfit), as well as numerous quotes from former members of the Youth.

3. It'd be hard to criticize the characters or plot in the book (yeah, well, that Hitler's just a little too crazy, you know?; or, no, I don't think a savvy warmongerer would wage battle in Russia, in winter) considering the all too true accounts in this nonfiction piece. Bartoletti does do a good job of presenting former members as people, too; she humanizes that which we dismiss as 'evil.' Also, there's a barrage of information present in the book, a lot of which I'd never previously read (mainly the climate of hatred toward Jews prior to Hitler's rise). Other issues presented in the book include blind submission to authority (hello Guantanamo) as well as ethical and moral dilemmas (do you join the Youth to save your family?; do you abandon your Jewish friend?).

4. Hitler Youth can most obviously be used as a book across the curriculum, particularly working with Social Studies or History classes. Also, I'd consider using the book in conjuction with Diary of Anne Frank, if only to embolden a lesson with more facts and history (along with more horrors). The moral questions provide numerous writing activities for children, as well as an examination of today's political world. Also, if a student was interested in that time period, or if a boy was fascinated by the machinery of war, rather than the human aspect, I might steer that student toward the book (if only to strip away the shiny gloss from guns and bullets).

5. As for age range, I think middle school children would be able to handle the reading. They would, though, be faced with tough moral questions (which might also get them talking to their parents, another good benefit).

6. I was impressed by the sheer number of quotes gathered by Bartoletti, as well as the interesting facts she presents in her book. My issues with the book stem from Bartoletti's choice to narrate from an editorial vantage point. Most nonfiction I've read is more along the creative nonfiction bent, where a character or person is followed, almost as if in a novel, and the facts surrounding the character are presented in a novel-like format. Bartoletti's book does venture into specific stories, but mainly reads as historical text at times--which isn't bad, just not as engaging as it could have been. We as readers are introduced to a couple of people, Hans and Sophie Scholl in particular, who show up again and again, but mostly we're inundated with reportage. I would end up recommending the book, but would be hesitant to teach it if only because of the nonfiction elements present (teach it in conjunction with other things, yes; by itself, no).