Soldier Boys

May 5, 2003

Two idealistic teens—one American, the other German—insist on hurrying into battle during WWII and become disillusioned. "The premise proves more compelling than the somewhat uneven plotting and character development," wrote PW, "but many readers will appreciate this realistically harrowing depiction of the pointlessness of war." Ages 12-up.

November 1, 2001
Gr 7-9-Parallel stories follow teenagers Spence Morgan, a farm boy from Utah, and Dieter Hedrick, a farm boy from Bavaria. Stirred by complex feelings of patriotism and adolescent insecurities, both young men find themselves fighting for their respective countries in World War II. The first part of the story follows Spence from his small-town life to the rigors of basic training as a paratrooper; Dieter has left his family in order to supervise other Hitler youth, digging trenches on the German border. Then suddenly, both teens are thrust into the chaos and carnage of the Battle of the Bulge. Dieter has his eyes opened somewhat by a disillusioned and embittered corporal in his unit. Spence learns of war's truths when his best friend dies. The novel comes alive in these final chapters, capturing the soldiers' struggles to stay warm and to overcome their fear, and the battle scenes place readers in the center of the action. Hughes doesn't flinch from describing the devastating effect of a bullet. Soldier Boys rises above the clich s of standard World War II stories and serves as a reminder that wars are often fought by young people like those we see every day in our libraries.-Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL

Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.