The Boys Who Challenged Hitler

Hoose offers a fascinating glimpse of a little-known historical moment when a group of Danish schoolboys, infuriated by their country's lack of resistance, committed acts of sabotage to protest German occupation, ultimately inspiring their nation to act. The book alternates between passages of meticulously researched historical narrative-- read ably by the author, who masters challenging Danish names and words--and Knud Pedersen's first-person accounts, performed by Michael Braun. Listeners of all ages will be captivated by Hoose's thoughtful portrayal of courage under fire: Using only bicycles and relying on sheer nerve, the boys stole weapons and defaced Nazi property. Meanwhile, Braun's dramatic presentation of Pedersen's recollections adds an immediacy that rounds out this astonishing account of a time when a handful of brave boys helped change history. J.C.G. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine


Hoose offers a fascinating glimpse of a little-known historical moment when a group of Danish schoolboys, infuriated by their country's lack of resistance, committed acts of sabotage to protest German occupation, ultimately inspiring their nation to act. The book alternates between passages of meticulously researched historical narrative-- read ably by the author, who masters challenging Danish names and words--and Knud Pedersen's first-person accounts, performed by Michael Braun. Listeners of all ages will be captivated by Hoose's thoughtful portrayal of courage under fire: Using only bicycles and relying on sheer nerve, the boys stole weapons and defaced Nazi property. Meanwhile, Braun's dramatic presentation of Pedersen's recollections adds an immediacy that rounds out this astonishing account of a time when a handful of brave boys helped change history. J.C.G. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Starred review from March 16, 2015
Hoose (Moonbird) vividly recounts the true story of the courageous and brazen teens who inspired the Danish resistance movement in WWII. Angered and embarrassed by his nation’s lack of opposition to the German invasion, 15-year-old Knud Pedersen, his older brother, and a few classmates formed the secret Churchill Club (named for the British prime minister they admired). For five months in 1942, club members committed daring acts of sabotage, often from their bikes and mostly in broad daylight (“Arson became our game. We took to carrying a small quantity of petrol with us... stuffing the canister in a school bag ”). Hoose’s narrative alternates with Pedersen’s verbatim recollections (taken from a weeklong interview with him in 2012). Though readers initially may have trouble knowing when Pedersen’s quotations end and the author’s segues begin, this gripping story quickly gathers momentum, and the shifts between narrators flow smoothly. Archival photos break up the text, while an epilogue details what happened to each young resister after his imprisonment and the war’s end. A bibliography and source notes conclude this inspiring account. Ages 12–18.

September 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-A group of Danish middle school boys, led by 15-year-old Knud Pedersen, decided to resist German occupation in Denmark despite the government's acceptance. Like soldiers, they were determined and disciplined, being careful not to blow their cover. Naming themselves the Churchill Club, they began by changing directional signs and cutting communication wires. Eventually they got their hands on grenades and started blowing up German cars. Organized but untrained, they stole rifles left unattended by German soldiers and began to kill Germans with their own weapons. The Churchill Club was eventually caught, tried, and imprisoned. Listeners will have to decide if what the boys did was justified or mischievous. Michael Braun's narration is well done. VERDICT Many students will be interested in this work of nonfiction that shows a different perspective of life during World War II.-Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI

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