Bonhoeffer Student

July 1, 2015

Gr 6 Up-Part biography, part religious history, and part youth devotional, this student edition of the adult best seller is an introduction to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a young German pastor who lived under Nazi rule. The focus is on Bonhoeffer's life, including his growth as a Christian, his leadership as a pastor, and his struggle with the evil he faced in Nazi Germany. Metaxas briefly mentions Bonhoeffer's involvement with multiple assassination attempts against Hitler, such as the infamous Valkyrie plan. The description of Bonhoeffer's imprisonment and execution are addressed with a sensitivity befitting younger readers. Unfortunately, there's limited coverage of Bonhoeffer's actual spy endeavors, and students will be left with a disappointing sense that this book is clearly an abridged version of a more complete story. Informational sidebars are seamlessly integrated into the text. Time lines at the start of each chapter provide grounding in historical context, though the book lacks an index. Each chapter includes faith-centered questions, prayer suggestions, and encouraging Bible passages. VERDICT This title is a suitable addition for larger collections and will appeal to those looking for a Christian faith devotional rooted in historical context.-Paige Rowse, Syosset High School Library, New York

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2015
Grades 6-9 Abridged and adapted from the author's 2010 adult book of the same name, this does a good job of bringing Dietrich Bonhoeffer to life for a younger audience. Starting at the end, with a chapter on a 1945 London memorial service for Bonhoeffer and others, the book goes on to describe Bonhoeffer's childhood in Germany, his burgeoning interest in religion, a life-changing trip to the U.S. in 1928, and his dedication to the Lutheran church. At the same time, cogent explanations of Hitler's rise, the spread of the Nazi regime both within Germany and without, and the intricacies of the resistance movement heighten the narrative. Frequent boxes and sidebars add further information but can seem intrusive, especially the questions prompting readers to consider certain issues. The text is so well written that most readers would do this anyway. At least the questions could have been relegated to each chapter's end, where think about it questions also appear. Format aside, this is a book to spark discussion and can be used in both religion and history classes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)