I cannot say enough about how impressed I was by this book. For students in Jr High and up, this is an incredible resource on teenage life in Nazi Germany. This book will bring WWII to life for them in a dramatic and immediate way.

The book follows many different "normal" teens through these years, discussing which options were available to each of them and what the results were of the decisions they made. The pictures and first hand accounts bring to life a period of time that could otherwise seem far too distant and foreign to teens. In reading this book, teens will see how such atrocities happened - and more importantly perhaps, realize that it could happen again.

This book is a fantastic jumping off point for stressing the importance of critical thinking. There are so many aspects in the book to explore and discuss with groups or assign as independent projects. I HIGHLY recommend this book for jr/senior high.

Hitler tried to create a terrible new order and one of his instruments was the Hitler Youth. By brainwashing and influencing the young, he created a cadre of fanitical youth willing to die for his twisted goals.
This short photographic book shows the rise and fall of the HJ and how their energy contributed to the prolongation of the war and the horrors of Nazi injustice.

Even though this book is for the younger reader, adults can gain new insight by reading about what Hitler planned with his core of youth followers. Thankfully the Allies prevailed in this war, rather than let the HJ follow through on murderous policies.

This is more of a picture book than a historical novel. The pictures are ones I have yet to see in my library of other WII references. The opening page has a spectacular photo of a very young boy probably around 5, standing at attention in full nazi decorum. There are some chapter stories of various personal events that provide a eye witness account as to the culture, frenzy and social pressues that were in effect at the time. Place this book on your coffee table and it is sure to spark conversation with any house guest!

Halfway through listening to this book on CD, I wondered why it seemed like the author was talking down to me. The writing was very simplistic and the extremely irritating narrator felt obligated to remind us that Nazism was bad by reading every race-related word with the utmost sarcasm possible, e.g. "Hitler wanted a 'puuuuure' (tee-hee) 'Aaaaaryan' (rotfl!) 'race' (hahahaha!)." This book also felt the need to explain even the most elemental German terms, the most hilarious being when the author told us that "Heil Hitler" means "Hail Hitler" in English. I was kind of offended at the condescension until I finally looked at the CD case and saw that the book was meant for grade-school kids. It contains some interesting accounts of time in the Hitler Youth, but nothing too revelatory. I guess the point of writing this book was to tell kids that racism is bad and not to be conformist. The author goes overboard though by declaring that "All scientists agree that race is only skin deep". (That quote may not be verbatim.) Even leaving aside questions of intelligence, that statement is a blatant lie, as widely varying racial susceptibility to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. will attest. Does Ms. Campbell Bartoletti really want children to be independent thinkers, or does she merely want to indoctrinate them in her own egalitarian ideology?

When pairing this book with books about World War II from the Allied perspective and the Jewish perspective, it really provides a completely different point of view. It allows students to see the historical event from more than one view, and this will encourage them to be open-minded and willing to see the points of view of others in life.

When pairing this book with books about World War II from the Allied perspective and the Jewish perspective, it really provides a completely different point of view. It allows students to see the historical event from more than one view, and this will encourage them to be open-minded and willing to see the points of view of others in life.

The greatest strength of this book is laid out in the very first line, when author Susan Campbell Bartoletti says, "This is not a book about Adolf Hitler". Instead, she says in her introduction, it is a book about the young people "that followed Hitler", about the children who grew up in his zenith and who had to negotiate a childhood shaped by his life and death. The youth corps or simply Hitler Youth are examined in a clarifying detail that showcases their positive and attractive elements like camping and companionship as well as early troublesome activities like Nazi propaganda distribution and eventually munitions training. The book is exceptionally well rounded, including the voices of those children who couldn't join, opposed, or were excluded from the Hitler Youth in addition to its most vigorous supporters. The stories interweave and co-exist, giving the reader a sense of the broad responses to Hitler's regime and the various roles of young people in that regime.

Hitler Youth is outstandingly researched and makes excellent use of primary sources, such as photos, letters, diaries, books, and oral histories in attractive and informative ways without ever overwhelming the reader. She places everything in a context of German history post-World War I that allows the reader to understand the Hitler Youth as a product of particular historical circumstances and not just something that happened autonomously. Her use of German words gives the book cultural authenticity.

Another great success of the book is the way that it slowly ratchets up the tension and terror as it explores the issues of war, terrorism, resistance, and authoritarianism. Stories and persons from the early chapters constantly reappear, and the changes over time are not simply a matter of grandiose historical events, but the reader can see these changes in the lives of people that they have come to know. And some of these children that we have come to sympathize with are clearly not innocent. They become soldiers and killers, they betray their parents, and at the end of the book, are complicated and traumatized individuals who must cope with the truth of Hitler's Final Solution, and their complicit or explicit role in it.

But Bartoletti is not content to simply tell us a story about the past; she also calls into question its implications for the future. Her final sentence of the book calls upon children and adults to ask themselves "What are you willing to do?" and that message resonates with the reader long after the book itself has been closed.

I cheered when this book when this book won a Newbery Honor. It is an excellently-written, well-researched, deeply moving book. In the beginning, Bartoletti states that this book is the story--the true story--of the millions of young Germans who joined the Hitler Youth. For them, the Hitler Youth offered excitment, adventure, and an opportunity to participate in the rebirth of Germany. And what a story Bartoletti tells! Drawing upon oral histories, diaries, letters, interviews, and other first-hand accounts, the reader is transported into the twelve terrible years of the Third Reich. You will read stories from the Hitler Youth and the Jews, from devoted Nazis and Nazi resisters. Some stories will make you angry. Some will make you cry. Others will reaffirm your belief in humanity. But no story will leave you unmoved. As a result, this book is heart-wrenching. It is no wonder that this book has received so much critical acclaim. It is a must-read for anyone who believes we must learn from the past.

I loved the book Hitler Youth because it was not just the point of view a Natzi or a Holocust serviver this book had a person who betrayed Hitler, a loyal follower of the Natzi cause, and even a man who was willing to and nearly died for Germany. This book was very powerful and I was very glad to have read every point of view not just one. I hpe that you by this book I pesonally had tears in my eyes

This is a wonderfully written and informative book on the Holocaust. I'm using it with my 8th grade class as we look at the Holocaust in today's world. It's really opened their eyes to how young people (all People) can be manipulated so easily. The research is thorough and complete. Even so, it reads so easily and the stories come alive. I would highly recommend this book.

A fascinating topic, a collection of amazing photographs, and a uniquely squandered opportunity. That, my dear ladies and gentlemen, is the only way to describe Susan Campbell Bartoletti's gorgeous and skin deep treatment of what could well have been a fascinating topic. Consider the children that grew up under Hitler. What a great series of true-to-life stories! Before our eyes we see what happens when propaganda and misplaced nationalism combine to bring to power an evil man. But does that, by association, make the kids who belonged to the Hitler Youth evil as well? Does it mean that they carried some of his guilt or were they victims? Could it happen again? To what extent is a person responsible for their actions in an totalitarian government? Well I sure as heck don't know cause Bartoletti, while she may be many things, is fond of facts and deeply afraid of context. So instead of a truly intelligent look at how a single instance in history affected humanity as a whole, we get a nice series of interesting stories without any insight whatsoever. This is obviously a great idea for a book. Unfortunately, the writing doesn't live up to the reality.

The books says it right from the start. "This book is the story of the millions of boys and girls who belonged to the Hitler Youth and bore the name proudly". Opposite this page a preschooler stands in full SA dress, his right arm raised in a salute to Hitler. From there on in we meet a wide variety of young people. The book follows their lives as Hitler rises to power and the organization known as the Hitler Youth grows in importance right alongside him. Much of this information is completely new and surprising. At first, kids were heavily encouraged to join various organizations with ties to the Nazi government. Later on, they were forced to join and severely brought to heel if they refused. We read about a lot of boys and girls who became convinced that Adolf Hitler was the only way to go. Some reported their own parents to the government. Others became fighters in his army. Still others joined the Hitler Youth and then became rapidly disillusioned with the oppression that came with it. We read about Jewish kids and teens and how the Hitler Youth affected their lives. We even learn about those kids who fought back against the government, including the heroes behind the White Rose organization and their eventual fates. Filled to brimming with information too little known and photographs that bring about a dropping of the jaws, some of the most interesting information comes when the war was lost and the youth had to be reeducated in some manner. Bartoletti ends with an Epilogue that tells what happened to some of the kids in this book, a Time Line, an Author's Note on how she got her info, photograph notes, Quote Sources, and a complete Bibliography.

So what kind of a loon am I to give this book three stars? Am I completely insane? Not so much, I'm afraid. My objection, as you've noted from my earlier words, is that Bartoletti refuses to look at the bigger picture. Talented authors tend to finish their books with some telling words. These include thoughts that are meant to leave the reader pondering over what they've seen and read. Bartoletti does this too. She devotes all of seven sentences at the end of her story to the momentus information already presented. Already I can hear echoes of people telling me that I'm being too harsh on this book. After all, it was written for kids. It's not like this is some adult text, right? Of course it isn't. But just because a book is written for children, that doesn't mean it should settle for being second-rate. Consider James Cross Giblin's, "The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler". Written for the same age group as, "Hitler Youth", Giblin's book is obviously the superior of the two. Not only do we see the rise and fall of a dictator, but we get a little context mixed in there as well. What makes an average joe so very very evil? Why did the Germans go along with Hitler's crazy schemes? All these questions are worked into the book with a skilled hand, making Giblin one of the best children's biographers working today. Bartoletti has a lot to learn at this point. Her book's Forward mentions that this isn't a Hitler book but a story of the common German people and that this is "their story". Unfortunately, the Forward is about one page long and doesn't even attempt to give the kids any additional insight into the implications inherent in living under an oppressive government. If there is any premise here at all it must be something along the lines of propaganda-made-kids-love-Hitler-but-not-all-of-them. Which is a good idea for a book and all, but it's something you'd expect in a story written for fourth graders. This title is written with sixth graders and up in mind. The kinds of kids who could identify with a sixteen-year-old going off to war. You want Bartoletti to play with her material some more. How much better this book would be if she got the kids thinking about what evil really comes down to. She could've made one of the staunchly pro-Hitler Youth members seem friendly and fun, then hit the reader over the head with their awful politics and even worse actions. Instead, she just kind of throws the story out there, gives us a lot of pretty pictures, and doesn't bother to interact with her readership in a meaningful way.

Here's an excellent example of how Bartoletti ignores moments in her book that could really make an impact but, due to a lack of attention, fizzle out and die instead. In one instance we learn that the Hitler Youth were (as the war went on) increasingly recruited into the armed forces at earlier and earlier ages. The book says, "It seems ironic that the commanders considered the boys old enough to fight but not old enough to smoke: The youngest recruits were given candy instead of the usual cigarette ration that older soldiers received". Granted, Bartoletti points out the dichotomy of thinking kids old enough to kill and not old enough to destroy their own lungs. Then again, that wonderful image of sixteen-year-olds being given candy on the fighting fields is open to all kinds of comments. The innocence inherent in such an action. And how evil could you call these kids when all they wanted was some bubble gum? The word "evil" never appears in the text. Bartoletti doesn't want to deal with extremes or moral implications. Sometimes this works, but mostly it casts the reader adrift. Some context, some context, my kingdom for some context.

So who am I to say that this book's not peachy keen when obviously the Newbery committee awarded it an Honor medal for a reason? Well, I'm afraid the old Newbery folks were fooled by Scholastic's primo packaging on this puppy. Having obviously spared no expense, the book is a truly beautiful thing to behold. A kiddie coffee table tome. The photographs are numerous and perfect (in spite of their often odd captions). The book is bound into an interesting size with lots of glossy shots and interesting tidbits. Bartoletti has done her research and transposed her facts into understandable terms for kids, and no one is going to argue that the book isn't incredibly interesting. In the realm of children's non-fiction, however, it has as much depth as your average high school social studies text. If you want a children/teen non-fiction title that will encourage your kids to think, check out "The Life and Death of Adolph Hitler" by James Cross Giblin. If you just want them to know some facts but you don't care if they think about them too deeply, "Hitler Youth" is the book for you.

Generations since World War II have asked "How" and "Why?" ordinary people could have gone along with the evil machinations of Hitler and the Third Reich. Ms. Bartoletti gives us real stories of real young people and how easy it is to get caught up in "patriotic fervor" and a desire to serve one's country in a most dangerous way. Would make an excellent addition to high school reading lists along with "The Diary of Anne Frank" since it tells a story of the era from the other side

I'd like to respond to Paul Foster's review in that it is very important NOT TO FORGET things like this because to remember terrible events like World War II and the Holocaust, and writing and speaking about it, ensures and educates our future generations that these events must never happen again.

Yet another anti-German hate book for kids.WWII has been over for sixty years,isn't about time we called off the hate campaign?How many more generations of kids are we going to brainwash with this garbage?The war is over,the hate and propaganda should be over too.

The book I read is called Hitler Youth. It was written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. It is a non-fiction book. This book is all about the life of the kids who followed Hitler. It follows the life of a couple of kids. At the very begginning one of the main characters dies. Hitler was so mad, that he named an official day after the kid. I liked this book more than I thought I would. it is very cool and suspenseful. I think it is more for adults.

So many books have been written about the Holocaust and World War 2, and most of them have been either from the Jewish point of view or the Allied point of view. This one tackles the same subjects through the difficult eyes of those people who, as children, were inducted into the Hitler Youth. This book is very frank about the jubilation these youngsters felt as they beheld Hitler and his vision for Germany and how they were indoctrinated in the propaganda. It's very scary thinking of how Hitler targeted the young and innocent as vehicles for his schemes and how successful he was doing this. The author takes interviews and writings and shows clearly how the individuals were taken in by this machine; the youth themselves, now elderly, don't excuse themselves but do tell the tale so that it is easy to see how they became so enamored. This book should be required reading for those young adults studying World War 2 because it's important to remember that there were two sides to the story and how innocent youngsters were willing victims. Highly recommended.

Middle school into high school readers will find Susan Campbell Bartoletti 's Hitler Youth: Growing Up In Hitler's Shadow a captivating close-up study of the organized propaganda youth group which helped the Nazis grow. More than seven million children belonged to the Hitler Youth: Bartoletti here supplements the voices of former Youth members with resistance voices to provide an excellent survey of the experience on all sides. Vintage photos and illustrations enhance the end result, making Hitler Youth a 'must' for any serious coverage of Holocaust history for this age group.

"To continue reading their favorite books, the Scholl children formed their own clandestine reading circle and shared forbidden books with others. Hans found himself in trouble again when a Hitler Youth leader caught him reading a book by a Jewish author. The leader ripped the book from Han's hands. 'This filth is forbidden,' said the leader.
"On the night of May 10, 1933, in many German cities, university students and Storm Troopers carried flaming torches and marched behind trucks and oxcarts filled with banned books. In Berlin, Bert Lewyn watched as the Storm Troopers and students tossed the books onto a huge pile and then poured gasoline over it. They touched the pile with their torches. 'The whole thing exploded into a column of flame many feet high,' said Bert. 'I was too scared to say a word.'
"The work of Heinrich Heine, a German poet of Jewish origin, burned among the books. One hundred years earlier, Heine had warned, 'Where one burns books, one will, in the end, burn people.' "

I grew up in suburban Long Island with quite a few Jewish friends. A bunch of them had parents who stuck them in Commack's experimental Extended School Year Program in the mid-Sixties, as my mom did with us. We were tracked together in high school, worked together on Student Council and National Honor Society, and got together for rock concerts, birthday parties and cast parties. To varying degrees we were all pretty good students and all a little bit wild.

"Although a poor student himself, Hitler had definite ideas about education. For Hitler, education had one purpose: to mold children into good Nazis. As soon as the Nazis came to power, they took control of the public schools, called National Schools. They threw out old textbooks and implemented new ones. They rewrote the curriculum from top to bottom, so that it only taught Nazi-approved ideas."

They also threw out any teachers who wouldn't get with the new curriculum, as well as all the Jewish teachers.

Being just one generation removed from the days of WWII and the Holocaust, I have always had a desire to understand how a whole nation could seemingly be accomplices in the murder of six million Jews, some of them close relatives of guys I'd spent weeks camping with and girls with whom I'd often shared saliva.

"In April 1933, the Nazis passed the Law Against the Overcrowding of German Schools. The new law placed a limit on the number of Jews allowed to attend elementary schools, secondary schools, and universities. 'They [the Jews] have no business being among us true Germans,' explained one Nazi teacher to his students"

HITLER YOUTH doesn't totally solve the mystery for me of how you convince a country to commit such unspeakable atrocities and for the world to condone the evolving process for so long. But as with Susan Campbell Bartoletti's previous award-winning books, HITLER YOUTH is an impeccably researched and eminently readable informational book that goes much farther in explaining the inexplicable than any book I've ever read. Much of the power of HITLER YOUTH comes from the author beginning the book with initial presentations of a dozen young Germans from those days--with photos and thumbnail bios--and then presenting significant amounts of the story in the words of those twelve people.

Included among those twelve are a real hero and heroine, two young siblings who would eventually help form the famed White Rose resistance group:

"Without doubt, his father, Robert Scholl, was proud of his son. He had once told his children: 'What I want most of all is that you live in uprightness and freedom of spirit, no matter how difficult that may be.'
"Those were words that Hans and Sophie Scholl would never forget. Over the years, the brother and sister grew deeply disillusioned with National Socialism. They resented the loss of individual rights and personal freedoms. They wanted the right to make their own decisions and lead their own lives.
" 'I must go my own way, and I do so gladly,' Hans once wrote to a friend. 'I'm not anxious to avoid a host of dangers and temptations. My sole ambition must be to perceive things clearly and calmly.'
"Sophie said it another way. In her diary she once wrote, 'After all, one should have the courage to believe only in what is good. By that, I do not mean one should believe in illusions. I mean one should do only what is true and good and take it for granted that others will do the same.' "

The Hitler Youth was established in 1926. They were kicking Jews out of school in 1933. I can't help but feel that if you were an adult or young adult and hadn't figured it out by then, you had to be racist, extremely ignorant, or both. That includes a number of American journalists of the time who gave the Hitler Youth movement rave reviews. That people inside and outside of Germany did not raise their voices in outrage during the rise of Hitler cost the world those six million innocent Jewish lives, the lives of six million other "enemies of the Reich" (including homosexuals), as well as the millions and millions of additional deaths and scared lives from among those who fought in WWII.

The lesson for me has always been to cherish my own First Amendment rights and to shout out about prejudice, about invading other countries, about book burning, and about questionable political agendas involving public schools.

It is my hope that readers of HITLER YOUTH will perceive connections with today's and tomorrow's current events and that the book will inspire them to similarly shout out when they perceive intolerance in their world.