Greene, Bette. The Summer of My German Soldier. New York, NY: Puffin, 1999. ISBN:0-14-130636-X.
Summary
The summer that Patty turns twelve, a group of captured Nazi's are sent to a POW camp outside her town of Jenkinsville, Arkansas. One day, while Patty is helping out in her parent's department store the POWs come in to buy some things. Patty helps one of the POWs named Anton and is struck by how polite and interesting he is. He is much kinder to her than her own parents, who are always yelling and belittling her. So, even though she is Jewish, Patty Bergen hides a German soldier when he escapes. Patty does all she can to get Anton to safety while her father does everything he can to help the FBI track him down. Patty's involvement only escalates her father's anger and violence towards her.
Critical Evaluation
Patty is a fairly simple girl. She feels frustration, anger at her parents and kindness towards Anton. The book is written in a formal language, unlike how teens would actually talk. Patty's love for Anton happens too soon in the story, but it appears justified after Anton risks exposing himself to stop Patty's beating. An interesting portrayal of the WWII homefront. The language and style might turn off some modern readers, but the story is a good one.
Reader's Annotation
It didn't matter that he was a German POW in WWII and she was Jewish. To Patty in the summer she turns twelve, Anton is the first man who is ever kind to her, showing interest and compassion. When Anton escapes and asks Patty for help, she's torn.
Genre and subject
WWII, prison escape, forbidden romance
Bibliotherapuetic Usefulness
The way people treat you is more important than who those people are.
Why I chose it
The cover depicts this book as a steamy romance, a la Fabio. It's not completely inaccurate!
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