Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2005.

2. PLOT SUMMARY

The book is about the young boys and girls who devoted their lives to the Hitler Youth organization. It is important to realize that the book is not about Hitler, but about the young generation that served him.


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The image on the cover of the book of a young boy in uniform being held by a half seen Hitler says it all: This book is not about Hitler. If the image was not a clear indication, the introduction to the book is. The author wants you to understand that although Hitler is mentioned in the book, he is in no way the main subject. The book begins with a pictorial introduction to all of the youths that are highlighted in the book. Bartoletti bombards the readers with information with each paragraph, like the battle of Normandy. This onslaught of history is honest and sometimes brutal. Bartoletti paints such a vivid picture of the lives of the young ones who were brainwashed by their government. She does not sugar coat history for young children, but she also does not over indulge in the monstrosities of war either. She delicately explains the torture and destruction in a way for a child to understand without being horrified of the gore. The readers will find themselves engrossed with the lives of the children who find themselves in a dangerous world without freedom. There is not a page turn without a historical image with a curious sidebar to accompany it. Bartoletti expertly spans across two generations and a war. Readers will find themselves deeply moved by the book. The book concludes with many useful references. The epilogue gives a detailed history of all the survivors of the story. A timeline is given on one page, starting in the year 1926 and ending in 1945. The book completes with multiple pages of references chronicling photographs, quote sources (AMAZING!), and her bibliography.


4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

2006 John Newberry Medal Winner

2006 Sibert Medal Nominee

From Publisher's Weekly: "Bartoletti offers a unique and riveting perspective on WWII by focusing on the young people who followed Hitler from 1933-1945….Bartoletti's portrait of individuals within the Hitler Youth who failed to realize that they served “a mass murderer” is convincing, and while it does not excuse the atrocities, it certainly will allow readers to comprehend the circumstances that led to the formation of Hitler's youngest zealots."

From Booklist: The handsome book design, with stirring black-and-white historical photos on every double-page spread, will bring in readers and help spark deep discussion..."

From School Library Journal: "Hitler's plans for the future of Germany relied significantly on its young people, and this excellent history shows how he attempted to carry out his mission with the establishment of the Hitler Youth....Bartoletti lets many of the subjects' words, emotions, and deeds speak for themselves, bringing them together clearly to tell this story unlike anyone else has."

From Kirkus Reviews: "Case studies of actual participants root the work in specifics, and clear prose, thorough documentation and an attractive format with well-chosen archival photographs make this nonfiction writing at its best….Superb."

From Horn Book: "With clarity and apt quotation (scrupulously sourced), Bartoletti takes readers from the prewar beginnings of Hitler Youth, through its significant role in gaining Hitler the government, to its ultimate position as a feeder for the German war machine….The power of the account is matched by the many period candid and propaganda photographs, well-married to the text by strong captions and placement and an unobtrusive but period-evocative Art Deco page design."


5. CONNECTIONS

Other Books by Susan Campbell Bartoletti:
They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group   ISBN: 9780544225824
Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine, 1845-1850    ISBN: 9780618002719
Kids on Strike!    ISBN: 9780618369232
Growing Up in Coal Country    ISBN: 9780395979143

Lesson Plans:
This lesson is more geared for older readers, but it seems like a very fun and visual lesson. See it here: Exploring Nazi Propaganda and the Hitler Youth Movement