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Daniel Half-Human and the Good Nazi
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From: Kathleen Horning <horning>
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 10:08:09 -0600
No one has said much yet about "Daniel Half-Human and the Good Nazi" by David Chotjewicz, and I assume this is because people haven't yet had a chance to read it. I encourage you to seek it out because it's a great book, one of the best of 2004.
Daniel initially is a Nazi sympathizer; in fact, when the book opens in Hamburg 1933, the 13-year-old protagonist and his best friend, Armin, have just been arrested for painting a swastika on a wall. When Daniel later learns that his mother is Jewish, he himself must undergo a major identity shift as life for him and his family becomes more and more dangerous. The one thing that remains a constant is his friendship with Armin (the "good Nazi" referred to in the title). This is an incredibly powerful story, imminently discussible among middle and high school students.
Has anyone else read it? What did you think?
KT Horning
Kathleen T. Horning, Director Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
horning at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3721 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Fri 18 Mar 2005 10:08:09 AM CST
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 10:08:09 -0600
No one has said much yet about "Daniel Half-Human and the Good Nazi" by David Chotjewicz, and I assume this is because people haven't yet had a chance to read it. I encourage you to seek it out because it's a great book, one of the best of 2004.
Daniel initially is a Nazi sympathizer; in fact, when the book opens in Hamburg 1933, the 13-year-old protagonist and his best friend, Armin, have just been arrested for painting a swastika on a wall. When Daniel later learns that his mother is Jewish, he himself must undergo a major identity shift as life for him and his family becomes more and more dangerous. The one thing that remains a constant is his friendship with Armin (the "good Nazi" referred to in the title). This is an incredibly powerful story, imminently discussible among middle and high school students.
Has anyone else read it? What did you think?
KT Horning
Kathleen T. Horning, Director Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
horning at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3721 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Fri 18 Mar 2005 10:08:09 AM CST
