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Hitler's Canary

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Hitler's Canary
By Sandi Toksvig
Roaring Book Press, 2007. 191 pgs. Chapter book.

The small country of Denmark was known as Hitler's canary during World War II. They were given this nickname because the Germans thought they were small and defenseless and could easily be turned into pets. The story is told from the perspective of Bamse, a young boy living in the heart of Copenhagen. His mother is a popular stage actress and his father an artist. Bamse learns much about humanity in the last years of the war. The greatest lesson being, "not all Germans were bad and not all the Danes were good. There were just some good people and some bad people, and it wasn't always easy to tell the difference." Denmark, though a small country, played a huge role during the war. Despite Hitler's efforts, less than 2% of Danish Jews died. The author based the book on stories her father told of his experiences in Denmark during the war. A fascinating book showing that people can do amazing things in the face of persecution and danger.
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