Hitler's Canary

Written by Sandi Toksvig

A young boy must choose between safety and joining the Resistance in Nazi-occupied Denmark.

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208 pages· 810L

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Bookroo's summary

In Nazi-occupied Denmark, young Bamse faces a choice: heed his father's advice to stay out of trouble or join his brother in the Resistance. With his mother a famous actress and his best friend Anton daring and bold, Bamse is no stranger to drama. But as the British label them 'Hitler's canary,' the stakes rise. Will Bamse play it safe or take on the most challenging role of his life? As tensions mount, he must decide where his loyalties lie and what courage truly means in a world at war.

From the publisher

My brother stood up so quickly he almost knocked Mama over. “Why aren’t you doing something? Do you know what the British are calling us? Hitler’s canary! I’ve heard it on the radio, on the BBC. They say he has us in a cage and we just sit and sing any tune he wants.” I knew I should be afraid, but I didn’t know yet what of: the Germans? The British? The French? We were theater people. We didn’t get involved in these things. It had nothing to do with us. Bamse is used to drama–his mother is a famous actress and his best friend, Anton, is one of the most daring boys in all of Denmark. Should he follow his father’s advice and not stir up trouble–or follow his daring brother into the Resistance and take part in the most demanding role of his life? [Note: The character’s name means “Teddy” in Danish and is pronounced “Bum Sir.”]

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