Books About Resistance

The Best Resistance Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors

Looking for excellent children's books about resistance? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

Catherine's War
Graphic Nov.
Survivors Club
I Must Betray You
One Piece, Vol. 9
#9 in Series
Graphic Nov.
The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About Resistance

An Ember in the Ashes
Sale price
$1348
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2015

An Ember in the Ashes

By Sabaa Tahir · Book #1 in the An Ember in the Ashes series

A slave and a soldier defy an empire, risking everything for freedom.

480 pages· 124,141 words· Est. 11.5 hour read
4.2/5 Goodreads · 361,338 ratings
$13.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: In a brutal empire where defiance means death, Laia, a slave, must spy for rebels to save her brother. At the military academy, she meets Elias, a soldier yearning for freedom. Together, they face impossible choices that could alter the empire's fate. Will their intertwined destinies ignite hope or lead to destruction?
Catherine's War
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1248
Chapter Book · Ages 7–12 · 2012

Catherine's War

By Julia Billet, Ivanka Hahnenberger (Translator), Claire Fauvel (Illustrator)

A young girl hides from the Nazis, capturing her journey through the lens of a camera.

Mildred L. Batchelder Honor (2021)
176 pages· 9,214 words· Est. 1.5 hour read
4.2/5 Goodreads · 3,334 ratings
$12.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Rachel Cohen, a budding photographer at a children's home near Paris, must hide from the Nazis as France falls under their control. Adopting a new identity as Catherine Colin, she leaves behind her friends and safety. With her camera, Catherine documents her perilous journey and the bravery of those who risk everything to save lives. Will her passion for photography help her survive the war and preserve the memories of courage and sacrifice? Inspired by true events, this gripping tale explores identity, resilience, and the power of art in the darkest times.
Escape
Sale price
$674
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2020

Escape

By Andy Marino · The Plot to Kill Hitler series

Two kids flee across Europe after a failed plot to kill Hitler.

176 pages· 33,694 words· Est. 4.5 hour read
4.2/5 Goodreads · 240 ratings
$6.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: In July 1945, Max and Gerta Hoffmann are thrust into a perilous escape across war-torn Europe after a failed assassination attempt on Hitler. With their father captured by the Gestapo, the siblings, their mother, and Kat Vogel must navigate a treacherous path from Berlin to Spain. As the Nazis enforce blood guilt laws, anyone linked to the plot faces death or imprisonment. Allies offer aid, but the Hoffmanns' family remains fractured. Will Max and Gerta reunite with their father, or will the Gestapo's reach prove too far? Their journey is fraught with danger and hope.
Escape
Sale price
$674
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2009

Escape

By Allan Zullo

Children face unimaginable horrors in a fight for survival during the Holocaust.

192 pages· 44,943 words· Est. 6.5 hour read
4.2/5 Goodreads · 761 ratings
$6.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: By her ninth birthday, Halina knew her Jewish faith meant death under Nazi rule. Can she escape? Discover seven true stories of children who defied the odds, using false identities and secret resistance. Through courage and the kindness of strangers, they survived the Holocaust's darkest days. These tales of resilience and hope will captivate and inspire.
Survivors Club
Sale price
$1597
Chapter Book · Ages 10–14 · 2017

Survivors Club

By Michael Bornstein, Debbie Bornstein Holinstat

A Jewish family in German-occupied Poland struggles to survive as the Holocaust closes in around them.

352 pages· 61,873 words· Est. 7 hour read
4.6/5 Goodreads · 3,016 ratings
$16.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: In 1945, four-year-old Michael Bornstein was filmed being carried out of Auschwitz, a rare survivor of the Holocaust. 'Survivors Club' reveals how his family's courage and love defied Nazi terror. Through Michael's memories and interviews, discover the harrowing and inspiring tale of survival, resilience, and hope in the face of unimaginable adversity. How did a father's wit and a mother's love save them? What secrets did they hold to outsmart death repeatedly? This gripping narrative offers a poignant glimpse into one family's fight for life during one of history's darkest times.
I Must Betray You
Sale price
$1348
Chapter Book · Ages 12–+ · 2022

I Must Betray You

By Ruta Sepetys

A young writer must choose between betrayal and rebellion in a crumbling communist regime.

336 pages· 56,311 words· Est. 6.5 hour read
4.4/5 Goodreads · 106,738 ratings
$13.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: In 1989 Romania, Cristian dreams of writing but is coerced into spying by the secret police. Faced with a harrowing choice, he must either betray his loved ones or subvert a tyrannical regime. As the revolution looms, Cristian risks everything to reveal the truth and fight for freedom. Will his courage ignite change, or will the cost be too great?
The Yellow Star
Sale price
$858
Picture Book · Ages 8–12 · 2000

The Yellow Star

By Carmen Agra Deedy, Henri Sorensen (Illustrator)

A king's bold plan challenges Nazi oppression in occupied Denmark.

Jane Addams Children's Book Honor (2001)
32 pages· 704 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud
4.3/5 Goodreads · 1,184 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: In 1940, Denmark faces Nazi occupation. King Christian X devises a daring plan to defy the order for Jews to wear yellow stars. With the nation's unity at stake, can the Danes rally together to protect their own? This poignant tale of courage and leadership explores the power of collective resistance against tyranny.
Sona and the Golden Beasts
Sale price
$1899
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2024

Sona and the Golden Beasts

By Rajani LaRocca

In a land where music is forbidden, a girl must uncover secrets to save her world.

400 pages· 92,527 words· Est. 13 hour read
4.2/5 Goodreads · 428 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Summary: In Devia, where music is banned, Sona, a member of the ruling class, hears melodies everywhere. When she finds a mystical wolf pup, she embarks on a dangerous quest with a Devan boy to find the nectar of life for a loved one. As Sona uncovers hidden truths about her empire and herself, she realizes the fate of sacred beasts and Devia's future may rest in her hands. Can she defy her heritage and fight for what's right?
One Piece, Vol. 9
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$958
Chapter Book · Ages 13–17 · 1999

One Piece, Vol. 9

By Eiichiro Oda · Book #9 in the East Blue series

A rubber-bodied pirate seeks the ultimate treasure, facing betrayal and ruthless foes.

208 pages· 8,577 words· Est. 1 hour read
4.6/5 Goodreads · 20,821 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Monkey D. Luffy, a pirate with a rubbery twist, dreams of finding the legendary One Piece. His quest pits him against the fearsome Arlong and his Fish-Man pirates, who terrorize villagers with mafia-like tactics. As Luffy battles these foes, a shocking revelation about his crewmate Nami threatens to unravel their journey. Can Luffy overcome betrayal and danger to achieve his dream of becoming the Pirate King?
Winterkill
Sale price
$759
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2022

Winterkill

By Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Two kids defy a deadly famine in 1930s Ukraine. Can they survive Stalin's plan?

288 pages· 59,052 words· Est. 8 hour read
4.2/5 Goodreads · 1,396 ratings
$7.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: In 1930s Ukraine, Nyl faces starvation as Stalin's regime seizes farms, leaving his village to suffer. Alice, newly arrived from Canada, uncovers the grim truth and joins Nyl in a daring plan to save their community. As the Holodomor unfolds, their courage and unity are tested. Will they outlast the famine and oppression, or be consumed by it? This gripping tale of survival and resistance reveals the dark history of a genocide and the indomitable spirit of those who dared to fight back.
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Resistance Picture Books

Illustrated read-alouds about resistance for preschool and elementary-age readers.

The Cats in Krasinski Square
Sale price
$2199

The Cats in Krasinski Square

Ages 7–10 · 2004

A Jewish girl defies the Gestapo in WWII Warsaw.

Flubby Will Not Take a Bath
Series
Sale price
$999

Flubby Will Not Take a Bath

Ages 4–8 · 2021

A stubborn cat resists bath time, forcing creative solutions.

Yes
Series
Sale price
$1599

Yes

Ages 2–5 · 2006

A little chimp's bedtime refusal leads to a splashy adventure.

The Force Awakens
Series
Sale price
$1499

The Force Awakens

Ages 5–7 · 2016

The Resistance battles the First Order's planet-destroying weapon.

Star Wars: Finn & the First Order
Sale price
$399

Star Wars: Finn & the First Order

Ages 4–8 · 2015

A man seeks redemption on a perilous journey.

Star Wars: Finn and Poe Team Up!
Sale price
$399

Star Wars: Finn and Poe Team Up!

Ages 4–8 · 2016

Can two unlikely allies stop the First Order's threat?

View all resistance picture books
Browse by age

Resistance Chapter Books & Middle Grade

Longer stories about resistance for developing and independent readers.

Rescue
Sale price
$899

Rescue

Ages 8–12 · 2021

A girl must decode her father's messages to save him and guide refugees across Nazi-occupied France.

World at War, 1944
#1 in Series
Sale price
$699

World at War, 1944

Ages 7–10 · 2015

Two siblings travel back in time to World War II to help a friend escape from France.

Escape to the Hiding Place
#9 in Series
Sale price
$599

Escape to the Hiding Place

Ages 7–9 · 2012

Smuggle a baby through Nazi-occupied Holland. Will they succeed?

The Safest Lie
Sale price
$899

The Safest Lie

Ages 8–12 · 2015

A young girl is given a new identity and must leave her parents behind in the ghetto to survive.

The Twelve
#1 in Series
Sale price
$1699

The Twelve

Ages 8–12 · 2019

A girl with hidden powers must confront a fearsome Dragonlord to save her sister.

Twenty and Ten
Sale price
$1780

Twenty and Ten

Ages 7–11 · 1952

Can French schoolchildren hide Jewish refugees from the Nazis?

10 Days: Anne Frank

10 Days: Anne Frank

2008

Ten pivotal days change a young girl's life and history forever.

Children of Blood and Bone
#1 in Series
Sale price
$2299

Children of Blood and Bone

Ages 14–18 · 2018

Magic vanished, hope lost. Can Zélie restore power and defy a tyrant?

The True Meaning of Smekday
#1 in Series
Sale price
$1499

The True Meaning of Smekday

Ages 8–12 · 2007

A girl and an alien mechanic embark on a wild quest to save Earth from invasion.

Resist
Sale price
$999

Resist

Ages 9–12 · 2019

A young spy races against time to rescue her captured mother on D-Day.

Hunger Winter
Sale price
$1099

Hunger Winter

Ages 8–12 · 2020

A thirteen-year-old boy must protect his younger sister and evade the Gestapo after his family is torn apart by the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.

The Crow
#3 in Series
Sale price
$1899

The Crow

Ages 12–+ · 2006

A young orphan discovers his hidden power in a battle against darkness.

View all resistance chapter books
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