Hitler's Daughter (Bccb Blue Ribbon Fiction Books (Awards)) [Hardcover]

Jackie French (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Bccb Blue Ribbon Fiction Books (Awards)

Her name was Heidi, and she was Hitler's daughter.

It began on a rainy morning in Australia, as part of a game played by Mark and his friends. It was a storytelling game, and the four friends took turns weaving tales about fairies and mermaids and horses. But Anna's story was different this time: It was not a fairy tale or an adventure story. The story was about a young girl who lived during World War II. Her name was Heidi, and she was Hitler's daughter.

As Anna's story unfolds, Mark is haunted by the image of Hitler's daughter. He wonders what he would have done in her place if he had known his father was an evil man leading the world into a war that was destroying millions of lives. And if Mark had known, would he have had the power and determination to stop him?

This intriguing novel poses powerful questions about a frightening period in history and will force readers to examine moral issues in a fresh, compelling light.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-In order to amuse themselves while waiting for the school bus, a group of contemporary Australian children encourage their friend Anna to tell a story. "She always added details so you saw the story in your mind." But this time, the story has real characters in it. Anna imagines that Hitler had a daughter whom he kept hidden, because of a large birthmark on her face and a lame leg. Heidi, the imaginary child, leads a protected life during World War II with her governess. As the days go by, the story grows in power for 10-year-old Mark. He begins to wonder what it must have been like to have an evil father like Hitler, and he begins to question his own parents and the fact that they live on land that was originally occupied by Aborigines. The two stories proceed in tandem at an uneven pace. Heidi is the most interesting character. Mark is the only contemporary character developed in any depth, but his growing conflict with his parents and the ethical issues tossed up by the story are cut short and don't lead anywhere. For most of the book, it isn't clear how Anna knows enough to tell Heidi's story, complete with details of Berchtesgaden and Hitler's bunker. The answer to this question comes at the end. While affecting, it is also a letdown. The implication is that Anna's grandmother, who told her the story, was, or could have been, Hitler's daughter. While it is based on an interesting idea and could be used as a discussion starter, this novel is ultimately unsatisfying.
Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. What if Hitler had a physically disabled daughter he kept hidden because she didn't fit his prototype for breeding a superior Aryan race? In Australia today Mark listens to his friend Anna make up a story about Heidi, a Nazi leader's child who knows her dad only as a kind visitor. Her story makes Mark ask questions about his own family. Would he know if his parents were doing something wrong? Would he go along with them? His mother doesn't understand why television programs about the Holocaust appear ("it's hard to watch that sort of thing"). Dad jokes around, but he gets furious when Mark asks whether his great-great grandfather stole their farm from the Aborigines. And what's that boring stuff about "genocide" on the news? The surprise ending is totally contrived, but the disturbing, fast-paced story, a prizewinner in Australia, makes clear the roles of perpetrator and bystander. When read with true survivors' accounts, this will be an excellent discussion title for the junior-high Holocaust curriculum. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (June 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060086521
• ISBN-13: 978-0060086527
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #648,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Explore the World > Australia & Oceania
  • #90 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Holocaust

More About the Author

Jackie French is a highly esteemed writer for children and adults with more than 100 books to her credit. She lives in Australia with her family and usually one or more wombats. Her web site is www.jackiefrench.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-Provoking Take on Hitler and His Germany, June 29, 2005

By 

Tamela Mccann "taminator40" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hitler's Daughter (Bccb Blue Ribbon Fiction Books (Awards)) (Hardcover)

This is a quick read but one that I can definitely recommend. What starts as a game of storytelling while waiting for the bus evolves into much more as a group of schoolchildren find themselves exploring deep ideas beyond the obvious. What if Hitler really did have a daughter? What if she disagreed with his policies? Mark, the central character, struggles with how these ideas could carry over into his life while Anna tells a story that certainly sounds realistic. This book is written on a level for 10-12 year olds but brings to life many thought-provoking questions that readers of all ages will ponder for a long time afterwards. This book would especially make for interesting discussions in a classroom setting. Highly recommended.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Heidi, Hitler's daughter, March 15, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Hitler's Daughter (Bccb Blue Ribbon Fiction Books (Awards)) (Hardcover)

I really liked Hitler's Daughter. Firstly, because it looks at the whole Hitler and the Holocaust time from a new perspective. Secondly, it shows that a child's innocence is truely innocent. Heidi honestly had no idea what her father was doing to people, especially Jewish people. And lastly, the characters, especially Anna, were very easy to relate to. They had a real human feeling to them.

The best part of the book for me was whenh Heidi/Helga told her granddaughter the story of her life, and how Anna used that story to educate herself and her friends. I wonder what it would be like to be Anna, or Heidi. To know such a story, full of such horror. It must have taken some nerve and faith to share that story with others. I also think that it was extremely clever how Anna tells the story at the bus stop during the rain. I liked the story even more because of how it was written.

I think that the characters and setting are the most vivid parts of the story. The characters because everyone can relate to Mark and his questions, Tracey and how she just wanted the story, Ben with his skepticism, and Anna and her hidden self. The setting was very vivid to me because it is so easy to see yourself there, listening to Anna tell the story of Heidi. Overall, I think this book is very well written and not too hard to understand. I like that it makes you think and its not a fluffy book where everything has a sugar coated ending. This book feels real.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hitler's Daughter review by SC, April 3, 2005

By 

SC "SLC" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hitler's Daughter (Bccb Blue Ribbon Fiction Books (Awards)) (Hardcover)

Hitler's Daughter is, in my opinion, an amazing book. The story is set in Australia and draws
you in right away with its sweet and passionate characters. The main characters are Anna and Mark. They are school aged children who pass their time each morning telling stories on the bus to school.You will fall in love with the sweet way they go about daily life yet discuss such powerful and emotional events of the past. The children were fascinating to me because I could relate to them. They spoke a little different using words like "Mum" for mother and they lived in
another country. The author did a wonderful job making me feel like I was exactly like them.

In the book, Anna tells her intriguing story about a little girl named Heidi. She was Hitlers daughter. You will feel the sadness in Anna's voice as she describes the horrible life that poor Heidi had to live. Mark became overwhelmed with sorrow and intrigue as he tried to figure out if the story Anna was telling was truth or make believe. He struggled over the details of Heidi's sad life and didn't want to believe that a child would live the way she did. Heidi was abandoned by her father and made to feel worthless. She had a scared face and walked with a limp. Mark was disgusted with Hitler and wanted to know more and more about how he could be so evil. As the story continues you will be drawn further into the compassion that these children feel over her story. The author keeps you in suspense throughout the story, giving you details that are so real to life and yet is just a childs make believe story. Mark had nightmares about how Heidi was not allowed to attend school and she had no friends. She lived a lonely life. He appreciated his own life and family more and more as her story was told. I was so moved by the powerful and sincere emotions stirred up from this book. I had feelings of appreciation for my own family. The highlight in this story for me was the way Mark really cared for Heidi, never knowing for sure if she was real or fake.

Hitler's Daughter is a great book that I would recommend highly to everyone.This book will transport you back to a time of great despair and troubled times. I promise you that
when you finish this book, you will have a different outlook on events of the past and a much greater appreciation for the present times. If you enjoy taking a trip back in time then read Hitler's Daughter. You will not be disappointed.