A Traitor Among Us

by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk

Thirteen-year-old Pieter Van Dirk is part of the Resistance movement in World War II Holland. As he takes more chances, he realizes that there's a traitor in his village--someone who would reveal his identity to the Nazis if his undercover work is discovered. The suspects multiply as the suspense increases and the stakes grow higher.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, World War II, Young Adult, Middle Grade

133 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Elizabeth Van Steenwyk is the award-winning author of more than seventy published books for young people. After graduating from Knox College, she went on to spend ten years writing for radio and television with a concentration on children's programming. She lives in California.

Reviews

[Eli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a big reader, but I would recommend this book to people who like action right off the bat. I like the idea that everyone is on their toes and can't trust very many people. It makes things more interesting.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not finish. I got to page 43.

I didn't really care for the writing. It came across like many modern books do, who's creators don't mind using cheap gimmicks to keep kids (maybe particularly boys?) interested in reading them. Like those dumb, low-budget movies that aren't quality to begin with but hope that the slightly crass kid humor/scenes will keep the viewers watching. Both are not appealing to me.

Cleanliness: several mentions of a boy daydreaming about or looking at a girl, particularly her body (her chest, the "soft spots" on her body). A boy teases another boy about sneaking away to kiss and hug a girl. Disrespect for school and the school teacher. Use of "shut up" and "crap." Mentions cigarettes (two boys find abandoned "bent smokes" that they trade for food). The main character doesn't like going to church and only thinks to pray to God when he's in a scrape and needs some luck turned his way. The boy seems more upset about the Nazis taking his dog than taking his father (there are certainly more sentences about it and even one side-by-side reference).

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[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is maybe good for kids, but I know for me, as someone who has studied the history of WWII and the Holocaust at length, this book didn't feel realistic. The evil that was the Nazi regime is severely underplayed in my opinion. In addition, the writing isn't great.
ALSO, I was kind of surprised by the level of sensuality displayed by the extremely young main character. I was low-key disgusted. I'm okay with a kid having a crush, but this felt like a very adult relationship. It felt like someone took a "clean" adult romance novel, replaced the adult characters with kids, and removed the kissing scenes but left EVERYTHING else.
For kids (or adults and teens) wanting to read about this time period, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry and Daniel's Story by Carol Matas are MUCH better historical fiction novels.

[Jenny Hartfelder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another book I read to determine if it was worth our shelf space. It's not. 2 stars might be generous. 🙄 The story was disjointed and included far too much of a young man's daydreams about a pretty girl operating within the Resistance. It ended abruptly with dozens of unanswered questions. Supposedly Pieter solves the mystery of the village traitor, but there were no real clues. He just suddenly "figured it out." Meh. There've been lots of great WWII novels written. This isn't one of them.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this many years ago and found it very exciting. Think it would be a good book for a reluctant reader.

[Bel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a short read, but it really pulls you into the atmosphere of distrust. From early on, you can tell something isn’t right, and that feeling of not knowing who to believe carries through the whole story. 💜

[Cabee]

Pieter Van Dirk is a thirteen-year-old boy in World War II Holland. Written in third person, this mystery, WWII YA novel takes you on a suspenseful, terrifying drive through the World War II experience, not even once letting up on the intensity of the emotions surrounding the war. Pieter, though young, does his best to provide for his mother while his brother and father are out fighting the war. When he isn't scouringing for food, he's aiding the resistance at the peril of his own life. Things are getting far too dangerous though, and Pieter will have to grow up faster than any boy should if he wants to keep him and his mother alive. Who is the traitor in the village? No one is above suspicious. His teacher, the doctor, his cousin, his uncle--even his best friend are all suspects. Can Pieter find out who the traitor is in time?

This book really dug into the feelings of the non-Jewish population of WWII. Being set in Holland, I was able to learn about the Dutch and the trials they were put through. Pieter is a likable and honest character, and as he grew to push past his fear to save his mother and their lives, I found myself cheering him on. A swift, well-written read, I'd reccomend this fast-paced, WWII mystery to anyone.

[Mazzou B · Rating 1 out of 5]

I collect books about world war 2 (all kinds, including fiction for all ages) and this book caught my eye as a potentially great book for younger readers. However, I was disappointed. The story was basic and not very well developed. The climax and ending was very lame and the book ended too quickly. The romance (teenage boy's attraction to a teenage girl) was annoying and over done. I do not recommend this book.