The Enemy Above: A Novel of World War II

by Michael P. Spradlin

Nazi gun fire can only mean one thing...

The Germans are closing in. And twelve-year-old Anton knows his family can't outrun them. A web of underground caves seems like the perfect place to hide. But danger lurks above the surface. Ruthless Major Karl Von Duesen of the Gestapo has made it his mission to round up every Jew in the Ukrainian countryside. Anton knows if his community is discovered, they will be sent off to work camps...or worse.

When a surprise invasion catches them off guard, Anton makes a radical decision. He won't run any longer. And he won't hide. He will stop being the hunted...and start doing some hunting of his own.

Michael P. Spradlin's newest thriller is the ultimate game of cat and mouse set during one of the darkest moments in history.

Genres: Historical Fiction, War, Historical, World War II, Holocaust, Fiction, Middle Grade

240 pages, Hardcover

First published June 28, 2016

About the author

Michael P. Spradlin is the author of more than a dozen books for children.

Reviews

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would keep any reader on the edge of their seat! Great read about the bravery and resourcefulness of the Ukrainian Jews during WW2. The evil of the enemy they were resisting, the Nazis, was very prevalent. I think this would be great to have in middle-grade classrooms, but with guidance; younger readers might be disturbed while reading about Nazi atrocities. (I was, and I’m 51; still hits me every time).

[Jackson]

It is about a world war 2 and how it was fighting when they had to tunnel underground and hads a little bit of humor to it.

[Jacob_Tyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Enemy Above is written in the time of WW II. This book is about a jewish boys time surviving from the Nazis. I didn't like the way this book was written. It flowed awfully, and wasn't even a good story. The book lacked a good climax, and was rather boring. I can't even find anything good about it. This book was actually written for 4th grade reading level so thats probably the reason I found it so bad.

[Aarave]

It was quite good and had a different perspective to world war 2.
Daniel was my favourite. but he was so nonchalant.

[Lady Slipper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very depressing. Even though this is fiction, it seemed so real. A 12-year old boy, his elderly grandmother, and others, have to flee from the enemy. A boy with growing hate for the Germans. The Enemy Above is a good, but sad story.

[Alyssa Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book! It is the kind of book that makes you want to never stop reading it until you finish! I recommend this book 100%!

[Ty Nichols]

In the book Enemy Above Ground my favorite part of the book is the characters and the roles in which they play in this great book. Anton is my favorite of the characters. Him and his grandma (Bubbe which is i remember right is jewish for grandma) are Jews and are forced to hide. Major Karl Von Duesen is running the jews out of their homes. Him and his grandma have great and astonishing bravery hiding in an underground web of tunnels away from Germans. One night the germans were walking directly above them and actually came down in the tunnel somehow they all kept their cool and only 2 of them were captured. I think that if it wasn't for Bubbe Anton wouldn't be alive throughout rest of book because she told him where to hide and where they wouldn't look. The plot and suspense throughout the book was really good. There was several parts where I thought Anton and Bubbe were four sure gonna be captured or something and they didn't. As well as characters and plot the book itself and details were just great, like when they had to describe the town the Jews were being run out of. At end of book Antons uncle who had been mentioned earlier came into play which i thought was a surprise. He was the ones who saved their lives truly at end. All in all the book was one of my favorite reads for sure.

[Dakota Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Enemy Above by Michael p. Spradlin is about a group of Jews that wen into hiding and they get caught and his grandma bubbe and a women with her child gets caught so Anton has to save them. HE saves his grandma (bubbe)but the other die. They move into new cave after waling for miles.

I like war books so when i saw this and had to get it. I liked the way they used caves as a hiding place in this like the priests grotto. I dislike how they just begun them going to the cave right away. I also dislike how they switch from the Jews hiding to the Nazi guard trying to find them.

In my opinion i liked the book and recommends it to anyone and i liked it because i like war books and i like how they are living in a cave for almost a year and still manage to not get caught until the end. Also i like how Anton the main character is brave enough to save his grandma or bubbe from the kapos.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a lot of YA/middle grade novels about WWII, so it takes something special for me to really fall in love with one. This one was well done, but fairly simple. I REALLY disliked the sudden jump in time towards the end--it put a halt to the rising action and made it seem like the story was over when it really wasn't. I just didn't get that choice at all.

I did like the fact that this took place in the Ukraine--it's a setting not often focused on in WWII novels. I also liked the alternating point of views (Jewish boy and German officer). That chunk of time skipped at the end just really killed things for me.

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael P. Spraldin has come out with another great action packed thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. Our main character Anton is a twelve-year old kid who lives in the Ukranian countryside during World War 2. The Nazis are closing in on his community because it's people are mainly Jewish. Anton is forced to make a decision to help fight back and defend his community and his family or let the Nazis take over.
I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. One being the use of events in the story to make you feel like you're right there in the scene and witnessing all of the action. Another thing I enjoyed was the World War 2 setting of the story because it made for a very interesting story and chain of events. The way Spraldin develops Anton as a character throughout the book makes Anton more likeable as the role of the hero in the book.
This is a great read for anyone looking for an action packed thriller about bravery and is interested in the history of WW2. Will Anton and his community prevail against the Nazis? Or will they be overtaken by them?

[CadenS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. It gives good detail on what life would be like as a jew i like how they showed two different parts of the people who were fight as germans and jews that were running away from them. I liked how in the end they get away from the germans and live. I liked how it showed ways that the jews hid when they were coming like covering themselves in dirt.There were points were I couldn't stop reading cause it was so interesting. I liked how it showed what the germans soldier felt when he was trying to get the jews and how he had caught a lot of them. I wish it was a little bit longer so i could read more. I really liked how the Anton help his Bubbe get to safety. I wondered how there uncles found out witch way they were going and found them. I liked how it showed there reactions to the war ending.

[Josh Frerichs]

The main characters are Anton, Daniel, Dmitri, and Bubbe, the book takes place in Poland during world war 2. First Anton hears Nazi gunshots near his town so Anton and Bubbe (Anton's Grandma) flee to a hiding place that is safe for jews. Then the next part in my opinion is the most intense part and its when Anton and Bubbe go into the forest and hide behind a tree right when a bunch of german soldiers walks by. Then Anton and Bubbe get to the hiding spot which is a cave and Dmitri is there and Anton meets Daniel. Then Anton and Daniel are sent to find another exit in the cave incase the Germans find them. Then the Germans discover the cave and take Bubbe as a prisoner. Then Anton decides to go after the Germans to save Bubbe so he thrown rocks to distract the Germans and then he rescues Bubbe. The next part made me cringe because Anton was trying to be quiet then when he opened a door it made a really loud squeak. In the end Anton and Bubbe went to a new safe zone and reunited with Dmitri and Daniel. I really liked this book because of how descriptive it was during suspenseful moments.

[Kari Scyoc Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating this from the lens of it is written for 4th grade reading level... I think it shares a piece of history that is important for kids to learn about in small doses and not necessarily the details that we learn as adults. I think this book would be a good addition to a classroom library for 4th-7th grades. As an adult reading it I was very bored and didn't feel that it was a very well thought out book.

[Logan Chaput · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was interesting and excited to read while also being educational about WWII and the perspective of the Jewish people during the war. I would recommend reading this book because it is always keeping you excited and entertained.

[Bricker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think over all it was a pretty goood book, I liked how I felt like I was there when this was happening. I also like how the author shows everying while at the same time keeping a fasted pace so its not all the boring.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

War is always a dangerous time. It was especially dangerous for the Jews during World War Two. It was no exception for Anton, a Jewish Ukrainian boy, and his grandmother hiding in caves to avoid being seen by the Gestapo. Major Karl Von Deusen is determined to to make Ukraine completely free of Jews. His heart is set on revenge against Anton and his grandmother for eluding capture. He vows to get his hands on them if it's the last thing he does.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing was terribly dry and monotonous for me. I had to force myself to finish, and to be honest, almost wish I would've just put it down as a DNF. Since it's not very graphic and easy reading I'd mostly say it was aimed at 10-12 yr olds.

[Beau Marcella-Wells]

i was really sad at the end because a main character died

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one who holds intense hate is the biggest victim, and the biggest loser.

[Jacob McNeal · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book The Enemy Above the setting takes place in a small jewish village where the main character and his family lives. The main character's name is Anton and he lives with his two uncles and his grandmother. Anton is a twelve year old boy that is very obeying and respectful.They were living a decent life until the Gestapo raided their village and they had to move to a cave far away which was a jewish hideout. Even though they planed for all of it Anton’s uncle ended up getting captured.
So Anton and his are in the cave now but they have had close encounters with the Gestapo trying to get water. So Anton’s uncle Dimitri sends Anton and his friend into the cave system to find a way out if they get raided, so he does that and he ended finding a way out but he gets crushed by rocks. Then we get a little bit further in the story and the Gestapo raid their camp and they capture him, a lady with her child, and his grandmother. I guess you will have to read the book to find out the rest.
This was a great book and it was definitely one of my favorites. The book was the perfect length and it had a great storyline and great characters. The book was so good that you wouldn’t believe that it was Realistic-Fiction. My favorite part of the book would have to be when Anton went into the cave to find an exit out of the cave if they were ever raided. The authors style of writing is amazing, Michael Spradlin is a great writer and is very talented.
I would recommend this book to anybody who would like the history on the holocaust. I would recommend this to a student and a teacher because it is such a good book. I would rate this book a five star rating. I would do that because it gives so much information on what actually happened during the holocaust and what the jewish had to go through. I loved this book and hope there are more like this to come.

[Rylan Anselm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Lots of suspense

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this is the best book that I ever read before. I don't hear me say that even about a magazine about hunting or fishing, that's how much I liked this book. This book is about a twelve year old boy during WWII. He has to go through many struggles, but I think the biggest struggle was when he had to attack the Gestapo with rocks. He managed to hit the captain in the head and escape with his grandmother and a mother and her child. My favorite part of this book was when he was in the cave searching for water and a way out. The reason why that is my favorite part is because I thought it was funny that he pulled the one rock and all the others came falling down.

[Juni Seagle · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=th...#

[Joseph Abruzzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that speluncaphobia is the fear of being underground? I know if that was my fear, I wouldn't want to be a character in the Realistic Fiction novel ¨The Enemy Above¨ By Michael P. Spradlin, a book told from the perspectives of a young Jewish child, named Anton, and the gestapo officer trying to hunt Anton's family (and many other families) hiding spot down. I enjoyed this book because it had this sense of mature thinking, and it lead me to learn more about the Eastern Front of WW2.
Firstly, I enjoyed this book for the sense of growing more mature and more able in Anton's perspective. Throughout the novel, Anton has multiple points where he can outwit even the cunning Gestapo Officer to evade capture. The book throughout shows Anton's grandmother seeing him as more of a man than before the Germans arrived. However, throughout the book, there is also a more sinister perspective, through the Gestapo Officer, who is extremely intelligent, yet he is evaded time and time again. For his failures, he is demoted throughout the book, and I believe that this may have made all the Germans seem like idiots who are only focused on one thing, to the point they can't think about doing anything else.
Secondly, This novel lead me to learn more about the Eastern Front of WW2. This is because of a single note, given to the Gestapo officer by his brother, who had fought in Stalingrad. In the letter, he states, ¨... We are near defeat. The Russians will not give up... Not even the mighty Luftwaffe has been able to break the Russian spirit... Russian Infantry officers are shooting anyone who attempts to retreat on the spot. How can such a people be defeated? ... Our tanks are out of fuel, our planes will not fly in the cold.¨ (pg:125) For me, the line that talks about the Russian infantry officers sticks out the most. I mean, that is insane! When I read this, I thought it to be impossible. Then I thought about something I'd heard. Under Joseph Stalin's leadership, almost 11,000,000 Soldiers had died in the Eastern Front of WW2. At this, I realized it was most likely true, and then I wanted to dig more into this terrible side of the war. I wanted to see just how much each soldier went up against daily, see how past events might've made a difference, and line up the advantages and disadvantages each side faced in the bigger picture. I wanted to understand what each side had, and what they would need to survive a long, drawn-out battle.
In conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know a little more about daily life for the Jewish people who decided to hide away, or to those who enjoy suspenseful books, because it has much of both. I enjoyed for the feeling of growing older both in the mind and in the soul, and it lead me to learn more about the Eastern Front of WW2.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let's get my complaint about this book out of the way first. I have read other books by Spradlin, but this one drove me absolutely bonkers for one simple reason. The author started way too many sentences with "and." It's not like he does it once or twice a page, but almost every other paragraph contains at least two sentences written this way. What makes it even worse is that these little "sentences" are not great pieces of writing. As an elementary school teacher, I am constantly trying to get my students not to start a sentence with the word "and." There is no way I am going to place this book on my classroom bookshelves, because it's doing exactly what I am teaching my students not to do.

Now on to the story itself. It's nice to see authors tackling the subject of the Holocaust and doing so without prettying it up. Spradlin doesn't shy away from the violence and death associated with this horrible period in history. In fact, I think it might be a little too much for younger readers who are sensitive or not ready for this subject matter. I probably would recommend this book for 6th graders and higher, maybe mature 5th graders.

The story follows a Jewish boy, Anton, and his grandmother as they try to hide from the invading Nazis and a Major bent on revenge. The majority of this book takes place over what is maybe a week. Each chapter switches between the boy and the major, each time filling in more details and providing more insights into each character. Overall, the book isn't bad. It's interesting, sad, and tense. I just wish it had been written better.

[JacobS · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is about a Jewish kid named Anton getting stuck in the middle of the world war 2 and him trying to keep safe after he had to leave his house due to the fighting so close by. They hide in tunnels underground that are very well hidden that the Nazis will never find them but then, one day they get attacked with smoke bombs. That is when Anton decides that he is the man of the family and saves his grandmother and get separated and try and find their way back to their family.
A lesson I learned from this is to think before do. It showed this several times in this book. Like when Anton's grandmother he calls "bubbe" got captured by the Nazis and he risked his life without thinking to get her back. Another time when someone risked their life and not even thinking about it was when his uncle decides to join the army to fight the Nazis. The last one I will share about the theme is when Anton came running in to try and save his grandma from getting captured again his grandma ended up getting shot because of him.
I would recommend this book but not that urgently because I thought it was good but I wouldn't give it a five or four star because in the book I thought barely anything really happens throughout the hundred pages that could have been something action packed. I did like it though because it was a story of two people one, a Jewish kid and the other, a Major on the Nazi side but I didn't find the Major's story quite as important as Anton's.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It was very interesting. And how the author used describing words in his sentences. One example is the way they described the way they feel in battle.

[Cindi Leiter · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok. I would not have a class read it, as there are too many other books that are better than this. The characters are flat, with only the Bubbe being well developed. The book was disjointed and written as to completely dumb down the story. I feel like this book was probably an exceptional story, but was then edited because it just seems like sentences or events had been reduced. Maybe it was to lower the reading level but I think it could have been done in a better way. Perhaps it was done to shorten the story, there is a lot of content, and ideas that were hit upon. Creating two stories and cutting the ideas in half would have made two very interesting stories that could stand on their own. I think there is probably a second book that I will not be reading.

[Jesse Lieser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books that I have read in a long time. This book has history, action, and a great plot all in 229 pages. I enjoyed this book so much because it showed both sides of the Nazi and jew "war". I cannot relate to Anton in any ways since he is being hunted, his father is in war, and he is being looked after by his grandma, or Bubbe. My favorite part of the book would probably be when he took out the platoon of Gestapo and rescued his Grandma and friends.

[Sara-Zoe Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good - it will have plenty of action and danger and excitement to entice kids. There were parts I wanted more and parts I wanted less, but overall, it is good and will give lots of kids a perspective on WWII and being Jewish.