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Stolen Girl
The War Below
This companion novel to Skrypuch's Making Bombs for Hitler follows a boy who joins the underground Ukrainian resistance in the fight against Hitler.
The Nazis took Luka from his home in Ukraine and forced him into a labor camp. Now, Luka has smuggled himself out -- even though he left behind his dearest friend, Lida. Someday, he vows, he'll find her again.But first, he must survive.Racing through the woods and mountains, Luka evades capture by both Nazis and Soviet agents. Though he finds some allies, he never knows who to trust. As Luka makes difficult choices in order to survive, desperate rescues and guerilla raids put him in the line of fire. Can he persevere long enough to find Lida again or make it back home where his father must be waiting for him?Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, author of Making Bombs for Hitler, delivers another action-packed story, inspired by true events, of daring quests and the crucial decisions we make in the face of war.
The Nazis took Luka from his home in Ukraine and forced him into a labor camp. Now, Luka has smuggled himself out -- even though he left behind his dearest friend, Lida. Someday, he vows, he'll find her again.But first, he must survive.Racing through the woods and mountains, Luka evades capture by both Nazis and Soviet agents. Though he finds some allies, he never knows who to trust. As Luka makes difficult choices in order to survive, desperate rescues and guerilla raids put him in the line of fire. Can he persevere long enough to find Lida again or make it back home where his father must be waiting for him?Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, author of Making Bombs for Hitler, delivers another action-packed story, inspired by true events, of daring quests and the crucial decisions we make in the face of war.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
210 people are currently reading
2206 people want to read
About the author
Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
33 books889 followersMarsha Skrypuch is an internationally bestselling children’s author whose books span a century of wars from a kid’s view, concentrating on those stories that have been erased by oppressive regimes. Her best-known book is Making Bombs for Hitler. Her most recent is the Kidnapped from Ukraine trilogy. She has received death threats and honors for her writing. Marsha lives in Brantford, Ontario, Canada and you can visit her online at calla.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
April 29, 2019
From the writer of Stolen Girl and Making Bombs For Hitler comes The War Below. These three books can stand alone or read together to tell the story of WWII from the perspectives of Ukrainian Lida sent to a labor camp as part of the Nazi Ostarbeiter work force (Making Bombs For Hitler), her blonde and blue-eyed sister Larissa who was kidnapped and put into a Nazi family as a victim of Hitler's Lebensborn program (Stolen Girl), and in The War Below, Luka, who escapes from a labor camp and joins the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). All three books are woven together as Luka and Lida help each other survive the adverse conditions in the labor camp and both struggle to locate their missing family. Like the other two books, author Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch uses The War Below to weave a riveting and historically accurate story of a lesser known component of WWII. Readers will learn of Soviet and German atrocities against the Ukrainian people and the efforts of the insurgency to fight against both murderous forces. The plot of The War Below has Luka escaping from the hospital in a labor camp in a particularly gruesome way and making his way back to Kyiv where he hopes to be reunited with his parents. During his harrowing trek towards home, Luka finds both persecution and compassion as well as a new friend, Martina, who joins the UPA fighting force with him. The characters of Luka and Martina are well-developed and readers are likely to have strong reactions to the difficulties that the duo face. I am excited to offer this book to my fifth graders who read everything I can offer them about WWII. However, there are several scenes that leave very little to the imagination as Skrypuch describes the mass graves of victims of the war and the barbaric acts of soldiers, so I am hesitant to put The War Below on my 4th grade campus despite the professional reviews posted on Follett Titlewave stating that is appropriate for that level. Highly recommended for grades 5-8.
November 25, 2024
it was very good! I really like books on world war 2 where the main character is either a doctor or nurse and have to help and heal people! it was a very good story and I enjoyed reading it!
March 14, 2019
*Spoiler alert*
Personal response
I thought this book was really good because it showed how hard most kids had it during World War ll. I really liked the main character's ability to stand up for himself and others against the bad people. The ending really shocked me because I never would have thought he would have done something like that.
Plot summary
In the beginning, a boy named Luka is laying in the back of a truck full of dead people. He manages to escape the death camp and finds a farm to hide in. The farm people take him in and fatten him up a little. Once he leaves, he finds a girl and they get taken to an underground hospital. Luka and the girl work for the hospital and help the injured soldiers. When they all have to leave because a bomb is coming, Luka’s friend gets shot and dies. The people that work at the hospital tell him to leave and find his family since the Germans surrendered. Luka goes to an American camp and finds Lida, a girl he met in a work camp. The Americans say they have found Luka’s father and he agrees to go with them but Lida stays behind. The Soviets take Luka and some other people and put them on a train telling them there loved ones were killed. Luka and a few others escaped and return to the Americans. Lida finds her sister and she brings Luka with her. Luka then proposes to marry her and she says “yes.”
Recommendations
I would recommend this book to someone who has an interest in World War ll or the Holocaust. I wouldn’t recommend this book to someone who can’t handle bloody details. I think someone who likes war stories would like this book.
Personal response
I thought this book was really good because it showed how hard most kids had it during World War ll. I really liked the main character's ability to stand up for himself and others against the bad people. The ending really shocked me because I never would have thought he would have done something like that.
Plot summary
In the beginning, a boy named Luka is laying in the back of a truck full of dead people. He manages to escape the death camp and finds a farm to hide in. The farm people take him in and fatten him up a little. Once he leaves, he finds a girl and they get taken to an underground hospital. Luka and the girl work for the hospital and help the injured soldiers. When they all have to leave because a bomb is coming, Luka’s friend gets shot and dies. The people that work at the hospital tell him to leave and find his family since the Germans surrendered. Luka goes to an American camp and finds Lida, a girl he met in a work camp. The Americans say they have found Luka’s father and he agrees to go with them but Lida stays behind. The Soviets take Luka and some other people and put them on a train telling them there loved ones were killed. Luka and a few others escaped and return to the Americans. Lida finds her sister and she brings Luka with her. Luka then proposes to marry her and she says “yes.”
Recommendations
I would recommend this book to someone who has an interest in World War ll or the Holocaust. I wouldn’t recommend this book to someone who can’t handle bloody details. I think someone who likes war stories would like this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2017
Underground Soldier was as equally as well-written and heart-wrenching as Stolen Child and Making Bombs for Hitler. In fact, this title hit me harder than the other two- maybe it was the vivid descriptions of being in the midst of war and battle. I would love for Skrypuch to write more about these characters and how they coped with life post-war. Highly recommended for G4 and up. Some of the G5 students are reading the trilogy with their teachers and many others are reading it independently, and they are hooked!
September 30, 2022
Every single one of Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch’s books completely wreck me and this one was no different. I ache for what happened in Ukraine/Eastern Europe during WWII.
Also, I did not plan this but my reading coincided with the 81st anniversary of Babyn Yar. Another one of those things that people don’t know anything about, but it’s not too far removed from what’s happening right now in Ukraine.
Also, I did not plan this but my reading coincided with the 81st anniversary of Babyn Yar. Another one of those things that people don’t know anything about, but it’s not too far removed from what’s happening right now in Ukraine.
April 25, 2022
::Points to history::
::Points to current events::
Once again, an important book for westerners to read, regardless of age. I had never heard of the UPA and now I’m on a mission to learn more about them. Also, what Stalin did to Ukrainians in the aftermath of WWII is, yet again, a direct through line to what is happening today. History rhymes and repeats when it comes to Russia’s treatment of Ukraine.
::Points to current events::
Once again, an important book for westerners to read, regardless of age. I had never heard of the UPA and now I’m on a mission to learn more about them. Also, what Stalin did to Ukrainians in the aftermath of WWII is, yet again, a direct through line to what is happening today. History rhymes and repeats when it comes to Russia’s treatment of Ukraine.
February 6, 2025
The War Below by Marsha Skrypuch takes place during WWII. The main character, Luka, has escaped from a Nazi labor camp and his plan is to hide and run until the war is over. Luka runs into a girl named Margarete while he is in the woods trying to stay hidden from the Nazis. Margarete teaches Luka how to survive and skill he needs to know to make sure the Nazis don't find him. Luka and Margarete join the Underground Ukrainian Insurgent Army and Margarete is KIA (killed in action). You will have to read the book to figure out what happens next.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about world war two. Another book that is like this one is Then. I think this book is way better than The War Below so if you are looking for a book about the Holocaust/WWII both of these are awesome options. This was a Good book and I recommend it. I think the beginning was a little slow but the rest was good.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about world war two. Another book that is like this one is Then. I think this book is way better than The War Below so if you are looking for a book about the Holocaust/WWII both of these are awesome options. This was a Good book and I recommend it. I think the beginning was a little slow but the rest was good.
May 7, 2018
The novel Making Bombs for Hitler is the story of Lida Ferezuk, who was taken from her home in the Ukraine, put in a cattle car and sent to a slave labor camp, where she eventually ended up making bombs for the Nazis. In that same cattle car was Luka Barukovich, also taken from his home in Kyiv, Ukraine. Lida and Luka become friends and watch out for each other in the slave labor camp, but when the opportunity for escape arises, Luka decides to risk it at Lida's urging.
The War Below begins in 1943 with Luka hiding in a truckload of corpses, hoping to escape the camp, return to his home in Kyiv and find his father, who had been taken away by the Nazis and sent to Siberia. Now, wounded, wearing a hospital gown and bare foot, Luka jumps from the truck about two kilometers from the camp, in the rain, and finds his way to what appears to be an abandoned farm. The farm, however, is the home of Helmut and Margarete, an elderly couple who feed and clothe Luka, and urge him to remain with them until spring. But when he discovers that their son is a power-hungry officer from the camp he has just escaped, Luka decides it is time to leave.
By now, the Nazis are losing the war, and there is constant bombing around Luka by the British and Americans. Sticking to wooded areas, Luka meets Martina Chalupa, a girl who has been living and surviving in the woods for a while. The two decide to continue on together, and between Luka's knowledge of natural medicines and remedies (thanks to his pharmacist father) and Martina's survival skills, the two do well together.
Eventually, Luka and Martina run into members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, an underground (literally) resistance group. Both Luka and Martina decide to stay and fight with the resistance, Luka as a medical helper and Martina as a soldier. Luka stays with the resistance until the end of the war in 1945, when he is told to head west rather than east. Stalin has decided that if Russians and Ukrainians were captured by the Nazis, put to work and survived, they are traitors to the Soviet Union and are put to death.
Eventually, Luka makes his way to a displaced persons camp, where he begins searching for his mother and his friend Lida, in the hope that they both survived the war. Eventually reunited with Lida in the DP camp, he is lured away again with the promise that his father has been found and is living in Kyiv. Anxious to see him, Luka boards a truck with other Ukrainians returning home. It very shortly turns out that they have been duped by NKVD (the Soviet secret police) and the plan is to kill them as traitors. But if you have read Making Bombs for Hitler, you pretty much know how Luka's story does not end on that truck.
The War Below, originally published under the name Underground Soldier, is every bit as solid a novel as Making Bombs for Hitler. Both books have been reissued, and they are part of a trilogy. The third book, called Stolen Child, is the story of what happens to Lida's younger sister Larissa, and, I am sorry to say, it is the only one I haven't read yet, but I am hoping it will be reissued as well.
Luka is a strong, resourceful, compassionate character, though he is also racked with guilt at not being able to save his friend David, killed in the Nazi massacre of Babi Yar in 1941, and at leaving Lida behind when he escaped the labor camp, and at not being able to help Martina more. Skrypuch very cleverly incorporates background information about what Luka experienced in Kyiv when the Nazis arrived, so that the reader really understands what is going on for him.
When I wrote about Making Bombs for Hitler, I said it was a real eye-opener for me in terms of what went on in the Nazi slave labor camps. I had the same reaction with The War Below. I haven't really read much about the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA), and how they operated and found it fascinating. Yes, I've written about other resistance groups, but I find they are all unique (see Uncle Misha's Partisans by Yuri Suhl, also about the Ukrainian resistance)
The novel is narrated in the first person by Luka, and it is a captivating novel. From the moment I began reading, I couldn't put it down. And, although there is a lot of overlap with Making Bombs for Hitler, repeating information you might already know, it really doesn't take away from the story at all, but also means this can be read as a stand alone novel.
Skypuch is not afraid to confront and interrogate the cruelties of the Soviet and Nazi regimes, and I again feel that I should warn readers that there are some graphic descriptions that might not be suitable for some sensitive readers. But, I also have to say that the overall story is one that shouldn't be missed, mostly because the Eastern Front is not one most of us are terribly familiar with, though that is beginning to change.
Be sure to read the Author's Note at the back of the book, and you might also find the brief description of the certain historical events included in The War Below to be helpful.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book is an ARC received from the publisher, Scholastic Press.
The War Below begins in 1943 with Luka hiding in a truckload of corpses, hoping to escape the camp, return to his home in Kyiv and find his father, who had been taken away by the Nazis and sent to Siberia. Now, wounded, wearing a hospital gown and bare foot, Luka jumps from the truck about two kilometers from the camp, in the rain, and finds his way to what appears to be an abandoned farm. The farm, however, is the home of Helmut and Margarete, an elderly couple who feed and clothe Luka, and urge him to remain with them until spring. But when he discovers that their son is a power-hungry officer from the camp he has just escaped, Luka decides it is time to leave.
By now, the Nazis are losing the war, and there is constant bombing around Luka by the British and Americans. Sticking to wooded areas, Luka meets Martina Chalupa, a girl who has been living and surviving in the woods for a while. The two decide to continue on together, and between Luka's knowledge of natural medicines and remedies (thanks to his pharmacist father) and Martina's survival skills, the two do well together.
Eventually, Luka and Martina run into members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, an underground (literally) resistance group. Both Luka and Martina decide to stay and fight with the resistance, Luka as a medical helper and Martina as a soldier. Luka stays with the resistance until the end of the war in 1945, when he is told to head west rather than east. Stalin has decided that if Russians and Ukrainians were captured by the Nazis, put to work and survived, they are traitors to the Soviet Union and are put to death.
Eventually, Luka makes his way to a displaced persons camp, where he begins searching for his mother and his friend Lida, in the hope that they both survived the war. Eventually reunited with Lida in the DP camp, he is lured away again with the promise that his father has been found and is living in Kyiv. Anxious to see him, Luka boards a truck with other Ukrainians returning home. It very shortly turns out that they have been duped by NKVD (the Soviet secret police) and the plan is to kill them as traitors. But if you have read Making Bombs for Hitler, you pretty much know how Luka's story does not end on that truck.
The War Below, originally published under the name Underground Soldier, is every bit as solid a novel as Making Bombs for Hitler. Both books have been reissued, and they are part of a trilogy. The third book, called Stolen Child, is the story of what happens to Lida's younger sister Larissa, and, I am sorry to say, it is the only one I haven't read yet, but I am hoping it will be reissued as well.
Luka is a strong, resourceful, compassionate character, though he is also racked with guilt at not being able to save his friend David, killed in the Nazi massacre of Babi Yar in 1941, and at leaving Lida behind when he escaped the labor camp, and at not being able to help Martina more. Skrypuch very cleverly incorporates background information about what Luka experienced in Kyiv when the Nazis arrived, so that the reader really understands what is going on for him.
When I wrote about Making Bombs for Hitler, I said it was a real eye-opener for me in terms of what went on in the Nazi slave labor camps. I had the same reaction with The War Below. I haven't really read much about the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA), and how they operated and found it fascinating. Yes, I've written about other resistance groups, but I find they are all unique (see Uncle Misha's Partisans by Yuri Suhl, also about the Ukrainian resistance)
The novel is narrated in the first person by Luka, and it is a captivating novel. From the moment I began reading, I couldn't put it down. And, although there is a lot of overlap with Making Bombs for Hitler, repeating information you might already know, it really doesn't take away from the story at all, but also means this can be read as a stand alone novel.
Skypuch is not afraid to confront and interrogate the cruelties of the Soviet and Nazi regimes, and I again feel that I should warn readers that there are some graphic descriptions that might not be suitable for some sensitive readers. But, I also have to say that the overall story is one that shouldn't be missed, mostly because the Eastern Front is not one most of us are terribly familiar with, though that is beginning to change.
Be sure to read the Author's Note at the back of the book, and you might also find the brief description of the certain historical events included in The War Below to be helpful.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book is an ARC received from the publisher, Scholastic Press.
April 2, 2019
This is a great book about the untold stories of sacrifice and courage in Nazi Germany.
April 7, 2024
This does a very good job of being accessible to young readers without downplaying too much the horrors of war. I also appreciate that it doesn't just focus on Nazi Germany, but looks at other areas within eastern Europe and how they were affected.
March 28, 2018
This really explains a lot about the war. How it changed life and tell about a kid that going trow the war. It tell how people turn in to Nazi and more. Please read if you love history book.
October 6, 2021
Such a good book, would really recommend reading if you are into war related books.
September 18, 2021
I read this with the kiddos I homeschool and this was surprisingly both a very educational and emotional read regarding the civilians of WW2.
March 2, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! If you're a historical fiction nerd like me, this is FOR YOU. It gives a very interesting perspective that we dont see a lot in ww2 books. We get insight into the lives of these first-hand witnesses in ways that are very compelling. This book is suitable for 11+ because there can be some disturbing themes (which is very common in historical fiction, and Skrypuch does a very good job of keeping it free from absolute vulgarity). The writing style is typical of middle-grade books. Though this is targeted towards tweets and teens, I believe that adults could also read this due to its intriguing nature. I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend this to anybody who is getting into reading historical fiction. Will 100% read more from Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch!!
December 29, 2018
My son got this from his book fair and really wanted me to read it. It was a decent historical fiction novel about a 12 year old boy who escapes from a slave labor camp and then goes on to join a Ukrainian underground group.
It was interesting to read about a part of WWII that I didn't know much about. The book is written in fairly simple language but was engaging and interesting.
Overall this was a well done historical fiction novel about a part of WWII that I didn’t know much about. I would recommend to middle grade aged readers who are interesting in WWII. I wouldn’t really recommend for adults because the story and language are very simple.
It was interesting to read about a part of WWII that I didn't know much about. The book is written in fairly simple language but was engaging and interesting.
Overall this was a well done historical fiction novel about a part of WWII that I didn’t know much about. I would recommend to middle grade aged readers who are interesting in WWII. I wouldn’t really recommend for adults because the story and language are very simple.
August 25, 2025
4 stars if this s YA, 3 if it is adult fiction.
The most meaningful part were the author’s notes. Good way to learn some basics about WWII.
The most meaningful part were the author’s notes. Good way to learn some basics about WWII.
June 10, 2022
Very good book. It is a heavy read, but includes a lot about history, concentration camps, hiding in the woods, work camps, and experiences of all types of people in the war. It also doesn't idealize one side or the other or make it out like one is better. It shows a people trapped in the middle, just as so many were. And it shows the tricks and ruthlessness that actually happened. A good read.
March 26, 2022
The UPA was a new side of WWII for me. Their goal? Independence for Ukraine. This continuation of the series of books covers all the bases. The research, information, and story work together beautifully to remind us of what was. Historical fiction at its best.
February 7, 2018
A worthy companion to Making Bombs For Hitler. Exciting to say the least, as well as heartbreaking.
January 8, 2022
This is probably my favorite book by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch! I loved it so much and it was just really good.
April 17, 2019
When a young adult novel starts out with the sentence … “The corpses around me provided an odd sort of comfort.” … you know that the author isn’t going to waste any time getting you involved with the devastation and the unrelenting tension to come with this historical fiction. You immediately recognize that an important story is about to be told, and this is certainly one of them.
Underground Soldier is a stand alone book but it pairs up so well with Stolen Child and Making Bombs for Hitler. When a twelve-year-old boy’s only goal is to escape a Nazi work camp so he can get back to his home and hopefully the surviving members of his family, you are taken on a heart-breaking journey as he tries to survive. Alone, hurt and hungry, he needs help but he finds it hard to know who to trust. This young character beautifully illustrates the determination, courage, resourcefulness, and just plain doggedness that it must have taken these souls to live during Hitler's reign during WWII and Stalin’s brutality afterwards. How can we live in a world where men made of flesh and blood can be so vile and evil? (Interesting thought on 3 small words with the same letters but in different order ... live vile evil ... see, same letters but stark contrast in meaning) (Hitler & Stalin must of had dyslexic souls) (I know ... funny but not funny ... I'm sorry)
The Ukrainian people suffered alongside all of the Jewish people as they were pushed and pulled between the Soviets and the Nazis. So many moral dilemmas were forced upon ordinary people during that devastating time. These dilemmas were well explored through all of the young recurring characters. This author manages to make you feel like you know these young people personally by the end of the third novel and you’re cheering for their happy endings.
I think one of the best questions that I came away from this book with was, is it possible not to choose sides in a war? When you’re two choices are evil or evil … what then??
We, as parents and adults, have to make sure future generations know and understand these stories regardless of how devastating they can be. This book (actually all 3) certainly succeed in introducing this compelling piece of history to a new audience. I myself enjoy learning about old subjects in history that aren’t overly talked about anymore. It's good to make the past new again.
I so totally recommend this book and the other two as well. Of the 3 Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch novels that are tied together by common themes and characters, this one was my favorite for some reason.
4½ stars for sure.
Underground Soldier is a stand alone book but it pairs up so well with Stolen Child and Making Bombs for Hitler. When a twelve-year-old boy’s only goal is to escape a Nazi work camp so he can get back to his home and hopefully the surviving members of his family, you are taken on a heart-breaking journey as he tries to survive. Alone, hurt and hungry, he needs help but he finds it hard to know who to trust. This young character beautifully illustrates the determination, courage, resourcefulness, and just plain doggedness that it must have taken these souls to live during Hitler's reign during WWII and Stalin’s brutality afterwards. How can we live in a world where men made of flesh and blood can be so vile and evil? (Interesting thought on 3 small words with the same letters but in different order ... live vile evil ... see, same letters but stark contrast in meaning) (Hitler & Stalin must of had dyslexic souls) (I know ... funny but not funny ... I'm sorry)
The Ukrainian people suffered alongside all of the Jewish people as they were pushed and pulled between the Soviets and the Nazis. So many moral dilemmas were forced upon ordinary people during that devastating time. These dilemmas were well explored through all of the young recurring characters. This author manages to make you feel like you know these young people personally by the end of the third novel and you’re cheering for their happy endings.
I think one of the best questions that I came away from this book with was, is it possible not to choose sides in a war? When you’re two choices are evil or evil … what then??
We, as parents and adults, have to make sure future generations know and understand these stories regardless of how devastating they can be. This book (actually all 3) certainly succeed in introducing this compelling piece of history to a new audience. I myself enjoy learning about old subjects in history that aren’t overly talked about anymore. It's good to make the past new again.
I so totally recommend this book and the other two as well. Of the 3 Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch novels that are tied together by common themes and characters, this one was my favorite for some reason.
4½ stars for sure.
June 27, 2019
This book was just as exciting and informative as the other two books in this series - Making Bombs for Hitler and Stolen Girl. This book tells Luka's story. We first meet Luka in Making Bombs for Hitler. He manages to escape from the work camp in a cart full of corpses, and that is where this book starts. It chronicles his escape, his stay at the farm of Margarete and Helmut (who turn out to be Officer Schmidt's parents!!), his dangerous trek through the woods and meeting Martina, a young Czech girl who is also on the run, joining the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), and the end of the war and reuniting with Lida in the DP camps.
This book like the other two, shed light on little known facts about World War II. In this book, we learn about the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and what they did. We also learn more about Stalin, and his treatment of the people from the Ukraine and other Eastern European countries. It was interesting to learn that during the first two years, Stalin and Hitler fought on the same side. The atrocities committed during this war and the amount of people that perished is just mind blowing.
Thank you Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch for writing these novels! I hope you continue writing books on this topic!
This book like the other two, shed light on little known facts about World War II. In this book, we learn about the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and what they did. We also learn more about Stalin, and his treatment of the people from the Ukraine and other Eastern European countries. It was interesting to learn that during the first two years, Stalin and Hitler fought on the same side. The atrocities committed during this war and the amount of people that perished is just mind blowing.
Thank you Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch for writing these novels! I hope you continue writing books on this topic!
April 4, 2022
Luka has just escaped the labor camp that he was held in after suffering an injury and being admitted to the hospital. He is desperate to get back to his friend Lida who was in the camp as well and told him to leave. He also wants to find his father who was shipped to Siberia and his mother who was taken at the same time as Luka. On his way back to Kyiv, Luka meets a girl about his age named Martina and they begin to travel together. After an accident where they both were injured, Luka and Martina were rescued by the UPA (Ukrainian Insurgent Army) and they decide to join. A series of fights and dangers unfold and Luka is left with a difficult choice.
I was excited when I got this for my birthday because even though they are young for me I love this series. It wasn't my favorite one but I still enjoyed it. I can't wait for the next one to come out.
I was excited when I got this for my birthday because even though they are young for me I love this series. It wasn't my favorite one but I still enjoyed it. I can't wait for the next one to come out.
August 23, 2021
A companion to Making Bombs for Hitler, The War Below follows the journey of Luka, a Ukrainian boy who escapes a horrific labor camp by hiding in a cart of dead bodies. Forced to choose between fighting with the resistance or finding his mother or going back for his friends, he is faced with impossible choices. Full of realistic action and characters torn by loyalty, survival, and hope for their future. Another middle-grade winner from a favorite middle-grade writer. Inspired by true events.
April 7, 2024
This book shows you have to fight hard, and what you believe, in order to make steps towards that belief. Luka was very brave faking death in order to escape a labor work camp. Going through memories along the way, Luka is Lucky to find nice people on a farm to help Luka journey to the mountains away from the fighting. Luka meets a friend and together they end up at a underground army. They both fight for the belief of freedom for all as they fight and help soldiers in the war. I learned don’t trust until you believe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2019
Though a companion to books that are OK for middle-grade readers (while they deal with aspects of WWII that aren't usually handled in kids' books) this is not for elementary readers. It's grim and the young protagonist deals with far more violence that is probably appropriate for grades 4-5. It's very good, though. And well-researched.
August 23, 2019
Excellent book about an apparently little known (or at least, a little talked about) fact of the insurgency during WWII. Written for young adults, this book is an account of real events that I, for one, did not completely understand. A real eye-opener, this book tells the tale of the lengths people went to in order to survive the war, hasten its end, and then try to piece together their lives after war's end.
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August 14, 2024It was super good! I started the book Saturday evening and finished it late Sunday night. Quick read! Well, that may just be because I read a lot… 😊 I have read other books by this author, and the stories are all connected! They are all different but follow the same story line. The other books that The War Below connects to the books Stolen Girl and Making Bombs For Hitler. I love this author and will totally read more books from her!
March 13, 2019
It definitely helps to have read Making Bombs For Hitler before reading this, as it continues to mention Lida who is not the main character in this book. Overall this was an interesting story that I enjoyed, and showed another perspective of the character Luka from before.
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