I Am Defiance: A Novel of WWII

by Jenni L. Walsh

A story about a real-life youth resistance group in World War II Germany, and about the power of thinking for yourself in the fight against hatred.
Brigitte tries not to ask questions. They don't seem very welcome at her League of German Girls meetings, where she and her friends learn about their duties to Hitler's war effort.

But she can't help asking questions when a mysterious pamphlet appears in her mailbox: a pamphlet full of words like resistance and freedom, from a group that calls itself the White Rose. Brigitte's father and older sister, Angelika, seem to agree with the forbidden papers -- an opinion that is dangerous even to whisper at home. And when Angelika becomes involved with secret resistance efforts, Brigitte's questions only bloom.

Could Angelika be connected to the White Rose? Is Brigitte's family in danger of being arrested? And if she chooses a side, will Brigitte be able to take a stand?

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

Unknown Binding

First published February 2, 2021

About the author

Jenni L. Walsh is the USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books for adults and children, spending her days knee deep in words in Philadelphia’s suburbia. Beyond words, Jenni is a mama (of a soulful eleven-year-old, a soccer-loving nine-year-old, and six needy furbabies), a wife, a Philly and 'Nova sports fan.

But where did it all begin? Jenni spent her early years dabbling in various forms of writing and with her nose in a book. Her writing chops first began to develop through one-page stories. Never fail, the storyline followed the same progression: girl meets boy, girl marries boy, girl and boy have baby. That's it.

Now Jenni has moved on to stories with a bit more depth and, for the mamas, Side by Side is a historical women's fiction story of America’s most infamous crime spree of Bonnie and Clyde told in the raw and honest voice of the woman who lived it, Bonnie Parker. In Becoming Bonnie, a prequel set in the Roaring Twenties, a picture of Bonnie's earlier life, before and while she meets Clyde, is brought to life. Jenni's third historical women's fiction book A Betting Woman takes us to the California gold rush, featuring a little known woman from history, Eleanor Dumont, but who is largely remembered by the moniker Madame Moustache. In The Call of the Wrens, Jenni introduces readers to the Women's Royal Naval Service (the Wrens), who carried wartime secrets on their shoulders as motorcycle dispatch riders during both world wars. Unsinkable ​is Jenni's first bestselling novel, hitting the USA Today bestsellers list, and is about two resilient women, one of which is the real-life Violet Jessop who survived the Titanic and two additional maritime disasters. Jenni's next historical novel Ace, Marvel, Spy features Alice Marble, who was the world's number one women's tennis player, an editor for the Wonder Woman comics, and a spy during the Second World War. Up next from Jenni, in October 2025, is Sonora, a historical novel about performer Sonora Carver, one of the first women to dive from a forty-five foot tower on the back of a horse and who inspired the film Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken.

For the kiddos, Jenni's debut middle grade books, She Dared, features true stories from women who, at a young age, accomplished daring feats of perseverance and bravery. She is also the author of I Am Defiance, inspired by a real-life resistance group, known as the White Rose. Jenni has contributed Hettie and the London Blitz: A World War II Survival Story to the Girl's Survive series. Revolutionary War hero Sybil Ludington, who is often known as the "female Paul Revere," is brought to life in By the Light of Fireflies, Jenni's first historical novel with a touch of magical realism. Over and Out is a thrilling and fast-paced espionage and escape story that is inspired by real stories of life in East Berlin during the Cold War. Operation: Happy, set during the attack on Pearl Harbor, tells the story of a real-life survivor and includes the POV of her dog, Happy, to soften the events of one of America's most notable moments in history. In May 2025, Jenni is excited to be releasing her first contemporary novel, a mystery/adventure story called The Bug Bandits, which is inspired by a real heist and the shenanigans of Home Alone.

Reviews

[Jenni Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it's pretty good :)

[Demi Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originele recensie: https://meerboekenblog.nl/mijn-verzet/

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SAMENVATTING:
Brigitte is slechts twaalf jaar oud en zit midden in de oorlog. Er heerst veel onzekerheid en dagelijks is ze bang voor de bombardementen die steeds dichterbij komen. Omdat ze zo jong is, wordt er weinig met haar besproken. Maar één ding weet ze zeker: Ze moet geheimhouden dat haar zus Angelika ziek is geweest. Als de Duitsers dat te weten komen, zal dat vreselijke gevolgen hebben.

Ondanks dat ze een beetje door heeft wat de Duitsers doen, gaat ze met veel plezier naar bijeenkomsten toe. Ze heeft daar immers haar vriendinnen. Ze leert dat ze niet te veel vragen moet stellen en de meiden wordt bijgebracht hoe ze Hitler het best kunnen steunen.

Op een dag ontvangt de familie van Brigitte een mysterieus pamflet. Haar nieuwsgierigheid neemt de overhand en ze kan het niet weerstaan om vragen te stellen aan haar familie. Dan komt ze erachter dat haar familie het eens is met de tekst op de pamfletten. Daarmee wordt haar onzekerheid weer groter, want ze worden toch geacht om Hitler te steunen en in hem te geloven?

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EEN TIJD MET VEEL ANGSTEN
Het meest opvallendste en mooiste aan dit verhaal is de manier waarop Jenni L. Walsh de angst die Brigitte dagelijks voelt goed op papier te krijgen. Het komt mega realistisch over, is hartverscheurend en hoopvol tegelijkertijd. Dit zorgt ervoor dat je al heel gauw een band krijgt met Brigitte en gemakkelijk met haar mee gaat leven, wat er vervolgens weer in resulteert dat het verhaal behoorlijk meeslepend is. Een goed voorbeeld van wat er door Brigitte heen gaat is te lezen in onderstaand citaat.

“Ik slik. Ik weet niet wat ik daarop moet antwoorden. Nu ik wat meer weet, maar nog lang niet alles, betwijfel ik of ik wel wil dat Hitler wint. Maar als hij verliest, verliest Duitsland. En Duitsland is mijn land.”

Het is daarnaast bijzonder om eens een verhaal te lezen over Duitse inwoners. De meeste oorlogsverhalen gaan over Joodse slachtoffers of inwoners van bezette landen. Brigitte woont samen met haar vader en zus in Duitsland en Brigitte weet niet beter dan dat ze Hitler steunen. Ze gaat netjes naar de bijeenkomsten en gedraagt zich zoals ieder nazi-meisje zich zou moeten gedragen. De onzekerheid en twijfel die ze voelt wanneer ze erachter komt dat haar vader en zus Hitler eigenlijk niet steunen komt wederom realistisch over. Mensen denken heel snel bij boeken over de Tweede Wereldoorlog dat alle Duitsers slecht waren, maar dit boek brengt duidelijk over dat er ook mensen waren die tegen Hitler waren.

Naast dat het een hartverscheurend, maar belangrijk onderwerp is om over te lezen en praten, is het ook een spannend verhaal. Wanneer Brigitte steeds meer ingelicht wordt over wat de verzetsstrijders doen en waarom haar familie tegen Hitler is, wordt het gevaar steeds groter. Ze heeft steeds meer moeite met haar geheimen voor zich te houden en twijfelt telkens harder wie ze nog kan vertrouwen. Op een gegeven moment krijgt haar familie te maken met het verzet en daar wordt de spanning alsmaar hoger. Je gaat op het puntje van je bank zitten om erachter te komen hoe dit gaat aflopen en je kan niet anders dan wensen dat dit gezin de oorlog goed doorkomt. Wat er gebeurt en hoe dit afloopt, moet je natuurlijk zelf ontdekken in het boek.

Mijn verzet is zeker een aanrader. Het is een prachtig verhaal, dat enorm meeslepend is maar kinderen ook zeker wat leert over wat er is gebeurd tijden

[Alex Baugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story opens in Munich on April 20, 1942. It's Adolf Hitler's birthday and to celebrate, the local chapters of the Jungmädelbund induct all 10-year-old Aryan girls into the Hitler Youth. Brigitte Schmidt and her best friend are12 and they can't wait for Hitler Youth summer camp and the freedom away from family that it brings. But Germany is at war and that evening, Brigitte is told that there will be no summer camp. Not only that, but when older sister Angelika, 18, begins talking about a time when Germany wasn't ruled by Hitler, Brigitte feels that such talk is blasphemous. After all, she's only known life under the Nazis and has been indoctrinated into believing everything Hitler says is truth.
Brigitte has noticed Angelika and Papa with their heads together late in the evening whispering about assassination attempts, bombings, and concentration camps in front of a large map. Papa is worried about Angelika. She had polio a few years back and had to be sent to Switzerland to recover. Now, she has a limp and her left arm is weak, but in a country that demands all its citizens be free of mental illness, deformities, paralysis, epilepsy, blindness, or deafness, Angelika could be sent to an institution or a concentration camp if she is discovered.

One day when Brigitte picks up the mail, she discovers a leaflet in with other letters. It's all about hitler and fascism, and the bombing of Köln. Then, at the next JM meeting, the girls are asked if their family has received any blasphemous leaflets. When Brigitte's friend Rita admits her family did, the leaders and other girls begin to shun her. And more leaflets begin arriving in the Schmidt's mail.

As much as Brigitte believed all the Nazi propaganda she was told, her blind faith is beginning to see things in a different light because of the leaflets and her father's concern about Angelika going to do her two months of Reichsarbeitdienst in August. But it is hard for her to let go. and even harder not to say something to her best friend Marianne, also a staunch believer in Nazism and who is hoping to become a group leader in the BDM when she's older.

In August, Angelika leaves for Ulm to work in a munitions factory. It doesn't take long before her first letter arrives all about her new friend Sophie who is helping her meet her quota. Meanwhile, the British are bombing Germany more and more, and Brigitte is beginning to realize that she is becoming more and more anti-Hitler.

When Angelika returns to Munich, she's a changed person. Brigitte worries about her and what she's up to with her new friend Sophie. Apparently, so does Papa who makes arrangements for them to escape Germany to an uncle's in Switzerland if worse comes to worse. And it does, Sophie and her friends are arrested for dropping leaflets. Papa is also arrested by the Gestapo leaving Angelika and Brigitte alone. Should they wait to see if Papa will come home or should they try to make it to Switzerland and safety alone?

I am Defiance is an interesting look at life inside Nazi Germany from the perspective of a young girl who, in the beginning, has blind faith in her Führer and what he says and readers slowly get to see that erode as truth seeps into her life. I thought her group leader in the JM, Elizabeth, 15, was true to life - cold, cruel and cunning - just the way the Nazis liked them. I also thought that Papa telling them to play their part as loyal to the Führer and his doctrines was true for many families - Papa bought the Nazi newspaper faithfully and the girls did their part (the Nazis were forced to threaten parents with imprisonment and fines for keeping their children out of the Hitler Youth because so many didn't support the regime).

One of the things I really look for in historical fiction is a time reference. In I am Defiance, I felt I was reading in a vacuum until the first leaflet appears in the Schmidt's mailbox. That happened in June 1942, and Sophie Scholl's Reichsarbeitsdienst in the munitions factory in Ulm was August-October 1942. Her arrest (and Papa being taken into custody) happened February 18, 1943. Sophie Scholl and the White Rose's activities really helped put this in perspective for me.

Two other things bothered me about this book. One was the language. I felt it was too modern and too American. When that happens, it pulls me out of the story. The other thing is the games Brigitte and her friend Marianne played. While there was a German version of Monopoly, it was quickly banned by the Nazis for being too capitalist. And although it says they played Sorry!, most likely they would have played Mensch ärgere Dich nicht, similar to Sorry! and very popular in Germany. Most likely, as Ms. Yingling pointed out in her review of I am Defiance, they would have played Nazi propaganda games.

Aside from these things, I enjoyed the basic story and watching as Brigitte grow and begin to think for herself. Kids should be aware that it is true that not everyone supported what the Nazi's believed but played a part the way the Schmidt's do. And, of course, most of things that bothered me won't really bother young readers who are just looking for a good story about WWII. And they will find one in this book.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an eARC gratefully received from Edelweiss+

[Sierra Dertinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in awe of this new historical fiction novel! There are so many approaches to writing a historical fiction novel based in a certain era or event, but this one is so different. The main character, Brigitte, is very observant and inquisitive. She is a part of a League for young girls who live and reign under Hitler’s rule. The only life she has lived is one where Hitler is known as Fuhrer, aka a ruthless leader. It has been engrained in her head and her heart to follow his rules, to judge others, and to hate those who do not admire Hitler. Brigitte begins to question everything she has ever known, and seeks answers through her own fearless ways. The reader learns about the German resistance (the White Rose) and truly sees how corrupt Hitler was.

This book was completely riveting and one that prevents you from stopping and putting a bookmark in to pick it up later. It’s a page-turner, educational, and gripping. Historical fiction lovers and those who love to learn more about WWII will thoroughly enjoy this book.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goed en vlotlezend jeugdboek waarin verschillende begrippen en aspecten van de oorlog helder worden uitgelegd aan de lezer. Het maakt dat je echt leest vanuit de 12-jarige Brigitta. Het einde voelde voor mij wel erg snel aan, alsof het boek niet langer mocht worden dan een bepaald woordenaantal. Het viel me ook op dat Brigitta ineens veel ouder leek dan 12 gezien haar veranderde denkwijze. Daarbij kwam het ook snel ineens weer goed met de terugkomst van vader. Dit had mooier afgewerkt/uitgewerkt kunnen worden wat mij betreft.

[Joe Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author does a really nice job with this topic. The plot is based around the true story of the White Rose resistance group in Nazi Germany. Young people who died trying to break through Nazi propaganda and bring the truth to the German people. It's a good reminder that it was the Nazis, not the German people, who were evil. And how important it is for diverse views not to be silenced whether it be in schools, universities, or in the media.

[Misty Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIVIATING! I am Defiance is a unique look at Nazi Germany and the German people through the eyes of a young German girl. It is easy to cast judgement on others’ choices, but it is important to stop and think of what was taught and what was believed to be truth. Some things cannot be taken at first glance. Walsh weaves a breathtaking story about a girl trying to navigate life when the world is crazy. WW II is in full swing and Brigitte is doing what all good Aryan girls do – attending her League of German Girls meetings and doing her part to support the Nazi party. Her struggle comes when her internal character starts to question what has been taught to her as truth since she was 3 years old.
Jenni Walsh immerses her readers into the internal struggles of Brigitte with such skill that her feelings, fears and concerns become alive in the reader. To read this story is to walk along the street of the war-torn Germany with Brigitte, her friends and most importantly, her family. Is character taught or is it inherent? Who do can be trusted when it seems that no one is trustworthy? What is to be done when it seems all that has been taught is a lie?
This story guides the reader through the internal struggles Brigitte faces as she traverses that fine line between being a “Good Nazi” and being a good person.
This book will leave the reader amazed at the tenacity and perseverance of this young heroin while she navigates the horrific realities of a Nazi Germany. I am Defiance

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenni Walsh’s WWII historical fiction work is told from the viewpoint of 12 year old Brigette, a girl who has been a loyal young Nazi for as long as she can remember, but especially now, in 1942 as the war on both fronts is raging. Brigette’s days are filled with school and activities sponsored by the League of German Girls and evenings are spent at home with her Papa, 19 year old sister Angelika and cat Tigerlily. Like so many young people in Nazi Germany, Brigette and her sister have been trained from early childhood to revere Hitler and support his goal of creating and spreading the Aryan master race at any cost, but some began to doubt and others took that doubt and turned it into resistance. Brigette and her family illustrate a very real battle for the hearts and minds of German citizens, a unique and thought-provoking perspective. Walsh’s story also relays the actions of The White Rose, a university student resistance group in Munich who espoused non-violent opposition and used powerfully worded leaflets to encourage citizens to think for themselves. Readers in grades 4-8 will also be challenged to consider what it was like to live in 1940s Germany. Librarians would do well to purchase Walsh’s book and promote it alongside works by Alan Gratz, Jennifer Nielsen, and Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. Thanks for the print ARC, Scholastic.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through twelve-year-old Brigette's point of view, we learn how she's been indoctrinated by Hitler's promotion of the ideal German Aryan citizen. Brigette attends the League of German Girls activities, and all her friends are solid supporters of the Hitler regime too. Then Brigette's older sister Angelika confides that because of her limp caused by polio, the Nazis would probably sterilize her because she's disabled; and leaflets that come in the mail from the White Rose resistance group also give Brigette cause to question her beliefs and loyalty to Hitler and the Nazis.

I'm a fan of WWII books for children, but this one was different because of the Aryan perspective and also because it expanded on the resistance movement in Germany during WWII. This book will make the reader ponder what the truth is and how far you will sacrifice so others learn and act on it.

Definitely a page turner! There are so many parallels to the war in Ukraine and the belief system that is engrained in the Russian people. I wonder what is happening to those Russian people who protest the war, and is there a way we can help them by telling the general Russian citizens the truth?

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ "I also wonder if a large part of war is deciding what's wrong, what's right, and if there's a gray area smack-dab in the middle."

I couldn't put this down! Set during WWII Germany, it was illuminating to read about the war from the perspective of a German girl who's considered 'Aryan' and therefore supposedly safe from persecution.

At times, I felt frustrated by the protagonist until I’m reminded that the propaganda is all she has ever known and what she grew up with. Imagine questioning your whole life and identity.

Despite being a fiction novel, it was historically accurate and pays tribute to the White Rose resistance. Silly me didn't realise who 'Sophie' was until much later! The book also realistically highlights what living in such a perilous time is like, from air raids and bombings to not knowing who can be trusted and to the heroes that live among us.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My students love a good historical fiction story, and I know they are going to love this one. The plot moves quickly, and it is told at a middle-grade level. Many of my students struggle with some historical fiction because they are expected to know the historical details when many of them don't. I think Walsh does a great job of explaining things for this age group. Great first summer read for me!

[Marsha]

A compelling read that asks, what would you risk to defy the Nazis?

[NaDell · Rating 5 out of 5]

WWII book for teens about the White Rose who wrote protest letters with the truth and distributed them in big cities in Germany, especially Munich. This book follows a fictional family's experience during that time.
I hadn't heard of the White Rose before, so this basic story was a perfect beginning history lesson.

[Saline Lantinga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het verhaal geeft veel informatie over het verzet van de Witte Roos, maar wel vanuit een fictief karakter bekeken. Het verhaal geeft mooi de worsteling weer die de hoofdpersoon heeft.

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1 zit uitgelezen! Sterk verhaal

[Mireille]

Uitgeverij Kluitman bracht recentelijk twee jeugdboeken over de Tweede Wereldoorlog uit, waar 'Mijn verzet' van Jenni L. Walsh er één van is.

Het lijkt me een goed boek voor kinderen die aan het thema beginnen. Er worden namelijk veel begrippen in de lopende tekst uitgelegd en wat eveneens helpt, is dat hoofdpersoon Brigitte 12 jaar is. Ze is Duitse en zo goed als van kleins af aan opgevoed met de nazistische propaganda. (Vanuit dat perspectief kan ik alleen denken aan 'Ausländer' van Paul Dowswell.) Haar leven draait om school en de Jungmädel, waar ze zich helemaal thuis voelt. Door toedoen van haar oudere zus en vallende bommen verandert er langzaam iets in haar denken en dan verschijnen er ook nog pamfletten van de Witte Roos.

De transformatie van Brigitte is voor een jong publiek dus helder beschreven met thema’s zoals erbij horen, vriendschap en propaganda. Met een volwassen blik kwamen de laatste hoofdstukken wel op me over als een soort heldenverering van Sophie Scholl die ik niet helemaal bij de 12-jarige Brigitte vond passen. Maar nogmaals: fijn dat deze boeken voor een jonger publiek worden uitgegeven, en iedereen die geïnteresseerd is!
Boek is vertaald door Margot Reesink, die er vermoedelijk een mooie klus aan had. Het verhaal las in elk geval goed!

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brigitte becomes disillusioned with her League of German Girls group, as she realizes how controlling and limiting their teaching is. Her sister (who suffers from polio) gets mixed up with a group of local resistors (the White Rose) when she befriends Sophie and her brother Hans. Will they make it out of Germany before they are discovered?

Walsh tries to do too much in this one. She includes background explanations about everything in the first half of the book, making it tedious for readers familiar with the Holocaust and novices alike. An example is Brigitte's 2-page explanation about what Kristallnacht was (pp. 52-53. Makes me wonder who has Walsh written this for?); I felt talked-down to. Much of this could be explained in an Author's Note or glossary in the back. Once real-life brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl are introduced, the action picks up. As a character, Brigitte comes across as stiff.

One of the few historical fiction titles about the White Rose student resistance group for younger readers.

Optional Purchase for grades 4-6

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young readers will love this story of Brigette and her family during WWII. It is engaging, informative and suspenseful. I am a fan of many middle grade books that are about WWII, however this book comes from the perspective of a young German girl who is taught to be a faithful follower of Hitler. This book will be part of my classroom library as soon as I receive my pre-order!

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brigitte has been raised as a good German girl. She regularly attends the League of German Girl meetings and events, and she's never questioned Hitler's decrees until she learns it may put her own sister in danger. After her sister comes down with polio her whole left side is weak and she has to work hard to hide a limp. Papa and Brigitte are afraid that Angelika could be targeted as weak and the whole family could be in danger if others notice the truth. Talking about this makes Brigitte realize that her father and sister don't fully support Hitler. When White Rose pamphlets start to show up, it gets the family talking in secret of what Hitler is really doing to the country, and why they must pretend to be good Nazis while not supporting them in their hearts. But can the family keep Angelika's condition, and their inner sympathies a secret when eyes and ears are everywhere?

I really like how Walsh has written a story that humanizes the average German citizen during the war, especially children who didn't know any different from Hitler's ways and would have been heavily indoctrinated from the moment they understood words. It shows how subtle and sneaky the Nazis were in manipulating thinking, and how hard it was for the truth of what was really going on to get out. It also does a good job of showing how hard it was to trust anyone if you had a dangerous secret at that time, as Brigitte tries to hide things from her best friend since she can't trust her not to report certain things and the strain that puts on their relationship. Walsh has Angelika become good friends with Sophie, one of the White Rose leaders, and with Brigitte's father a professor at the university where Sophie and her friends attended, allows readers to observe several of their historic resistance activities. Walsh clarifies in the back what she changed to fit the story and what really happened. This is the most kid-friendly retelling of the White Rose resistance I've come across as Brigitte is still somewhat sheltered by her older sister and father so she hears just the basics of their arrest and what will happen to the resistance leaders after their arrest. There aren't many middle grade books that tell what it was like to be an "Aryan" German child in Germany during WWII and just how hard it was to choose to openly resist Hitler's regime. WWII books are always popular so I'm sure this will quickly find readers to snatch it up once it hits our shelves.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Angelika tells Brigitte she could be in danger of being sterilized if the Nazis discovered her condition, but just tells her they'd make it so she couldn't have children in the future. Absolutely no details beyond that. Brigitte and her father fret over bombings and them moving closer. When bombs do hit, they see some destruction and a woman being rescued from a bombed house. Deaths are hinted at but not described. They take in a girl whose house is destroyed in the bombings. Deaths of Jews in camps and soldiers at the front are talked about in the White Rose pamphlets and the numbers really sober Brigitte but no details of the deaths included. Brigitte and Angelika learn that the White Rose members arrested will be beheaded (as really happened) but don't see anything.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well done middle grade novel about a girl in WWII Munich through the time of the White Rose / Sophie Scholl events. 12yo Brigitte and her best friend are members of the League of German Girls and full believers in Nazi ideology, but Brigitte's sister is a past polio sufferer and over time Brigitte comes to worry that the Nazi policies of the health of the master race will lead to Angelika being sterilized or worse. Meanwhile, 19yo Angelika becomes more radicalized, falling in with the White Rose group who distributed anti-Nazi leaflets and leading Brigitte to be scared of the consequences for them and their widower Papa. One girl in Brigitte's group has already vanished simply for having a book by Helen Keller; surely the consequences for Brigitte's family will be worse. Meanwhile, her best friend, whose father is fighting at Stalingrad, is a true believer and for her own safety Brigitte has to draw more and more distant from her.

This book was literally unputdownable for me -- I read it all in a single sitting, having made lots of other plans for my Saturday morning. There's a great narrative drive and sense of increasing dread as the book goes on, up to the final escape attempt. Brigitte's last encounter with her former best friend is pitch-perfect and my eyes misted up with happiness at the very end. I wasn't sold on the final brush with historical fact, but the author's afterword addresses this directly and explains the narrative choice in a way I can buy.

One small criticism, I felt the Nazi education in the group was a bit cartoonishly unsubtle, always coming back to the Jews even when the conversation was about something else. Maybe this is how it was in real life, but you have to assume that those groups also had a lot of more positive teaching about what they thought were the benefits of Naziism. As it was I felt like the book did a great job of showing how Brigitte's life was improved by the group and what the stakes were for her emotionally in moving away from it, but never showed Naziism as intellectually persuasive, and if it had then Brigitte's move away from it would have been even stronger. But there's only so much you can fit in a middle grade novel. Very much enjoyed reading this one.

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readalike alert!
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If you or your students liked the amazing novel in verse White Rose by @kipwilsonwrites, be sure to check out I Am Defiance by @jennilwalsh. I Am Defiance comes out February 2 from @scholasticinc (thx for the ARC) and it's excellent. Both books are about the difficult decision to #resist and stand up for what's right in a fascist society. If you know me, you know I love books about teen activists and both of these definitely fit the bill.
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I Am Defiance is about a young German girl named Brigette who has been raised to believe that Hitler is Germany's savior. In her League of German Girls meetings, she and her friends pledge to help Hitler's war effort and are consistently asked to share any information they have about anyone who disagrees with the Nazi Party. When a leaflet with disturbing information from a group called White Rose finds its way into Brigette's hands she begins to question everything she has been taught. Her father and older sister, Angelika, agree with information in the papers and are even possibly involved in the resistance. What will Brigette do when faced with the ultimate choice -- her family or her country?
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Tautly paced and full of action, this is a historical fiction that shouldn't be missed. I especially appreciated the author's note at the end, which explains the historical context and any small liberties taken to aid the story. I can't get enough of historical fiction like this one. Perfect for grades 3 - 7. (White Rose is best for grades 6+).
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[Lindsay Bandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hindsight can make it seem easy to stand up to an evil regime. Opposing Nazis was a no-brainer, right? But this book reminds kids just how much courage it takes to think for yourself as history is unfolding in real time. In a sea of WWII stories, this one stands out because it offers young readers an inside look at how so many ordinary Germans became complicit while avoiding graphic descriptions of violence.

Growing up, Brigitte has been educated by the girls' branch of Hitler Youth, and like most other German citizens, she has believed the propaganda that Poland attacked Germany, inciting the war. Kids will identify with Brigitte's fear of being embarrassed in front of her girls' club or disappointing her best friend if she brings up her questions and doubts about Hitler's rule. The idea of concentration camps and bombings can feel abstract or unreal to kids today, but facing the loss of a best friend, the fear of being shames in front of your peers, and the fear of being separated from your parents are all very real and relatable to modern kids. This is intensified when kids start informing on one another and subsequently disappearing, and Brigitte's secretly anti-Hitler father encourages his daughters to pretend to be good Nazis to stay alive. Readers will understand how helpless many anti-Nazi Germans felt, especially those with young children who depended on them. Brigitte and her sister do eventually decide to engage in an act of defiance, but....*no spoilers*...realistically, people they care about do suffer because of it.

This book avoids graphic descriptions of violence/overly intense scenes, making it appropriate for sensitive readers. It's an excellent introduction to WWII and concepts of racism, propaganda, fascism, civil disobedience, and the power of doing the right thing even if you're doing it alone.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

How would you react if you found out the values and belief systems ingrained in you as a child were harmful, even evil? This is the question addressed in the middle grade novel I AM DEFIANCE by Jenni L. Walsh. Brigitte, a 12-year-old girl in Germany in 1942 grapples with this conflict. She doesn't remember a time when the Fuhrer wasn't glorified in her homeland, and she is being indoctrinated to take up the Nazi standard. Proudly she dons her uniform and attends meetings of German Girls, an organization that promotes the importance of growing into a woman whose duty is to produce more babies for Hitler's "master race." Brigitte even aspires to becoming a leader in the German Girls.
But there is a secret within Brigitte's household. Her older sister, Angelika, suffers from polio and must hide her resulting disability from the Nazi powers: an imperfect person is at risk in the master race. As Brigitte's father and sister share more information with her about the truth of Hitler's goals, Brigitte must walk a tightrope between keeping her sister safe and not raising suspicion within her circle of friends.
The stakes are raised when Angelika joins the efforts of The White Rose, a non-violent German student resistance organization, and Brigitte has to make an almost impossible choice for a girl so young. This story is fascinating, and I appreciate the author's perspective of writing from the view point of a girl who lived in Germany and understood Hitler through a very narrow lens of propaganda. Brigitte's story is fictional, but the heroic actions of the White Rose recounted in the book are true. I highly recommend this middle grade novel. An excellent companion book for I AM DEFIANCE is WHITE ROSE by Kip Wilson, a YA historical novel in verse.

[Deke Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read through this book in literal hours. I am not one who enjoys reading about WWII, and certainly not through the lens of actual Nazis, but the premise of this story - about a Hitler Youth girl who's eyes slowly start to open up to the madness around this world that is all that she knows - gripped me enough to check it out through the library (guilt free book trying, amiright?)

Wow!

This story did not disappoint. It's a fascinating look at how propaganda works, encouraging people to think inhumane thoughts (at one point, the MC even thinks 'wow, maybe this is why I didn't notice when they took the Jews away. I had already been taught not to see them' - when she reflects that Germans were encouraged to not talk to, look at or interact with another with a yellow star on their jacket)

The correlations to what is going on in today's society is startling, though I wish that the author had pointed out that (besides Jews and disabled people and political prisoners) there were also Roma people and homosexuals murdered through the Nazi regime. The omission of these two groups was disappointing, and I want to bring that up in this review.

Ultimately, this is a book about the dangers of speaking out, the drive to correct past wrongs, and how eventually, any society built upon hate is doomed to collapse. The historical accuracy is daunting and impressive but also terrifying (the newspaper headline which says 'hate is our prayer' is real, and goodness knows that we've seen the exact same sentiment echoed by the Republican party today!).

A vital book for students - it's a great way for those who feel 'outside' or 'unaffected' by hatred to see how they ARE involved, and most importantly, how they can fight back.

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the writing itself is not stellar, I do appreciate this author bringing to light the resistance movement in Germany during World War 2. The simplicity of the language probably makes it more readable to the target audience. I just wish I could have felt a deeper emotional connection, which can only be achieved through a deep command of language. I hate to constantly site Jennifer Nieslen and Ruta Sepytus, but they are the ruler against which I judge all middle grade WW2 historical fiction.

Brigitte is a 12-year-old German girl swept up in the Hitler youth movement. She loves the outings and camping trips and most importantly, the sense of belonging. But she quickly learns not to ask questions. Questions indicate doubt and doubting anything about Hitler is unacceptable. So Brigitte, her father, and sister, Angelika, learn to keep their thoughts to themselves while going with the flow in public. The only wrench in that system is the residual affects of Angelika's polio diagnosis. Her muscles are weakened which causes her to limp. Hitler doesn't tolerate disabilities, even among Aryans.

Then Brigitte's family begins receiving resistance pamphlets from an organization called the White Rose Society. Worse is Angelika's involvement in this organization. Discovery would surely send the whole family to a prison or work camp. When a failed attempt to distribute these pamphlets at a university leads the Gestapo to Angelika, it becomes a life or death attempt to escape Germany.

This is a good choice for historical fiction in middle grade libraries. Although not as high action as it could be, still an enjoyable read.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told through the point of view of 12 year old Brigitte Schmidt, World War II is raging but as a member of the Hitler Youth living in Germany, Brigitte shows what it is like to be indoctrinated and the internal turmoil of realizing that things may not be as she's being told.

Historical fiction is my absolute favorite genre and has been since I was in the fifth grade, specifically World War II era novels. What I love so much about this time period if the lessons we, as a society and as a world, can take away from the atrocities of what happened to ensure it doesn't happen again.

I appreciate how author Jenni L. Walsh wrote the character of Brigitte, because at first, you're not quite if you want to be on her side or not. There is also a depth in realizing the careful family dynamics when ideologies don't align, but your survival rides on everyone being able to play their part.

While the story is a work of fiction, Sophia and Hans, characters you meet further into the story, and their work with the White Rose Oppositional Movement is pulled from real life. In the authors note, who they were and the strength of the White Rose Pamphlets is explained more in depth which I loved.

Author Jenni L. Walsh donated a copy of I Am Defiance for my LFL Summer Initiative but I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ginette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I AM DEFIANCE is a historical fiction novel that is a true gem and holds a powerful message that the world needs to hear. Brigitte, the protagonist, is a fierce, persistent, and inquisitive girl who has only ever known life under Hitler's rule. She has been taught from a very young age to judge and hate others simply because they are different. I loved that Brigitte was full of questions and when people were reluctant to answer she didn't stop trying to uncover the truth. I love when she said, "A world that I'm beginning to understand is different than I've been told."

As Brigitte begins to question everything she has been told, she comes to the realization that it is extremely dangerous to cast judgement on others. Jenni L. Walsh does an incredible job of making the reader feel like they are right there with Brigitte as she faces numerous internal struggles. I could not put this book down, and I devoured this story in one day!

Throughout the story, I also enjoyed learning more about the White Rose as I followed Brigitte's journey for the truth. Brigitte's courage shines through and she reminds us all that no matter how hard it might be, we need to stand up for what is right.

[Liz Friend · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story: In 1943 Munich, the only way to stay safe is to be a good Nazi--even if you're only 12 years old. Especially when your family is hiding a secret...another reason Brigitte needs to be outwardly perfect. But the regime's lies are becoming more and more evident, and as the bombs fall, Brigitte's sister joins a Resistance group that could send the entire family to a concentration camp. Or worse. Now Brigitte must determine which is more important: the truth, or her family's safety?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (concentration camps, genocide, racially-motivated violence, off-page execution of members of the resistance) PG-13; overall rating PG. Good for grades 4-7.

Liz's comments: A good introduction to the White Rose movement of World War 2, suitable for younger audiences. For those who are into more complex sentences, check out Kip Wilson's "White Rose" and Susan Campbell Bartoletti's "The Boy Who Dared".

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Am Defiance by Jenni L. Walsh is a historical novel about a German girl who joins the Hitler Youth but later discovers the secret anti-Nazi organization The White Rose. I really liked this book. I'm interested in World War II, and learning about this topic and the characters in it felt very realistic, which made me want to keep turning the pages and reading. This book didn't make me cry, but it did give me a better understanding of the brutality of war. However, I didn't like that the plot progressed slowly for my taste. Overall, I recommend this book to people who like history. Out of 5 stars, I give it 4.5.
In this novel, Wall weaves fictional character stories into real historical events, such as the tragic resistance of the "White Rose" organization, more accurately depicting the realities of war and effectively portraying the atmosphere of Nazi-ruled Germany. Brigitte and her family are fictional, but they authentically represent the lives of ordinary Germans at the time, allowing me to gain a deeper understanding of the stories behind this period of history.

[Rosie Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay guys. Hear me out. Read it.

This was a great read. Not gonna lie, I read this in 4 days. This book was meant to last me the term.

So this book is about a young girl in Munich (München), during World War 2. She doesn’t like Adolf (the Führer), and nor does her family. But she continues to keep her image of a ‘good Nazi,’ by attending the Nazi Sunday school, and collecting donations for the Hitler Youth. Her family also had stuff to do, like go to Ulm to fix soldier uniforms, etc.

Anyways, so the young girl has an older sister of whom used to have Polio, and that is really bad, because that would mean that she would be ‘sanitized’, which really means that she would be unable to have children.

So the real story of the book is about an anti-Nazi pamphlet, called the White Rose. It literally questions everything the Führer did in foreign countries like England and Russia. But yeah, so I won’t exactly go spoililing the whole story, so I’ll leave it there.

:)