Brothers in Valor: A Story of Resistance

by Michael O. Tunnell

Soon after joining Hitler's youth group, Rudi, Helmuth, and Karl realize they need to fight for a Germany free from Hitler, even though it will put their lives at risk, in a novel based on one youth resistance movement.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Holocaust

260 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2001

Reviews

[Bryce Bastar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very graphic. It gives tons of information on how Germany was when Hitler was just about to take over. I liked this book because it seemed so real. It also showed how much people were in distress because of Hitler and how much they feared him.

The main character is Rudi, he is against Hitler and he likes to read books. He is just an average kid in this book, but he is trapped in a war zone. Rudi is only 14 years old and he is dealing with getting killed and watching his every move.

The plot of this book was in Germany when they were under attack by Hitler. Parts of the story took place in an air raid bunker under ground. At parts in the story Hitler's Nazi party broke into Jewish stores and beat them in the streets.

I would recommend this book to teenage males ages 13 and up. This book is a good history lesson with grammar that is easy to read. I would not recommend this book to younger women, because not a lot of women take interest in military/history books.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read a number of accounts of these three young men, it is a reminder that often it is "a little child that will lead" with bravery to make the world a better place.

[Mickelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important historical story, perfect for junior high & high school kids.

[Joshua Scheffler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give it 5 stars because I love reading about Germany.

[Blayden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stars 3
Quarter 1st


The beginning of the story is just normal how all the kids go to church and play games and just a normal day. Then they start to notic more nazies over the place and jewish stores start to disappear and people start to disappear. The nazies would burn down the jewish stores and beat the people inside. They got rid of boycotts and made a nozie group for it instead to make up for it. Then everything went downhill from there and no one is allowed with any jews no kids outside after dark.

There is not a lot i can relate to in this book just because of the time period and where it was i would like to be in the boy scots like all the kids wanted to be. It is somewhat like the draft but it is way harsh then what the nazies did. There is ever lasting scars on this world from what the nazies did and from the things that happened in this book they will always be there. There is not much that now a days can relate to what is happening back then.

[Abby Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost put this book down because the writing needed work. At first I couldn't get my brain to stop editing the sentence structures and word choice. Even though it was 1st person, I couldn't get into the head of the main character. I couldn't even picture him and keeping track of him and his two friends wasn't easy. About to give up, I looked it up on Goodreads to see if everyone else had this same problem. All the ratings were very high. Curious, I Wiki-ed the side character and totally spoiled the story for myself. But, that one spoiler drove me to finish the book.
This is the story of three boys in Germany who stand up to the Nazis and pay a stiff price for their bravery.
I still wouldn't claim it to be the best written book I've read, but the story was gripping. It showed what life was like for Germans during the war, the pressure to toe the line, and the persecution of not only Jews but other religions. It's not detailed but it is gruesome. It is also a reminder that no matter how young people are they can be brave and stand up for others.
Parental Warnings/Talking: The main characters are Mormon. There is a fair amount of violence. Not graphic but still there.

[Chris Garvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The better of two current fictional accounts of the Helmuth Hübener resistance group - one of the greatest true stories I have heard. Written from the perspective of one of the three boys who resisted the Nazi regime (Rudi), it gives excellent detail and plenty of emotion. The reason it gets four stars is that it does not stay quite true enough to the actual story for me. However, it is very well done overall and is more accurate to how I imagine the three boys (Helmuth, Rudi and Karl) to have been than its counterpart, "The Boy Who Dared."

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought Tunnell did an excellent job of mixing religion with patriotism in this novel. These young men who met a church and religion was a impact part of their lives were forced to hide the fact they were Jewish yet fight for a country who didn't want to recognize their heritage. I served in the military with people that practice Islam and i often wondered their views on fighting people who share the same faith but practice a different call. I could only imagine the struggle against what you believe to be right versus what may keep you alive

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children's author and BYU professor, Tunnell has written a novel for older children based on the lives of three teenage LDS boys growing up in Hamburg, Germany, resisting Nazi actions, and being tried as traitors. The violence committed by the SS is graphically described, but the boys' courage is inspirational.

[Bobbie Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book while working at the library. When it came to our new release shelves I tried it out and loved it. I don't remember a lot of the details of the book so I guess it's time to read it again!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Another World War 2 book, and I didn't know this until they said in the book, but the kids in it are Mormons. That was a shocker, but made the story even more interesting. The young men in this book are courageous and amazing. Definitely a 5 star in my opinion.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute amazing story! I love books on World War II and this one is particularly good because it is based on a true story. I like the way it's written, not like a biography, but like an actual story. I will warn you that it has a sad ending, it made me cry.

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty cool, it is based on a true story. The main character is Rudi, and he and his friends are Mormons in Nazi Germany. It is all about how they fight back against Hitler, and balance the church at the same time. It's very interesting, I liked it a lot.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and the book "The Boy Who Dared," by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, are my two favorite books because they tell the same story, the story of three German boys who join the Resistance, but they are each told from a different point of view.

[Holly]

I have read this one.. i believe.. 3 times.. and counting :)

[Dominic · Rating 5 out of 5]

pretty much the same as the boy who dared just from another point of view not as sad you have to read it. These teens were good Nazis. They tried resist Hitler.

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book, is of a view from the german side about three best friends trying to get the german people to hate hitler and the naizs. Not too many of these around.

[Noah]

This book takes place during the fourties. During the war.

[Conner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an good book with a great story that is true it shows resistance. And that all Germans from that time were nazi's that some Germans hated them. It is a great story line.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is brutally blunt. It was very good but it a little violent.