When the Soldiers Were Gone

by Vera W. Propp

Henk was hidden on the farm when he was young and the Nazi soldiers came. But the war is over now, and Henk finds out that the people he lives with, the people he loves, are not his real family. He doesn't remember his real parents, and now a new life in the city lies ahead of him. Will things ever be the same?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Holocaust, World War II, Jewish, Childrens, Chapter Books, Historical

112 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 1999

Reviews

[Casie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter read in this in her 4th grade class and talked about it so much I wanted to read it too. A good starter book for a young child learning about the war.

[Abi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book!

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rated this a book a 5. Why? you may ask well, it's about this boy named Henk and he was Jewish so he was hidden in a farm when the Nazi soldiers came. He was living with some family he knew and loved until this man and women came to get him and told him they were there real parents, Henk was so confused. Then Henk went with his real parents and said goodbye to his mommy and daddy he knew and loved very much. They were at his real parent's home and soon Henk went to school, it wasn't so good he was bullied by this kid named Max because he hated Jews, but that didn't stop Henk so he went to go stand up for himself. I loved this book because Jews could relate to this and it was interesting that it caught my attention that's why I rated it a 5.

[Abby Filsinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that this is a children’s book, it’s important for kids to read about WW2 and this book does a very good job of telling the story the way it happened while putting it into terms that children can relate to.

[Luke W · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy named Hank was living with some family through the war because he was a Jew and he had to hide. This family is the only family that he knows but than one day a man and a woman came to get him, they said they were his parents. Hank was very scared and confused. His parents that he knows made him go. They got to his real parents house and not much later he started going to school. There was a kid named Max that bullied him, one day Hank stood up to him and he stopped. They started fixing up a house and when it was done hanks other family came to help them move.

I learned more stuff about world war 2 and about how bad it really was. First of all, families were taken apart. Second, some people were caught and killed. Eventually people might find their family's, and lastly, Some people were never able to find their family's.

I honestly think that this is a really good book because it was super interesting, and it helped me learn some things too. It had good detail and it just i don't even know i just really liked it and i recommend this book to everyone its super good. It also was not to hard to read for me it was about perfect. So read the book.

[Lady reading under the Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

G read aloud. This book was so sad, but turned out all right in the end. Based on a true story!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard subjects (such as World War 2 and the Holocaust) can be overwhelming for everyone, but especially children. So when authors find a way to approach heavy topics and make them age-appropriate for children, that is no easy task.

This older children's/young adult book did just that. It was written from an 8 year-old Dutch boy during the war. He was given to a Christian family in the country for a few years and hidden under the guise of being their son while his real parents were in the city living out life under the tyranny of the Nazi's.

When the war ended, this boy was given back to his "real" parents but the line between real parents was now obscured. The little boy wanted to stay with his mama and papa and not go back to the strangers that were his real parents.

There was one thing in the writing that really bothered me. The "real" parents came and took back their son but no one really explained anything to the boy what had happened and he was so confused. I, as the reader, was yelling to the pages, somebody explain to him what is going on.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know about anyone else, but sometimes I think about the books I read as a child. Books I got to choose instead of the ones we were assigned and this one still lives with me more than two decades after leaving elementary school. This is a book that introduced the effects of war and human error in an easy to comprehend tale. It put into perspective the life and emotions of somebody different from me. Made me question a lot of things.

Thinking back, I know the concept of empathy began to bloom from this book, and I say this having not read it in such a long time. I can still remember the way I felt when I didn't understand why Henk had to hide when visitors came to the farm or the confusion when he was taken away by people he couldn't remember.

I definitely recommend this book to parents or legal guardians who wish to introduce this subject matter to their kids. It might not be as impactful as Number the Stars, but it is a really meaningful story, and a good introduction to a part of history that should never be forgotten.

[TheLifeTheFife · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Introduction to the Holocaust for Even the Youngest Children

It is hard to call Propp’s somber story of a boy returning to his family at the end of World War II great, simply because of its content, but that does not in any way take away from its artistry. As in the words of Jim Trelease, Propp does a wonderful job of handling this horrific period of history without “either traumatizing the child [reader] or trivializing the event.”

One of my favorite aspects of the book is that it takes place in the year following the end of the war, and yet it does not pretend that everything automatically and quickly went back to normal. Contrary to the common American myth that all Nazism and anti-Semitism in Europe stopped on D-Day, through the eyes of an eight year old, Propp carefully and delicately explores what is left behind when the soldiers were gone. You might have to do a little digging to find this gem (it’s not available at all bookstores) but it’ll be worth the effort.

[Aricka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in 5th grade.... I am now 25 with four of my own kids and have been hunting down this book ever since i put it down!!!! thats 15 years of me trying to remember the name of the book, who it was by.. but the cover.. the cover stayed in my mind, along with the story. I was 11 and had to read during detention... and just grabbed this. based off cover it looked okay. I begged the teacher to let me take it home.. it wasnt aloud. The next day my teaches were so confused on why i was trying so hard to hunt this book down. I wanted to read it over and over i fell in love with the story. Sadly, i was never able to find it...until now..15 years later, all because i had the cover burned in to my mind.....needless to say, this is such a great book! I was a troubled kid and this book made me start thinking differently.

[BennyBouncesThruBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Soldiers were Gone, by Vera W. Propp, is a remarkable book about a child named Henk who lived with a foster family during World War II. After a while, he became so used to his foster parents that he forgot completely about his real parents, and soon, he was completely convinced that these foster parents were his real parents. But one day, when Henk was 8 years old, strange people came and took Henk away from his (foster) parents. They said that he had been away from them in the war and his name was Benjamin. They also said he was Jewish. Henk did not know why these strange people called him Benjamin, or why they said he was their son. Will Henk get used to these strange people, or will he run away back to his (foster) parents? I think children ages 10 and up should read this book. Even though the text is for a third grader, the real life concepts are only for ages 10 and up.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When the Soldiers Were Gone" is based on a true story. It is about Benjamin, who was a Jew. His family lived in Holland during the Nazi Regime. Being so young, his mother and father hid him on a farm. Where the family took him in and cared for him like their own.
His parents went into hiding from the Germans.
"Now the war is over now, and Henk (Benjamin) finds out that the people he lives with, the people he loves, are not his real family. He doesn't remember his real parents, and now a new life in the city lies ahead of him. Will things ever be the same?"
This was such a good story. A very good read.

[Kassie Carney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is based on true events, elaborated to the author's imagination. It was a fascinating story that gives brief insight to what some experienced during World War II. Historical fiction has always intrigued me for its glimpse into human experiences in the past, and this one told a fascinating and unique story about what one boy experienced. I took one star off of my rating, because I would have liked it to delve into more details. I also think it glossed over a lot of the emotional turmoil that would have been experienced in this story. However, as this is a children's story, that is to be expected to make it age appropriate. Overall, a quick read and fascinating, wonderful story.

[Stephanie Littig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Another book I bought at the book sale last month and just now read. This book is about a boy named Benjamin (who was known as Henk while hiding) who is reunited after the war. He has a hard time with it, but becomes happy fairly quickly. This book is written in Benjamins perspective and is truly understandable for kids. This is one of my favorite books I have read lately. The Holocaust was an absolute terrifying event and this book, I imagine, is like many others’ stories. It was a true story too.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

LIL SPOILIER AHEAD Read this book around 4th grade I loved it I'm now in high school I've been trying to find the title a amazing book its my favorite book of all time, I hope to read it again. It made me cry a truly awesome book for any age! totally recommend! The part when me can't bring his kitten broke my little 8yr old heart :( Please give this book a chance you wont regret it. GREAT BOOK IT GIFT

[Mariah (Homerun Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim, and it was a very quick read. It's a nice telling of a true story from WWII, and would be a very gentle introduction to the topic for kids. I enjoyed seeing Henk/Benjamin adapt to his new life, learn about Jewish traditions, and deal with a kid at school who bullies him for being a Jew.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. Young Henk is very surprise to learn that the couple he calls Mama and Papa are not his parents, nor are their children his brother and sister. Instead he must go live with his real parents in a nearby town. Slowly the past is revealed — why Benjamin, to use his real name, had to be hidden, and forgotten memories surface.

[Beth Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was lovely from the first word to the last. This book teels.of a boy who was given to a Christian family during the persecution of Jews in Holland during WW 2. A quick read and JUST ENOUGH historical info for the kids to understand what was going on. I initiated more conversations about nazis, Hitler, etc. But I think if this book was read it would be enough.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was about a very young child, not at all what I was expecting. The kid seems to act like a big baby so it kind of annoyed me a bit.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a captivating quick read.

[Kenadie Margias · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good! It was an easy read but it still had a great story to it

[Sharon Zink · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is about a young Jewish boy who returns to his parents after surviving WW II in The Netherlands by living on a farm with a Christian family.

[Sean Sheridan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, haunting, and important story for young readers

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby: 4.5⭐️

TC Reading Challenge: book by an author you have never read before.

A very gentle look at the horrors of World War II and its effect on children.

[Megan Herlaar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book to show kids what drastic measures had to be taken in Holland during the Nazi occupation.I don't read much middlegrade, but I would like to have seen more emotion, more confusion for little Henk/Benjamin. Other than that, it was great.

[16marisak · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my multicultural GDJ book I read When The Soldiers Were Gone by Vera W. Propp. Multicultural literature is a book about different cultures. This genre provides knowledge about a group of people by giving the reader more information about the culture. This book tells the story of a Jewish boy named Benjamin and his family’s struggles during the Holocaust. When Nazi soldiers invaded Apelhem, Benjamin’s parents made a very difficult decision, they sent their son to live with another family far from their home. Benjamin was a very young boy when he arrived at his new home. In order to protect his Jewish identity from the Nazis, his new family called him Henk, in order to disguise him as a common Dutch boy. After the Nazi’s were kicked out of Apelhem, Henk’s parents came back for him. Henk had not seen his parents for quite awhile, and since he was so very young at the time, he had no recollection of his parents. Henk wanted to stay with his newly entrusted family that his parents chose for him. This was a difficult period in Henk’s life. The transition made him feel homeless.

In my opinion, When The Soldiers Were Gone by Vera W. Propp is a great book. Personally, it was way to easy for me and I didn't feel myself being challenged. I enjoyed reading a multi-cultural literature book because I usually only read books that take place in the United States. I learned a lot about Jews during the Holocaust. I also learned more about Dutch people and their culture. My favorite part about reading this book was learning about the Dutch culture. I would recommend this book to someone wanting to learn more about different cultures. Out of five stars, I would give this book a three star rating. A common motif found in When The Soldiers Were Gone is changes. I think this because Henk/ Benjamin has to go through a lot of different changes within his family and his home. The main theme in When The Soldiers Were Gone by Vera W. Propp is how hard it is to find your true identity. I think this is because the the whole book is built on Henk/ Benjamin finding his true identity considering both his Jewish birth lineage and his exposure of environment in the Netherlands as a Dutch boy.

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eight-year-old Henk lives on a Dutch farm with Papa and Mama, Paul and Mevrouw Staal, older siblings Miep and Pieter, and cat Kootje. All he can remember is how he could never go to school with Miep and Pieter, and that every time the mean soldiers came he had to hide in the barn or a dirty clothes hamper. But now that the mean soldiers are gone, Henk is surprised to find out that he is really Benjamin, a Jewish child who was hidden from the Nazis, and that his true parents, David and Elsbet Van Sorg, have come to take him away with them.

Will Henk, now Benjamin, be able to make the adjustment to a new family, a new home, and a new life? And how will he start? Based on a true story, much of the background for the plot is told in flashbacks, when Elsbet talks with her son and memories from his early childhood gradually return, including the yellow star on his coat and a frightening encounter in the park with a Nazi soldier who came out of his position and tried to hurt him. When the Soldiers Were Gone is a very moving account. With its use of simple language and the historical facts which are successfully integrated into the narrative, it is a great, age-appropriate introduction to the Holocaust and World War II for pre-teens.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

101pgs

gr 4-6

1945 Holland One day 8 year old Henk sees strangers at his house. His Papa tells him that they are his
parents. But who are these people who call him Benjamin? Henk/Benjamin doesn't remember them at all.
Henk/Benjamin learns that his family is Jewish and during the war he was sent to live with friends in
the country to hide from the Nazis. As he adjusts to his new home, Benjamin struggles to remember his
past.

The story talks about hiding from the Nazis and that the Nazis are bad, but the adults in the story
don't go into a lot of detail in their explanations to Benjamin.
I would recommend this story to somone who wanted to know more about what it was
like for the hidden children when they were reunited with their families

[Moop · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to use to introduce WW 2 to young students. A young boy had been taken away from his Jewish parents so he could be protected during the war. He stayed on a farm with a Christian family and was given a cross to help protect him. His original family comes to the farm after the war to take him back home to their city. He does not want to go and doesn't recognize his real parents and has a real hard time at first leaving the farm. Eventually he adjusts. In the story he remembers times when the soldiers would come to the farm and he had to hide in a laundry basket and was often very scared. Great book and very short. Based on a true story and takes place in Holland.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story, When the Soldiers Were Gone, tells the story of Henk Benjamin, who lived with a Dutch Christian family while the Nazis occupied Holland. In order to remain safe and alive, Henk's natural parents hid and moved from farm to farm, while Henk became a part of this other family.When the war was over,Henk's parents came to reclaim him, yet the boy had no recollection of them. A heart-breaking, traumatizing tale of the horrors of war, and the humanity that neighbors and friends bring to each other.