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Phantoms In The Snow
In this gripping journey, a fifteen-year-old pacifist must decide what he believes as he faces the reality of World War II.
The year is 1944, and fifteen-year-old Noah Garrett's parents have died from smallpox. Without any other family nearby, Noah is sent to live with his uncle, whom he has never met, in Camp Hale, Colorado. There is one small problem with this Noah has been raised a pacifist, and Camp Hale is a U.S. military base for a little-known division of winter warfare soldiers called Phantoms. Can a boy who's never seen snow and doesn't believe in war survive among these soldiers?
Noah's struggle to resolve his upbringing with the horrors of World War II into a way of life he can believe in takes him on an incredible and riveting journey from the training camp to the frontlines of battle. Based on historical events, the story of Noah and the Phantoms of the Tenth Mountain Division is one of courage and conviction, brotherhood, and the joy in living.
The year is 1944, and fifteen-year-old Noah Garrett's parents have died from smallpox. Without any other family nearby, Noah is sent to live with his uncle, whom he has never met, in Camp Hale, Colorado. There is one small problem with this Noah has been raised a pacifist, and Camp Hale is a U.S. military base for a little-known division of winter warfare soldiers called Phantoms. Can a boy who's never seen snow and doesn't believe in war survive among these soldiers?
Noah's struggle to resolve his upbringing with the horrors of World War II into a way of life he can believe in takes him on an incredible and riveting journey from the training camp to the frontlines of battle. Based on historical events, the story of Noah and the Phantoms of the Tenth Mountain Division is one of courage and conviction, brotherhood, and the joy in living.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 31, 2007
47 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Benner Duble
13 books56 followersKathleen Benner Duble had sixteen car accidents before she was twenty-one. Being an at-home writer keeps her from hitting the road (or anyone else)! She is the author of eight books for children. Kathleen loves digging for unique historical fiction plotlines and encouraging students and lovers of books to look for great stories right in their own backyard!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
September 28, 2023
Being relatively well-educated, I have carried around the belief that I knew (basically) all about World War II. We start learning about it in 6th grade and we continue to study it well into our senior year. Why is it, then, that I had never heard of the Phantoms (Tenth Mountain Division)? I feel cheated.
Ms. Duble’s Phantoms in the Snow tells the courageous and heart-wrenching story of a very young Texas farmer, contentedly plodding along until his world is shattered. The untimely death of his parents land 15-year old Noah with an uncle he had never heard of. As if the circumstances wouldn’t be challenging enough, Uncle Shelley happens to be a high-ranking soldier at Camp Hale, Colorado. He is training an elite team of soldiers to send to the snowy mountains in Europe. These men are the only hope of capturing Riva Ridge and Mount Belvedere in Italy. In doing so, the Germans secured there will be flushed out, giving the Americans and Freedom Fighters a chance to turn the tide of the war.
This is much more than a war story. It is about loyalty, compassion, understanding and support. It is about working hard to save the lives of people you will never know. This book demonstrates the strength in a team. The story shows that no matter how crummy one life seems, there is always another worse off. It is about believing in something bigger than yourself and doing what is right---even if it seems small and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.
Phantoms gives the reader a glimpse of a unique group of soldiers. Not only were these men instrumental in gaining ground during World War II, they came home to give something surprising back to their own country. Phantoms, with their crazy passion, helped to make skiing a remarkably popular recreational activity. They are responsible the for well-known ski resorts in Vail and Aspen. A backcountry trail system between the two was created to honor the Tenth Mountain Division.
These men are unsung heroes. This makes me sad. Everyone should know about the men that trained in frigid, inhospitable conditions to quietly slip under the radar and do what no others soldiers have done. Ms. Duble’s book is the perfect place to start. While her characters are not necessarily based on specific Phantoms, the events are factual, the tale gripping.
Please, let’s finally give these men the recognition they deserve. Give this book to students studying World War II, they will thank you, I promise. Find your ski-fanatic buds and give them a copy of this book. Who knows what these ski-bums would be into if not for the Phantoms?
To the men of the Tenth Mountain Division: thank you, I am forever grateful to you.
This review was written for the Buried Under Books Blog.
Ms. Duble’s Phantoms in the Snow tells the courageous and heart-wrenching story of a very young Texas farmer, contentedly plodding along until his world is shattered. The untimely death of his parents land 15-year old Noah with an uncle he had never heard of. As if the circumstances wouldn’t be challenging enough, Uncle Shelley happens to be a high-ranking soldier at Camp Hale, Colorado. He is training an elite team of soldiers to send to the snowy mountains in Europe. These men are the only hope of capturing Riva Ridge and Mount Belvedere in Italy. In doing so, the Germans secured there will be flushed out, giving the Americans and Freedom Fighters a chance to turn the tide of the war.
This is much more than a war story. It is about loyalty, compassion, understanding and support. It is about working hard to save the lives of people you will never know. This book demonstrates the strength in a team. The story shows that no matter how crummy one life seems, there is always another worse off. It is about believing in something bigger than yourself and doing what is right---even if it seems small and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.
Phantoms gives the reader a glimpse of a unique group of soldiers. Not only were these men instrumental in gaining ground during World War II, they came home to give something surprising back to their own country. Phantoms, with their crazy passion, helped to make skiing a remarkably popular recreational activity. They are responsible the for well-known ski resorts in Vail and Aspen. A backcountry trail system between the two was created to honor the Tenth Mountain Division.
These men are unsung heroes. This makes me sad. Everyone should know about the men that trained in frigid, inhospitable conditions to quietly slip under the radar and do what no others soldiers have done. Ms. Duble’s book is the perfect place to start. While her characters are not necessarily based on specific Phantoms, the events are factual, the tale gripping.
Please, let’s finally give these men the recognition they deserve. Give this book to students studying World War II, they will thank you, I promise. Find your ski-fanatic buds and give them a copy of this book. Who knows what these ski-bums would be into if not for the Phantoms?
To the men of the Tenth Mountain Division: thank you, I am forever grateful to you.
This review was written for the Buried Under Books Blog.
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May 14, 2017The year is 1944, and Noah Garrett is a fifteen-year-old pacifist who has just lost both his parents to smallpox. Noah is sent to live with his uncle, Shelley, whom he has never met, in Camp Hale, Colorado. Camp Hale is the U.S. military base for the then little-known skiing division (10th Mountain Division) of winter warfare soldiers called, Phantoms. Can Noah who has never seen snow and doesn't believe in war survive among these mountain soldiers?
This novel is based on historical events and is meticulously researched by author, Kathleen Benner Duble. Phantoms in the Snow is a truly excellent book recommended for both teens and adults interested in World War II and Special Forces. Leslie G.
This novel is based on historical events and is meticulously researched by author, Kathleen Benner Duble. Phantoms in the Snow is a truly excellent book recommended for both teens and adults interested in World War II and Special Forces. Leslie G.
March 19, 2014
In the book Phantoms in the Snow the main character, Noah, is going through changes in his life. In the beginning of the book Noah's parents die and the church he goes to sends him to Colorado. In Colorado there is a military camp the that is for Army skiiers that go into mountains during war. At this camp is Noah's uncle, his uncle takes care of him and starts teaching him how to ski like he does.Noah goes through many more challenges while learning to ski. One of those challenges is going and skiing in World War II and knowing what to do while the Germans are attacking.
In the book it shows how Noah can go through hard times and get through them. In the end of the book he is a brave teenager that knows the diffrence between good and bad.I think the book Phantoms in the Snow is a book for teenagers who are intrested in World War II and some of the not so obvious things that happened during it.I thought this book was okay and was worth reading it but others would enjoy it more if they liked war and stories behind it.
In the book it shows how Noah can go through hard times and get through them. In the end of the book he is a brave teenager that knows the diffrence between good and bad.I think the book Phantoms in the Snow is a book for teenagers who are intrested in World War II and some of the not so obvious things that happened during it.I thought this book was okay and was worth reading it but others would enjoy it more if they liked war and stories behind it.
January 12, 2018
was nice read
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September 13, 2018REally emotional and cool.
October 14, 2014
I liked this one well enough. It wasn't spectacular, but good. My main complaint is that it was too short to live up to its potential. It moved very quickly, to the point of feeling rushed at times. This may have been to keep it action-packed to interest the reluctant guy reader, but I felt it did the story a disservice. I liked the development of the relationship between Noah and Daniel. The Noah-Uncle relationship could have been developed a bit more. I liked the uncle's gruff-exterior-soft-interior-but-he'll-kick-your-butt-if-you-ever-hint-that-he's-soft character. He was fun.
I would have liked to see more treatment of the pacifist in war issue. I've never seen a war novel from a pacifist's perspective and I wish Duble had done more with it. All I got was Noah's parents didn't believe in war so he doesn't and then a friend gets shot. I didn't see any big moral dilemmas or questioning whether or not a particular war was justified, just war theory. I wanted more. Maybe doing more would have bogged it down, but I think it would have given a lot of interesting food for thought. I want depth. I did appreciate the ending scene with what Noah decides to do with the German soldier.
I did like the camaraderie and family-ness relationships that developed among Noah and his fellow Phantoms. This was a coming-of-age story more than a war novel, so battle actually plays a very small part, which I liked. I get bored during battle scenes and I liked Noah's development as he proceeded through different aspects of the training. However, the intended audience probably prefers battle scenes.
This was an interesting chunk of WWII that I had never seen before. I liked that Duble included a brief bibliography at the back for those who are interested in learning more.
Once caveat for the cover. Poorly done. The subjects face looks like it was cut out and pasted onto a stock photo of a skier. The sizing isn't correct and it bugs me every time I look at the front. This doesn't affect my opinion of the book, but still.
I would have liked to see more treatment of the pacifist in war issue. I've never seen a war novel from a pacifist's perspective and I wish Duble had done more with it. All I got was Noah's parents didn't believe in war so he doesn't and then a friend gets shot. I didn't see any big moral dilemmas or questioning whether or not a particular war was justified, just war theory. I wanted more. Maybe doing more would have bogged it down, but I think it would have given a lot of interesting food for thought. I want depth. I did appreciate the ending scene with what Noah decides to do with the German soldier.
I did like the camaraderie and family-ness relationships that developed among Noah and his fellow Phantoms. This was a coming-of-age story more than a war novel, so battle actually plays a very small part, which I liked. I get bored during battle scenes and I liked Noah's development as he proceeded through different aspects of the training. However, the intended audience probably prefers battle scenes.
This was an interesting chunk of WWII that I had never seen before. I liked that Duble included a brief bibliography at the back for those who are interested in learning more.
Once caveat for the cover. Poorly done. The subjects face looks like it was cut out and pasted onto a stock photo of a skier. The sizing isn't correct and it bugs me every time I look at the front. This doesn't affect my opinion of the book, but still.
October 25, 2016
Personal Response:I liked this book a lot. It talked about how the Germans were up in the mountains. They had a good point where they had the high ground to attack and defeat other military people. I liked how the author wrote the book, because it told me how hard being a Phantom was and it explained the process and training that they do to become a Phantom.
Plot: The plot of the story started out in the mountains of Colorado in basic training. During training the 85th-87th division got shipped out to Texas for army training. At the end of the book the divisions got shipped out to Italy to fight the Nazi powers in the mountains. They also slept in a barn on an old farm in Italy when they were deported.
Characterization: Noah is the main character of this book, a 15 year old boy. His uncle, James Shelly, is one of the few Phantoms of the Snow.
Setting: The setting of this book is in 1944 during World War II. It takes place in the Colorado Rockies where the base is located. At the end of the book, the setting was in Italy and Germany as the troops traveled and battled through Germany.
Theme: The lesson I got from this book is always have each others back. If Noah did not have his Uncle James's back, he would have been dead.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to both male and female teenagers who are interested in military fiction and action packed books. It would also be a good recommendation for elderly people who were in the war. This book would be a good book in a nursing home for elderly people.
November 11, 2015
While reading Phantoms in the Snow, I tended to get in a comfortable place to read. When reading this book it was an easy read and didn't have very many lines of plot like most of the books that you hear about. The one thing that was complex was that there were a lot of characters that were not always referred to as the same name. For example, one character might call another character by their first name and then by their last name at another time.
"His parents were gone. His grandparents were died, to they said there was no other choice."
The first turning point in Noah's life was the death of his parents. When they died, he had no other family besides his uncle that he had never met. He was forced to go and live with him. But because he was still fifteen he was not going to be able to join his uncle at the training camp until he was sixteen. The second turning point was when his battalion was called to go prepare for the war in Texas. When he was in Texas it was a completely different scene than he remembered and he realized that he loved the mountains better than he thought. Then the third turning point was when he got called to war in Italy. All of these turning points made him turn into a man earlier than necessary.
I would recommend this book to someone who likes war books but is of a younger age. I recommend this because if you were older, you might think that this book is really easy to read. This book would be also enjoyed by someone who likes fiction books.
"His parents were gone. His grandparents were died, to they said there was no other choice."
The first turning point in Noah's life was the death of his parents. When they died, he had no other family besides his uncle that he had never met. He was forced to go and live with him. But because he was still fifteen he was not going to be able to join his uncle at the training camp until he was sixteen. The second turning point was when his battalion was called to go prepare for the war in Texas. When he was in Texas it was a completely different scene than he remembered and he realized that he loved the mountains better than he thought. Then the third turning point was when he got called to war in Italy. All of these turning points made him turn into a man earlier than necessary.
I would recommend this book to someone who likes war books but is of a younger age. I recommend this because if you were older, you might think that this book is really easy to read. This book would be also enjoyed by someone who likes fiction books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2012
Phantoms In The Snow by Kathleen Duble, is a very informational historical fiction novel that was centered around a fifteen-year-old Noah Garrett from Texas. Noah loses his parents in the beginning of the novel to small pox and is forced to move to a military base in Colorado where his uncle would look after him. Knowing that the country was in the midst of WWII, Noah thought he would be thrown right into the middle of battle and he was worried. Noah did not even believe in war! This was because his parents were Pacifists who taught him that violence was never the answer. Noah tries to overcome the physical and emotional struggles of his unique problems during the U.S.’s battle with the Axis Powers. Personally, I felt that this book portrayed the time period very well with its information about World War II. It also had great characters with realistic emotions. Despite those thoughts, Phantoms In The Snow didn’t really hook me as a reader. I was not pulled to keep on reading as the plot was not as exciting as I had expected. In my opinion, the plot really never caught fire as I was desperately waiting for something exciting to happen. I believe this novel deserved two stars because it served its purpose as a book that would allow me to complete the assignments, but wasn’t as good of a read as I expected.
October 31, 2014
I gave this book a 4 star rating because it is a good book filled with action. What happens in this book is a 15-year-old boy named Noah Garret gets shipped of to camp hale to live with his uncle because. His parents died of smallpox and he has no other living family. At first Noah was trying to figure out a way that he could break out and find somewhere else to live. After a while his uncle finds out that he isn't 16 but puts him trough combat training anyway.Noah eventually makes friends at the camp and doesn't want to leave. They all get sent to war and fight the Germans in a small town in the mountains and win.
I would recommend this book to someone because it is a very good book. If i were to recommend this book to anyone it would be a male from the ages 11-22 that like books that have a lot of action in them.
I would recommend this book to someone because it is a very good book. If i were to recommend this book to anyone it would be a male from the ages 11-22 that like books that have a lot of action in them.
December 14, 2014
Phantoms in the Snow is a great book to read. It make you see how peoples beliefs could in in an instant. It makes you see how war is sometimes needed to solve a problem. It takes you inside the head of the main character and how he thinks and his beliefs. It Show how his beliefs change through out the story.
January 3, 2017
This book was very interesting to me because I like to ski and read military books. It is a fiction book based on real events during WWII and has lots of history. If you like these things I would recommend Phantoms in the Snow because it is a book that really stands out and I have not read a book like this one. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars.
February 13, 2018
Name ____Blake Bixby______________________________________ Date ____1/26/17________ Class __Reading core D____
The Honest Truth
An absolutely honest book review
Title: ___Phantoms in the Snow ________________________________________________Pages _240 ______
Author: ____Kathleen Benner Duble______________________ Publisher Scholastic _____________________
Genre: ___Historical Fiction________ ISBN _978-0-545-39495-6 _________________________ Price ___$5.99_________
Give a summary of the book- without giving away the ending.
______It’s 1944 and Noah Garret is 15 and lives in Texas. He was orphaned by smallpox and raised a pacifist by his parents before they died. He goes to live with his only relative, an uncle he has never seen before in his life In Camp Hale, Colorado which houses military skiing divisions. Now, Noah has to learn to ski when he has never seen snow before, lie about his age to live with his uncle, fight though he is a pacifist and discover what to do with his life when the war ends, all while trying to warm up to his uncle and mates, facing sickness and death survive his first real military mission. .__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Check one: Explain why you selected the description you did and
I loved this book! why you rated the book the way you did.
I enjoyed this book.* _I selected this description because it explains the story without giving away the ending and I didn’t give away to many of the good parts. ______________________________
I did not enjoy this book. ___________________________________
I abandoned this book. ___________________________________
___________________________________
✰ ✰ ✰ ✰* ✰ ___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Who would you recommend this book to and why?
________I would recommend this book to any one who likes skiing and war stories because those are the two main focuses of the book and I would recommend it to people my age .___________________________
___________________________________ If you liked …
___________________________________ ➔____ ___ An Innocent Soldier _____________
__________________________________ ➔________Beneath a Scarlet Sky _______ ____________________________ ➔________ The Secret-Code breakers of Central Bureau ____________
___________________________________ ...then you might like this book, too!
The Honest Truth
An absolutely honest book review
Title: ___Phantoms in the Snow ________________________________________________Pages _240 ______
Author: ____Kathleen Benner Duble______________________ Publisher Scholastic _____________________
Genre: ___Historical Fiction________ ISBN _978-0-545-39495-6 _________________________ Price ___$5.99_________
Give a summary of the book- without giving away the ending.
______It’s 1944 and Noah Garret is 15 and lives in Texas. He was orphaned by smallpox and raised a pacifist by his parents before they died. He goes to live with his only relative, an uncle he has never seen before in his life In Camp Hale, Colorado which houses military skiing divisions. Now, Noah has to learn to ski when he has never seen snow before, lie about his age to live with his uncle, fight though he is a pacifist and discover what to do with his life when the war ends, all while trying to warm up to his uncle and mates, facing sickness and death survive his first real military mission. .__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Check one: Explain why you selected the description you did and
I loved this book! why you rated the book the way you did.
I enjoyed this book.* _I selected this description because it explains the story without giving away the ending and I didn’t give away to many of the good parts. ______________________________
I did not enjoy this book. ___________________________________
I abandoned this book. ___________________________________
___________________________________
✰ ✰ ✰ ✰* ✰ ___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Who would you recommend this book to and why?
________I would recommend this book to any one who likes skiing and war stories because those are the two main focuses of the book and I would recommend it to people my age .___________________________
___________________________________ If you liked …
___________________________________ ➔____ ___ An Innocent Soldier _____________
__________________________________ ➔________Beneath a Scarlet Sky _______ ____________________________ ➔________ The Secret-Code breakers of Central Bureau ____________
___________________________________ ...then you might like this book, too!
December 5, 2017
Phantoms in the Snow by Kathleen Benner Duble that takes place in World War 2. Noah is a 15-year-old boy who lives in Texas when his parents suddenly die of smallpox. He has no family around or left to take him in other than his Uncle James Shelley who lives on a military base in Colorado. Noah arrived on base in snowy Colorado to figure out that the base his uncle lives on is near a giant mountain because they are one of the only skiing division in the military. Noah had no idea how to ski and to make it even worse homesickness set in very quick.
I connected with how Noah learned how to ski. It took him a while to learn how and while he was learning he kept falling. The next days he would be so sore and have to get up and do it again. I learned to ski at Cascade Mountain and I fell constantly. It was fun, but so cold and hurt a lot. By the end of the lessons, I began to get better and not fall as much.
I liked this book very much. It is based on a real thing that happened. The characters weren’t real, but the division and places were real. I enjoy reading about World War 2 and would recommend this book to anyone who also likes World War 2. This book is also good for anyone though because it is not just about the War and is more about the main character's journey and the family of the 10th mountain ski division.
I connected with how Noah learned how to ski. It took him a while to learn how and while he was learning he kept falling. The next days he would be so sore and have to get up and do it again. I learned to ski at Cascade Mountain and I fell constantly. It was fun, but so cold and hurt a lot. By the end of the lessons, I began to get better and not fall as much.
I liked this book very much. It is based on a real thing that happened. The characters weren’t real, but the division and places were real. I enjoy reading about World War 2 and would recommend this book to anyone who also likes World War 2. This book is also good for anyone though because it is not just about the War and is more about the main character's journey and the family of the 10th mountain ski division.
August 6, 2024
The book “Phantoms in the Snow" by Kathleen Benner Duble is an intriguing historical fiction book about a boy in World War II. The story takes place in 1944 as Noah Garret, a fifteen-year-old, is left at an orphanage after his parents die from smallpox. He had no other family nearby so he went to live with his uncle, who was a soldier in Camp Hale, Colorado. It was a US Military base for a division called the phantoms. This division would ski down mountains at high speed wearing all white almost becoming invisible in the snow. This allowed them to sneak up on their enemies and surprise them. The element of surprise is key in war because it can be crucial in shifting the balance of power and achieving success.
There were many interesting characters in this book but the one that stood out the most was Noah. Something impressive Noah did was when he learned how to ski in three days. Him learning was very important because, if he couldn’t ski he wouldn't be able to stay at the base or with his uncle.
I would definitely recommend “Phantoms In The Snow" to other readers. This book is directed towards people who are interested in war, learning about history , and love skiing. Even if readers aren't interested in these topics, they will still find interest when reading about Noah overcoming his obstacles.
From Jack, 7th grade
There were many interesting characters in this book but the one that stood out the most was Noah. Something impressive Noah did was when he learned how to ski in three days. Him learning was very important because, if he couldn’t ski he wouldn't be able to stay at the base or with his uncle.
I would definitely recommend “Phantoms In The Snow" to other readers. This book is directed towards people who are interested in war, learning about history , and love skiing. Even if readers aren't interested in these topics, they will still find interest when reading about Noah overcoming his obstacles.
From Jack, 7th grade
January 7, 2025
Overall, I would say that I enjoyed this book. The story was easy to follow, and the characters were clear and likeable. The author allowed the readers to feel empathetic towards Noah and his uncle. You could feel the pain Noah felt of not knowing where he belonged after losing his parents. You could also imagine how hard it was to go from hot Texas to the blistering cold of Colorado. On top of that, having to learn how to ski and carry battle equipment would be incredibly difficult. I appreciate the author for bringing the Phantoms legacy to life. I had never considered skiing being used in the military, but I now see how important it was. I also think it was important to learn about how people fighting in this war didn't quite know what they were getting themselves into. They weren't even fully aware of what the Nazi's were doing to the Jews. No one wanted to die, but they fought to protect their country. The rating loses one star from me because the books pacing was all over the place. The beginning was paced perfectly, and soon after the story seemed to skip over a lot of information. The characters were suddenly in a new location at a new time. I understand how this was needed so that it could stay at a level readable for teens. I would have appreciated if the story could have been at least 100 pages longer.
November 20, 2018
This book is about a kid whose parents died when he was 8 years old so he is going to a base were his uncle is and he rides a train there and he gets a little anxious when he is going there when he gets there he starts to get dizzy and he faints because of the high altitude. His uncle is trying to get him to go with another family and he is 16 now and he is able to go to war and he is nerves because he doesn't want his uncle to get hurt and not come back. So he signs up to go to the war and his uncle got frustrated with him saying that you can not go you are still to young its better if you go when you older. But he refuses and his uncle starts to yell at him but then one of his uncle's friends brought him out of the tent before something happened. This book was ok it had a lot of war talk in it and there was like no fighting or shooting of guns it was just a lot of drama and talking.
May 28, 2019
The book, Phantoms in the Snow by Kathleen Benner Duble was a very insightful book into the life of the phantoms of WWII. It was enjoyable and the theme was to stick up for what you believe is right. It is a reoccurring theme with many events involved. The setting is in Camp McHale, Colorado, 1944. This book is a historical fiction because of the made up characters, but the storyline of the characters are true. Noah, a 15-almost 16 year old texan boy moves to Colorado because his parents passed away. At his destination at Camp McHale, he meets his only remaining relative, James Shelley. Noah continues to meet many more of the men at the camp including Skeeter and his first friend, Wiley. But, Noah reaches a crossroads, do you stay with the men and train for war, or do you leave and start a new life? This was an interesting book and kept me engaged. This is most likely due to my obsession with History. Information about a specific division, is fascinating for me. It is the details and ground level storytelling I appreciate. This book was different from the other WWII books because of the focus more on the lifestyle and preparation rather than the combat. For example, James Shelley’s life as one of the best phantoms at the Camp, is described in the form of the details of putting wax on their skis and participating in skiing and hiking competitions. The book reflects the mood of the war, the public opinion toward war and other historical references. In all, this was a book that was worth to read. I loved this book and would recommend this to other readers like me with an interest in this topic. There is historical references, new information on the context of the constant skirmishes on the battlefield. This book includes historic content and very important life lessons and morals. The author really uses some descriptive word choice and adds her own voice to the story. An author can tell a story any way he/she wants. It adds a real element to your adventure of following Noah through the horrid, World War II.
December 20, 2019
Phantoms in the snow is a fantastic book. I would recommend this book for people who are teens and up, and who are interested in world war 2, and like history. “Kathleen Benner Duble” (the author of this book) is also the author of The sacrifice, hearts of iron, the root of magic. What I like about this book the most is it’s amazing themes, some of the themes would be, there is always hope in dark times, and do what is right. I would give this book a 8/10 for its fascinating story plot. M.B.
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November 24, 2020This book is about a 15-year-old pacifist boy who does not believe in fighting. Noah is sent to his uncle in the mounted because his mom and dad died of small pocks. He has to face his believes as he is taught to fight to become a snow soldier during World War 2. This is a perfect book for those who like reading historical fiction. The author really paints an image in your mind about what it was like training in the mounts and how hard it was.
September 13, 2022
I loved the book, but I did think that the ending was a little bit anticlimactic. In general, I wish that it was a bit longer, since when you're reaching the part that is hinted at and the whole book is slowly leading up to, you expect a lot more from it than what actually happens. Overall though, I did really like the book. The characters, setting, time frame, and the fact that it's focussed around a real division that before reading the book I never knew existed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2018
I’ve read many books set during WWII, but had never heard of the Tenth Mountain Division before. This book was interesting and I learned some new things. The pace was good and the characters were believable, to the point I found a couple to be annoying at times- but it’s that way with real people too! I recommend this coming if age story.
January 9, 2019
Noah's life comes crashing to a halt when his parents die of smallpox. Noah must travel to where his Uncle is training in the mountains as a Phantom skier in the US Military. Noah must decide where his life will take him: back home to a quiet life in Texas, or fighting for his country with the only family he has left. WWII teen fiction.
January 17, 2020
I give this book a 5/5 becuause it was very interesting, intriguing and inspirational. This book is about a 15 year old boy getting drafted into war. This big was very intriguing because the book talks about all of his struggles and how he kept working hard and never gave up on working hard. In conclusion I give this book a 5/5 and it was one of my favorite books of all time.
July 27, 2017
Excellent book, enjoyed the detail and may read a second time.
I would say that the book can be appreciated by YA and adult readers as well.
Will research Phantoms of the Tenth Mountain Division as I need to know more.
I would say that the book can be appreciated by YA and adult readers as well.
Will research Phantoms of the Tenth Mountain Division as I need to know more.
January 5, 2018
The reason why i rated this review is because, I love these types of books and genre. But my favorite part is where Noah kept falling down the mountain skeing and finally the next day he does it once.
July 11, 2019
I really loved this book and the history .
Read
December 16, 2019two copies
January 16, 2017
"I can see you're feeling bad about standing up for what you believe in. It's 'cause of all that polite stuff you were raised on. Well don't you do it... Don't let me or anyone other man bully you into doing what you don't want to. You said no. Now stick by your decision and forget about it. That's the proud and right thing to do."
See reviews first on my blog
Noah is now an orphan with no family that he really knows to take care of him. So he is sent to live with his uncle who is in the military, who he has never met before nor heard much about. Once he's arrived Noah has to lie about his age in order to stay. The more her learns about his uncle and the war and the more training he gets to be a phantom (they work in the snowy mountains to stop Nazi's.) he starts getting confused on what he should do. He doesn't believe he should kill anyone, but he also sees how bad the people they are fighting for have been treated. Caught in a tough situation Noah has to do a lot of thinking in order to find his own way while fighting for his life.
"For me it's like this. I stand out here, and I see those mountains. And I realize that I'm free to do whatever I want to, live a life as I choose. And I know that I can't stand by and not let other people have that same freedom."
Overall I really liked this story. Noah while at times was slightly childish was also a very believable character. He had grown up sheltered by his parents, and he didn't understand certain things about the real world until they were right in front him. His uncle while a tough man to like at first is one that grows on you. He hasn't had any family for a long time, so to have someone who he cares for around again is hard for him at times. But by the end of the story you love him and you can see that he was just really doing what he though was best for Noah all while still trying to have his own career and life. The other side characters in this book were very enjoyable as well. I loved the banter they all had going on between them and how they all realized that the tough guy act they all did was just an act and that they all were very scared about what they were going to have to do.
I loved learning so much about the phantoms. I had heard of the name before regarding what they did, but I didn't really understand what it was until this book. The author added in real life things that phantoms had done as well making the story all the more enjoyable. I hope to read more about them in the future.
"Maybe something good would come of it, but would any of them know until time had passed? War, Noah saw now, was the great gamble, sometimes necessary, sometimes not."
See reviews first on my blog
Noah is now an orphan with no family that he really knows to take care of him. So he is sent to live with his uncle who is in the military, who he has never met before nor heard much about. Once he's arrived Noah has to lie about his age in order to stay. The more her learns about his uncle and the war and the more training he gets to be a phantom (they work in the snowy mountains to stop Nazi's.) he starts getting confused on what he should do. He doesn't believe he should kill anyone, but he also sees how bad the people they are fighting for have been treated. Caught in a tough situation Noah has to do a lot of thinking in order to find his own way while fighting for his life.
"For me it's like this. I stand out here, and I see those mountains. And I realize that I'm free to do whatever I want to, live a life as I choose. And I know that I can't stand by and not let other people have that same freedom."
Overall I really liked this story. Noah while at times was slightly childish was also a very believable character. He had grown up sheltered by his parents, and he didn't understand certain things about the real world until they were right in front him. His uncle while a tough man to like at first is one that grows on you. He hasn't had any family for a long time, so to have someone who he cares for around again is hard for him at times. But by the end of the story you love him and you can see that he was just really doing what he though was best for Noah all while still trying to have his own career and life. The other side characters in this book were very enjoyable as well. I loved the banter they all had going on between them and how they all realized that the tough guy act they all did was just an act and that they all were very scared about what they were going to have to do.
I loved learning so much about the phantoms. I had heard of the name before regarding what they did, but I didn't really understand what it was until this book. The author added in real life things that phantoms had done as well making the story all the more enjoyable. I hope to read more about them in the future.
"Maybe something good would come of it, but would any of them know until time had passed? War, Noah saw now, was the great gamble, sometimes necessary, sometimes not."
August 28, 2018
I loved this book so many breath taking moments in noah garrets life
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