student blog post

Making Bombs for Hitler
Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Scholastic

This book tells the story of Lida, a fictional young Ukrainian girl, who is captured by the Nazis to be used for slave labor shortly before her ninth birthday. Lida's father was killed by the Soviets, and her mother was shot by the Nazis for attempting to hide their Jewish neighbors. After that, Lida and her beloved younger sister, Larissa, went to live with their grandmother, where they were captured by the Nazis. The girls were separated, with Lida being sent to a work camp. Lida is devastated, as she doesn't know what happened to her sister, her only remaining family, and she fears she might have been harmed or killed because she is too young to work.

The work conditions at the camp are awful. Lida lies about her age, hoping she will be seen as someone more useful, and therefore, be kept alive. There is never enough food and everyone is cold and hungry. Lida is lucky, because she is given a good position working in the laundry, which is clean and warm, but, after a few months, she is forced to go work in a factory, making bombs for the Nazis. Lida hates having to help the Nazi war effort, because if they win, she will never be free again.

With rumours of the Allies turning the tide in the war, Lida and her friends conspire to sabotage the bombs to help block the Nazis’ war effort. When her work camp is finally set free, she is able to begin her search to learn the fate of her sister.o

I like this book because it is short but is filled with detail, wonder and excitement. It is a thriling journey to escape from the nazis. It keeps you wanting to read more, and is a book that you can’t let go of. 

by Dibbo