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The Whispering Town
Cover of The Whispering Town
The Whispering Town
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The dramatic story of neighbors in a small Danish fishing village who, during the Holocaust, shelter a Jewish family waiting to be ferried to safety in Sweden - based on a true story. It is 1943 in Nazi-occupied Denmark. Anett and her parents are hiding a Jewish woman and her son, Carl, in their cellar until a fishing boat can take them across the sound to neutral Sweden. The soldiers patrolling their street are growing suspicious, so Carl and his mama must make their way to the harbor despite a cloudy sky with no moon to guide them. Worried about their safety, Anett devises a clever and unusual plan for their safe passage to the harbor.
The dramatic story of neighbors in a small Danish fishing village who, during the Holocaust, shelter a Jewish family waiting to be ferried to safety in Sweden - based on a true story. It is 1943 in Nazi-occupied Denmark. Anett and her parents are hiding a Jewish woman and her son, Carl, in their cellar until a fishing boat can take them across the sound to neutral Sweden. The soldiers patrolling their street are growing suspicious, so Carl and his mama must make their way to the harbor despite a cloudy sky with no moon to guide them. Worried about their safety, Anett devises a clever and unusual plan for their safe passage to the harbor.
Available formats-
  • OverDrive Read
  • PDF eBook
Languages:-
Copies-
  • Available:
    1
  • Library copies:
    1
Levels-
  • ATOS:
    3.1
  • Lexile:
    530
  • Interest Level:
    LG
  • Text Difficulty:
    K - 2


About the Author-
  • Jennifer Elvgren, award-winning author of The Whispering Town and Josias, Hold the Book, is a former print journalist who finds her story ideas in real life. She lives in Albemarle County, Virginia. With her husband, three children Caspian the border collie, Copperfield the foxhound, and Goodnight Moon the American quarter horse.
Reviews-
  • Publisher's Weekly

    January 27, 2014
    Annet's family is part of the Danish resistance, hiding Jews in their cellar until the hidden refugees can escape by boat to Sweden. Unlike many stories set during the Nazi occupation, this one finds its protagonist, who narrates the story, an already accomplished insurgent: when her mother tells Annet, "There are new friends in the cellar," the girl knows whom to go to in the underground for additional food and even books for the young boy sheltering with his mother. These hushed requests inspire Annet to create a kind of whispering chain to guide the Jews to the harbor on a moonless night. Based on real events that unfolded in the Danish fishing town of Gilleleje, it's a story that feels urgent and refreshingly unsentimental. Elvgren (Josias, Hold the Book) never stops her reportorial storytelling for a speech about why these brave people are defying the Nazis—Annet just knows she has to act. Santomauro, who has a distinctly graphic novel sensibility, uses strong ink lines and a rich neutral palette (save for a few splashes of red) to convey a sense of secrecy, high stakes, and profound moral courage. Ages 7-11. Illustrator's agent: Advocate Art.

  • Booklist

    Starred review from May 1, 2014
    Grades 2-4 *Starred Review* Based on a true incident, this is the story of two families, one Danish, the other Jewish. Young Anett is told by her mother, there are new friends in the cellar. This is no surprise to the girl; the cellar is where Danish Jews are hidden from the Nazis. The new boy, Carl, and his mother are to remain hidden for two nights, until a boat can take them to Sweden. Until then the other villagers provide bread and eggs and even books. The moonless nights make it difficult to evacuate the duo, yet as the Nazis come closer, it becomes clear that they must somehow make their way to the harbor. Then Anett has an idea. That night, the villagers stand in the doorways of their houses, each whispering, this way, and forming a chain that leads Carl and his mother to the first step toward safety. The illustrations have the bold look of a graphic novel and use oversize figures to command attention. Both author and illustrator do an excellent job of bringing both the horror and humanity of this story to a level younger children can understand, and there is much of both: Nazis pounding on doors; Carl giving Anett his most prized possession, a heart-shaped stone, a last gift from his father. An unusual and strong addition to Holocaust literature.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

  • The Horn Book

    July 1, 2014
    Annet and her family protect Danish Jews from the Nazis by hiding them in their basement and warning them when soldiers are nearby. She organizes a plan to help them get to safety by involving the neighbors. Serious subject matter is handled appropriately and delicately in this picture book, and dark, somber illustrations set the tone while still including notes of hopefulness.

    (Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

  • Jewish Book World "This slim volume is highly recommended for its fine read, for its introduction to sound historical fiction and for its gentle look at a difficult past that cannot be ignored." — Jewish Book World
Title Information+
  • Publisher
    Lerner Publishing Group
  • OverDrive Read
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  • Copyright Protection (DRM) required by the Publisher may be applied to this title to limit or prohibit printing or copying. File sharing or redistribution is prohibited. Your rights to access this material expire at the end of the lending period. Please see Important Notice about Copyrighted Materials for terms applicable to this content.

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The Whispering Town
The Whispering Town
Jennifer Elvgren
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