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My Friend the Enemy
Summer, 1941. For Peter, the war is a long way away, being fought by a faceless enemy. Until the night a German plane is shot down over woods that his missing dad looked after before he went off to fight.
Peter rushes to the crash site to see if there’s something he can keep, but what he finds instead is an injured young German airman. The enemy. Here.
And helping him seems like the right thing to do...
Peter rushes to the crash site to see if there’s something he can keep, but what he finds instead is an injured young German airman. The enemy. Here.
And helping him seems like the right thing to do...
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2013
66 people are currently reading
958 people want to read
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Dan Smith
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
April 5, 2019
Oh my, my throat is still feeling rather thick right now. Such a good book! I so enjoyed it. It is during the Second World War which is one my favorite settings, and it was just downright sweet, amazing, and heart-wrenching.
Peter and Kim were such good characters. I love their friendship with Erik, the German. I loved how realistic the author portrayed their ages. They were afraid and were unsure what to do. But they decided that if Erik was Kim's brother or Peter's Dad they'd want someone to help them.
And Erik...*sniff*. The second to last chapter had me crying. Seriously, I don't really even know how to describe how I felt. He's a very, very, very good German indeed! I loved (I know I'm using that word a lot again!!) how Kim and Peter try to communicate with him despite the lanugage barrier.
Mr. Bennet's character ended up being really nice too. I wasn't expecting that to happen, and I like how the author makes you feel exactly how Peter felt. Everything was through his eyes and feelings. Superb writing!
I lowered my rating only slightly because:
Peter and Kim do lie several times, although I can understand the difficulty of keeping with the truth when you are helping the enemy. Also, there are several swear words-most of which are only swear words in England. There is some description of dead people which some might find gruesome.
If you like a good war story with no romance, then grab this. You won't be disappointed, I assure you.
Peter and Kim were such good characters. I love their friendship with Erik, the German. I loved how realistic the author portrayed their ages. They were afraid and were unsure what to do. But they decided that if Erik was Kim's brother or Peter's Dad they'd want someone to help them.
And Erik...*sniff*. The second to last chapter had me crying. Seriously, I don't really even know how to describe how I felt. He's a very, very, very good German indeed! I loved (I know I'm using that word a lot again!!) how Kim and Peter try to communicate with him despite the lanugage barrier.
Mr. Bennet's character ended up being really nice too. I wasn't expecting that to happen, and I like how the author makes you feel exactly how Peter felt. Everything was through his eyes and feelings. Superb writing!
I lowered my rating only slightly because:
Peter and Kim do lie several times, although I can understand the difficulty of keeping with the truth when you are helping the enemy. Also, there are several swear words-most of which are only swear words in England. There is some description of dead people which some might find gruesome.
If you like a good war story with no romance, then grab this. You won't be disappointed, I assure you.
March 15, 2024
Reminiscent of every Michael Morpurgo wartime book ever and John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, this book doesn’t reinvent the wheel. What it does do is pack a surprisingly emotional punch and deliver it superbly.
The youth seeps through the narrative voice so expertly you feel as though you are the protagonist and his emotions are your own.
I would say that I don’t think enough was done with their friend who was the enemy. I understand the limitations due to the language barrier, but I felt as though a conversation beyond the same five words would have been interesting. But that’s not me complaining; I even liked the unexpected ending as well, it had a nostalgic childhood feel to it.
The youth seeps through the narrative voice so expertly you feel as though you are the protagonist and his emotions are your own.
I would say that I don’t think enough was done with their friend who was the enemy. I understand the limitations due to the language barrier, but I felt as though a conversation beyond the same five words would have been interesting. But that’s not me complaining; I even liked the unexpected ending as well, it had a nostalgic childhood feel to it.
September 5, 2014
One summer day in 1941, while Peter Dixon, 12, is in the woods checking his snares to see if he's caught a rabbit to supplement the meager amount of food her and his mam get with their ration coupons, the air raid siren goes off. Not knowing what to do, Peter starts running for home and the safety of their Anderson shelter, but before he gets there, a German plane crashes so close to him, Peter is knocked out.
It doesn't take long for the whole village to come out to see what happened, including all the children who want to try to get souvenirs from the wreckage. And that's how Peter meets Kim, a girl about his age, with short hair and dressed like a boy. The two become instant friends.
Peter and Kim decide to go back to the wreckage that night to look for their own souvenirs, even sneaking inside the plane. After almost getting caught by the soldiers guarding the plane, the two end up with a gun belonging to one of the dead Germans in it. Running off towards the woods to hide, they stumble upon a third German from the plane, who had parachuted out but was badly hurt.
Seeing the gun, the German begs them not to hurt him and they decide to take him to Peter's hiding place in the woods. They clean him up and over the next few days, they learn that his name is Erik, and the three become friends, as much as that can happen when you can't speak each others language. Hiding and feeding Erik is difficult but Kim is afraid the army will shoot him on the spot and she is convinced that if they take care of Erik, than the same kindness will be shown to her brother Josh, in the RAF, or Peter's father in the army if they shot or injured and found by the enemy.
Peter, however, just wants his dad to come home. Than maybe Mr. Bennett, who owns most of the land surrounding the village, who stop coming around to see his mother so much. And maybe the older boys in the village will stop bullying him so much about his mother and Mr. Bennett.
Things get more complicated, but in the end, all the elements of this story come together in an exciting, maybe a little predictable, but definitely satisfying denouement.
I found myself immediately pulled into My Friend the Enemy. It is a compelling story right from the start. Peter is a sensitive boy, a bit of a loner and rather timid who seems to have spent much of his time with his dad, the gameskeeper for Mr. Bennett's land. Kim, on the other hand, is a confident girl. a bit of a tomboy, and not the least bit afraid of standing up to bullies older and much bigger than she is.
It is also an exciting story, with plenty of action and historical detail. Times were tough during the war, food was in short supply and people lived their lives in fear of bombing raids. Smith incorporates all that into his story, giving the dilemmas Peter wrestles with - to help a German soldier, to steal food from his mother to feed Erik, to accept Mr. Bennett's help even as he begins to suspect the bullies are right about him and his mother - a very realistic quality so necessary in good historical fiction.
I did like that it takes place in the same north-eastern area of England as Robert Westall's book and, in fact, My Friend The Enemy did remind me somewhat of books by this favorite author. Unlike the Blitz in London, the north eastern coast was one of the places that was bombed only because German planes were dumping them to lighten their load as they returned home from a bombing raid, a fact Dan Smith includes in his novel, but not a place you read about much in WWII books for young readers. My Friend The Enemy gives readers another perspective on the war as it happened in England.
Young readers will definitely find this a book to their liking, especially readers interested in WWII and what like was like on the home front for kids around their age.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an E-ARC obtained from NetGalley
This review was originally posted at The Children's War
It doesn't take long for the whole village to come out to see what happened, including all the children who want to try to get souvenirs from the wreckage. And that's how Peter meets Kim, a girl about his age, with short hair and dressed like a boy. The two become instant friends.
Peter and Kim decide to go back to the wreckage that night to look for their own souvenirs, even sneaking inside the plane. After almost getting caught by the soldiers guarding the plane, the two end up with a gun belonging to one of the dead Germans in it. Running off towards the woods to hide, they stumble upon a third German from the plane, who had parachuted out but was badly hurt.
Seeing the gun, the German begs them not to hurt him and they decide to take him to Peter's hiding place in the woods. They clean him up and over the next few days, they learn that his name is Erik, and the three become friends, as much as that can happen when you can't speak each others language. Hiding and feeding Erik is difficult but Kim is afraid the army will shoot him on the spot and she is convinced that if they take care of Erik, than the same kindness will be shown to her brother Josh, in the RAF, or Peter's father in the army if they shot or injured and found by the enemy.
Peter, however, just wants his dad to come home. Than maybe Mr. Bennett, who owns most of the land surrounding the village, who stop coming around to see his mother so much. And maybe the older boys in the village will stop bullying him so much about his mother and Mr. Bennett.
Things get more complicated, but in the end, all the elements of this story come together in an exciting, maybe a little predictable, but definitely satisfying denouement.
I found myself immediately pulled into My Friend the Enemy. It is a compelling story right from the start. Peter is a sensitive boy, a bit of a loner and rather timid who seems to have spent much of his time with his dad, the gameskeeper for Mr. Bennett's land. Kim, on the other hand, is a confident girl. a bit of a tomboy, and not the least bit afraid of standing up to bullies older and much bigger than she is.
It is also an exciting story, with plenty of action and historical detail. Times were tough during the war, food was in short supply and people lived their lives in fear of bombing raids. Smith incorporates all that into his story, giving the dilemmas Peter wrestles with - to help a German soldier, to steal food from his mother to feed Erik, to accept Mr. Bennett's help even as he begins to suspect the bullies are right about him and his mother - a very realistic quality so necessary in good historical fiction.
I did like that it takes place in the same north-eastern area of England as Robert Westall's book and, in fact, My Friend The Enemy did remind me somewhat of books by this favorite author. Unlike the Blitz in London, the north eastern coast was one of the places that was bombed only because German planes were dumping them to lighten their load as they returned home from a bombing raid, a fact Dan Smith includes in his novel, but not a place you read about much in WWII books for young readers. My Friend The Enemy gives readers another perspective on the war as it happened in England.
Young readers will definitely find this a book to their liking, especially readers interested in WWII and what like was like on the home front for kids around their age.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an E-ARC obtained from NetGalley
This review was originally posted at The Children's War
July 11, 2013
Originally posted on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
I’m not normally one for historical war time books but this book appealed to me. I had spoken to the author, Dan Smith, quite regularly on Twitter and I was intrigued about the change from writing for adults to writing for children.
For me the cover of the book screams – boy’s book! But that really isn’t the case. Although the story is written in first person from Peter’s point of view, you watch his strong friendship with Kim grow as the story progresses, so I know it will appeal to everyone.
I loved the detailed descriptions in this book. I felt that I could almost step into 1941. The author has really done his homework and brought the war years back to life. I’m sure while reading it, I could smell the tripe cooking. The difficulties with food and rationing were so clearly obvious and it left me wondering how as a nation we would cope if we had to return to those days. Where food is now fast and in abundance, I think we would struggle to live off such meagre portions. Not to mention digging up our landscaped gardens to fit in some home grown vegetables!
I warmed instantly to the relationship between Kim, Peter and Erik. Kim and Peter were such wonderful characters who acted with more dignity, courage and honour than the contrasting British soldiers within the book. They wanted to treat Erik in the way they hoped their loved ones would be treated while fighting abroad. Erik was a young German soldier, but he cared for Kim and Peter too. He trusted them and was prepared to abandon his hideout to save them. Throughout the book, you find yourself questioning the war, especially when you see innocents from both sides of it caught in such difficult situations. I really do think the author created some memorable characters who highlight the humane side of the war.
I believe this book would make a great accompaniment to any class studying World War 2 as it gives such an insight into what life was really like during such hard times. It has elements of Whistle Down The Wind in it, although the lines are blurred as to whether Erik could be considered a criminal. To me, it felt as though he was another innocent person fighting someone’s else war.
If you love books such as Goodnight Mr Tom, I’m sure you will enjoy this.
I’m not normally one for historical war time books but this book appealed to me. I had spoken to the author, Dan Smith, quite regularly on Twitter and I was intrigued about the change from writing for adults to writing for children.
For me the cover of the book screams – boy’s book! But that really isn’t the case. Although the story is written in first person from Peter’s point of view, you watch his strong friendship with Kim grow as the story progresses, so I know it will appeal to everyone.
I loved the detailed descriptions in this book. I felt that I could almost step into 1941. The author has really done his homework and brought the war years back to life. I’m sure while reading it, I could smell the tripe cooking. The difficulties with food and rationing were so clearly obvious and it left me wondering how as a nation we would cope if we had to return to those days. Where food is now fast and in abundance, I think we would struggle to live off such meagre portions. Not to mention digging up our landscaped gardens to fit in some home grown vegetables!
I warmed instantly to the relationship between Kim, Peter and Erik. Kim and Peter were such wonderful characters who acted with more dignity, courage and honour than the contrasting British soldiers within the book. They wanted to treat Erik in the way they hoped their loved ones would be treated while fighting abroad. Erik was a young German soldier, but he cared for Kim and Peter too. He trusted them and was prepared to abandon his hideout to save them. Throughout the book, you find yourself questioning the war, especially when you see innocents from both sides of it caught in such difficult situations. I really do think the author created some memorable characters who highlight the humane side of the war.
I believe this book would make a great accompaniment to any class studying World War 2 as it gives such an insight into what life was really like during such hard times. It has elements of Whistle Down The Wind in it, although the lines are blurred as to whether Erik could be considered a criminal. To me, it felt as though he was another innocent person fighting someone’s else war.
If you love books such as Goodnight Mr Tom, I’m sure you will enjoy this.
April 8, 2019
Choice book #4 Quarter 3
My Friend the Enemy written by Dan Smith is a historical fiction book that takes place in a rural area in Britain. The book follows Peter and Kim as he investigates a crash site for souvenir but finds instead, a injured German. They experience hardships throughout the story and face a devastating event at the end.
A main character is Peter.
Peter is determined to help the German like many other characters. He does it because of karma concept, he helps the German, somebody might help his dad at war. He gives the German food even with the little amount of food his family has. Peter even found the German a place to temporarily live. Later, he even found a cigarette for the German to smoke. In addition, he risks getting caught at curfew while going out at night to smuggle in some food. Peter is also very unhappy with his situation. A man named Mr. Bennett is trying to "take care of Peter and his mom," but his real intentions are to marry Peter's mom. Some of his classmates tease him about that and Peter gets really mad. Peter complains about to it to his mom and she always says "Mr. Bennett will never take Dad's place. Though, the one good thing Mr. Bennett does is provide their family more food because he owns a lot of land.
Another main character is Kim.
Kim is also very determined to help the German with the same reason as Peter, a karma concept. Her brother is a pilot that is also fighting in the war. She is daring and cunning as she contributes a lot to helping the German. She brings him water and helps with healing. Kim also talks with soldiers so she can distract them. This way, Peter can get the German some food. Kim even put a splint on his ankle so he could walk again. Kim is also a tomboy. She looks like a boy because she has short hair. Back then, girls always had long hair and skirts. Kim wears jeans and a sweat shirt. Kim and Peter have a relationship. Kim really likes Peter and Kim is Peter's best friend. They work together to help the German in need. Kim also kisses Peter twice but the first time Peter wipes it off. The second time though, he doesn't.
The main problem or conflict in the story is that Kim and Peter have to hide a German so the British soldiers don't kill him. Peter asks the lieutenant many times if they will kill the German if found. He doesn't get a straight answer but assumes that they will. They have caused many suspicions thoughts among the village because they always go to the forest together because that's where the German is. They have hardships as they face some near miss encounters with the British soldiers. They end up fearing the British soldiers more then the German soldiers after one injures Kim accidentally.
The author believes that you should always treat people with respect because if you don't, bad things will happen to you.
1. Trevor Ridley, who bully's Peter, punches him and spills the ration of sugary foods on the ground. Suddenly, Peter starts fighting him. Peter slightly injures him and Trevor is mad. Peter reports this to his mom and then his mom wants to demand answers from Trevor's daddy. Peter's mom gives Trevor's daddy slop for his pigs in exchange for bacon. Peter's mom will embarrass Trevor's dad during that exchange.
2. Kim roasts Trevor when Peter is getting bullied again. She call's him a fat pig and Trevor get's really mad. He doesn't say anything because he is to ashamed. Trevor is laughed at among his classmates and he is extremely angry. He also loses some power controlling Peter after this incident.
3. A British soldier pokes through some bushes to try to find the German. He didn't even check if there were kids playing or hiding there. He injures Kim with a long red slash across her arm. This is bad because after this accident, Peter and Kim now fear the British soldiers more than the German ones. They at least think them as equals. This ruins the soldiers reputation from a right man to a semi monster.
These examples show when somebody treats someone with lesser respect resulting bad things happening to them.
The author also believes that if you treat someone and take care of them, good things will happen to you.
1. Erik, the German, treats Kim and Peter with respect by talking with them and becoming friends. He is extremely grateful to be rescued by Kim and Peter. His good sake is that he is living a decent life with food, somewhat of a shelter, water, things to keep him occupied (drawing and cigarettes), a gun for self defense, and friends. Even when the British soldiers do find him, they don't kill him but send him to a farm where he can live a happy life.
2. Mr. Bennett, a man who wants to marry Peter's mom because his dad is at war. He gives Peter's family more food such as tripe and meat. He provides company for Peter's mom. In addition, he helps around the house and gets things Peter's family needs such as food. Mr. Bennett increases their life style by a somewhat of a difference. In return, Peter's mom starts to like him and then Mr. Bennett proposes to Peter's mom. After a few tries, he finally becomes Peter's mom's husband.
3. Peter treated Kim with respect by accepting her as a girl who was different. She dressed like a boy with jeans and a sweatshirt. Peter even defended her when people called her a boy. In return, Peter get's a true friend. They help save a Erik's life and assure him a good life. In addition, Peter get's a girlfriend before everybody else. Kim kisses Peter multiple times which all the other boy's especially Trevor have never experienced.
These are all examples of times when a somebody treated somebody else with respect and in return, something good happens to them.
I enjoyed the book because it affected by emotions a lot. When something pitiful happened, such as when Dad died, I really felt sad for Peter. Second, my favorite part of the book was when Erik, the German was finally not scared. He accepted Kim and Peter as friends and stopped being scared. The book made me kind of sad because Peter's family was so innocent and they suffered so much. It made me think more about how lucky I was to be in a safe place and not war. The book wasn't that complete because I wanted to know what happened after Peter met Kim again. But, everything else was good and complete. This book is a little different than Resistance or Prisoner B-3087 because it doesn't really talk about Jews but instead about family's from Britain. They both had hardships and sadness though. I feel like the author did a great job and I would not change much. The way they spoke was kind of confusing but I understood must of it. All in all, I would give this book a 5 out of 5. If you have ever read it and liked it, comment below.
My Friend the Enemy written by Dan Smith is a historical fiction book that takes place in a rural area in Britain. The book follows Peter and Kim as he investigates a crash site for souvenir but finds instead, a injured German. They experience hardships throughout the story and face a devastating event at the end.
A main character is Peter.
Peter is determined to help the German like many other characters. He does it because of karma concept, he helps the German, somebody might help his dad at war. He gives the German food even with the little amount of food his family has. Peter even found the German a place to temporarily live. Later, he even found a cigarette for the German to smoke. In addition, he risks getting caught at curfew while going out at night to smuggle in some food. Peter is also very unhappy with his situation. A man named Mr. Bennett is trying to "take care of Peter and his mom," but his real intentions are to marry Peter's mom. Some of his classmates tease him about that and Peter gets really mad. Peter complains about to it to his mom and she always says "Mr. Bennett will never take Dad's place. Though, the one good thing Mr. Bennett does is provide their family more food because he owns a lot of land.
Another main character is Kim.
Kim is also very determined to help the German with the same reason as Peter, a karma concept. Her brother is a pilot that is also fighting in the war. She is daring and cunning as she contributes a lot to helping the German. She brings him water and helps with healing. Kim also talks with soldiers so she can distract them. This way, Peter can get the German some food. Kim even put a splint on his ankle so he could walk again. Kim is also a tomboy. She looks like a boy because she has short hair. Back then, girls always had long hair and skirts. Kim wears jeans and a sweat shirt. Kim and Peter have a relationship. Kim really likes Peter and Kim is Peter's best friend. They work together to help the German in need. Kim also kisses Peter twice but the first time Peter wipes it off. The second time though, he doesn't.
The main problem or conflict in the story is that Kim and Peter have to hide a German so the British soldiers don't kill him. Peter asks the lieutenant many times if they will kill the German if found. He doesn't get a straight answer but assumes that they will. They have caused many suspicions thoughts among the village because they always go to the forest together because that's where the German is. They have hardships as they face some near miss encounters with the British soldiers. They end up fearing the British soldiers more then the German soldiers after one injures Kim accidentally.
The author believes that you should always treat people with respect because if you don't, bad things will happen to you.
1. Trevor Ridley, who bully's Peter, punches him and spills the ration of sugary foods on the ground. Suddenly, Peter starts fighting him. Peter slightly injures him and Trevor is mad. Peter reports this to his mom and then his mom wants to demand answers from Trevor's daddy. Peter's mom gives Trevor's daddy slop for his pigs in exchange for bacon. Peter's mom will embarrass Trevor's dad during that exchange.
2. Kim roasts Trevor when Peter is getting bullied again. She call's him a fat pig and Trevor get's really mad. He doesn't say anything because he is to ashamed. Trevor is laughed at among his classmates and he is extremely angry. He also loses some power controlling Peter after this incident.
3. A British soldier pokes through some bushes to try to find the German. He didn't even check if there were kids playing or hiding there. He injures Kim with a long red slash across her arm. This is bad because after this accident, Peter and Kim now fear the British soldiers more than the German ones. They at least think them as equals. This ruins the soldiers reputation from a right man to a semi monster.
These examples show when somebody treats someone with lesser respect resulting bad things happening to them.
The author also believes that if you treat someone and take care of them, good things will happen to you.
1. Erik, the German, treats Kim and Peter with respect by talking with them and becoming friends. He is extremely grateful to be rescued by Kim and Peter. His good sake is that he is living a decent life with food, somewhat of a shelter, water, things to keep him occupied (drawing and cigarettes), a gun for self defense, and friends. Even when the British soldiers do find him, they don't kill him but send him to a farm where he can live a happy life.
2. Mr. Bennett, a man who wants to marry Peter's mom because his dad is at war. He gives Peter's family more food such as tripe and meat. He provides company for Peter's mom. In addition, he helps around the house and gets things Peter's family needs such as food. Mr. Bennett increases their life style by a somewhat of a difference. In return, Peter's mom starts to like him and then Mr. Bennett proposes to Peter's mom. After a few tries, he finally becomes Peter's mom's husband.
3. Peter treated Kim with respect by accepting her as a girl who was different. She dressed like a boy with jeans and a sweatshirt. Peter even defended her when people called her a boy. In return, Peter get's a true friend. They help save a Erik's life and assure him a good life. In addition, Peter get's a girlfriend before everybody else. Kim kisses Peter multiple times which all the other boy's especially Trevor have never experienced.
These are all examples of times when a somebody treated somebody else with respect and in return, something good happens to them.
I enjoyed the book because it affected by emotions a lot. When something pitiful happened, such as when Dad died, I really felt sad for Peter. Second, my favorite part of the book was when Erik, the German was finally not scared. He accepted Kim and Peter as friends and stopped being scared. The book made me kind of sad because Peter's family was so innocent and they suffered so much. It made me think more about how lucky I was to be in a safe place and not war. The book wasn't that complete because I wanted to know what happened after Peter met Kim again. But, everything else was good and complete. This book is a little different than Resistance or Prisoner B-3087 because it doesn't really talk about Jews but instead about family's from Britain. They both had hardships and sadness though. I feel like the author did a great job and I would not change much. The way they spoke was kind of confusing but I understood must of it. All in all, I would give this book a 5 out of 5. If you have ever read it and liked it, comment below.
February 2, 2022
Really enjoyed the play of emotions and thoughts between Peter and Kim who are two 12 years olds who decide to rescue and hide a German Air Force pilot. How all that works out amid other problems with kids their age and their parents was interesting.
Would like to find more by this author.
Would like to find more by this author.
Read
January 15, 2021This is a great book. It´s about a boy named Peter that is going through a war with the Nazi´s. Peter lived in a small town with his family. During this time Peter´s dad was in the war. One day Peter became friends with a girl named Kim. They were young so curiosity could get the better of them sometimes. One day Peter´s town was getting attacked and an airplane with the Nazi´s crashed into the ground. Everyone in the town went to the airplane looking for the German but they could´t find him and this was bad for the town because there is just a German hiding in there eyes. Then Peter and Kim found him but instead of telling everyone they kept it a secret and wanted to take care of him because he broke his foot. Every day Peter and Kim would go to Peter´s dads shed and that is where they kept German was kept. They kept him alive by sacrificing there own dinner and did everything they could.
April 28, 2025
a book that defined my childhood 🥹
reread this many times
amazing theme and book
teaches important lessons - the enemy may be as unwilling as u
gave a good insight into what the world wars were like
reread this many times
amazing theme and book
teaches important lessons - the enemy may be as unwilling as u
gave a good insight into what the world wars were like
December 8, 2022
Been a while since I’ve read it but it was so good, thinking about reading it again soon.
Well written and such a good plot/idea for a book
Well written and such a good plot/idea for a book
April 16, 2022
My 10 year old son and I just read this. Good read... great for expanding my kiddos understanding of the lives of tweens during WW2 in rural UK. Highlights the importance of empathy, and humanity.
June 16, 2014
My Friend The Enemy is a brilliant read. It tells Peter's tale with heartfelt simplicity yet captures completely dilemmas he faces. To me, a main theme in the story is loyalty. It being 1941 this touches on our national identity, and our reaction to foreigners- a theme as pertinent as ever today. There are moments in this book that will stay with me. No spoilers here, but the writing is exquisite- understated and clean. I also loved the story's structure and could quite literally feel the pace reaching breakneck speed in the final 50 or so pages. One of my favourite wartime reads. I've just recommended it to my yr8 class.
March 7, 2024
Original Rating: 4 stars
2024 reread: 3 stars
I'm really sad to move this down from a four star to a three, but unfortunately there were way way too many cuss words for a middle grade book so I feel that I have to bump it down.
2024 reread: 3 stars
I'm really sad to move this down from a four star to a three, but unfortunately there were way way too many cuss words for a middle grade book so I feel that I have to bump it down.
November 29, 2014
Boy and girl hide and befriend a downed German flyer in the English countryside during the Battle of Britain. Impressively well-crafted historical novel.
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December 1, 2016This book is awesome I recommend lots of people go and read it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2021
I found it, I found it! I’ve been trying to remember the name of this book for months! Now I just need to remember when I actually read it.
May 16, 2024
My Friend The Enemy by Dan Smith is a powerful children’s historical novel that completely consumed me. It is perfect for ages ten years and over. Whatever your age, this is a great read.
The book is set in 1941 in a village in the north east of England. All the action is seen through the eyes of twelve year old Peter, and is written in the first person. The reader becomes intimately acquainted with him. For the duration of the novel, I ‘became’ Peter.
We see how hard war is for everyone. Peter’s father is away at war; his friend Kim’s brother is fighting; and a German plane crashes near the village. Plus, there are raids and rationing. War touches everyone.
Peter’s mother functions as a single parent whilst his father is away. We witness the difficulty of trying to feed herself and Peter, and of being both mother and father to him.
The air raids are vividly portrayed. Bombs fall on the village as German planes shed their loads before flying home. A plane crashing in a field causes panic amongst the locals as a parachutist was seen minutes before but is nowhere to be seen. Hunt the Nazi becomes the latest craze.
Kim is a twelve year evacuee from Newcastle. She becomes friends with Peter. She is a tomboy. Together they stumble upon the Nazi airman. “He looks just like us.” Propaganda has told them that the Nazis have piercing red eyes but of course this is not the case. Not all German’s are Nazis. Erik is just like them. He has a family and a brother in Germany and he just wants to go home. Peter and Kim, though wary at first, recognize a man in need of help. Their hearts are huge, with a capacity for compassion. They contrast with others who just want to shoot the Nazi. Peter and Kim see the man behind the uniform. Everyone else just sees the uniform.
This is a book that highlights the futility of war. On both sides there are families who are missing their loved ones. Young men didn’t necessarily want to go to war, they went because of conscription. There is nothing glamorous about war.
People feared early morning knocks on the door and also the telegraph boy. Dan Smith has perfectly captured the atmosphere of fear within the story.
As well as the fear of war, Peter has to contend with bullies. The bullies are underhand and unbelievably cruel in their actions.
My Friend The Enemy was a brilliant book. It would make a marvellous series or movie. I think this book should be part of the National Curriculum as it is so powerful in showing the futility of war and how propaganda is not to be believed. It would also enable children to ‘experience’ life in wartime Britain through the eyes of a twelve year old.
I am really enjoying Dan Smith’s novels and am certainly going to read more, more, more.
The book is set in 1941 in a village in the north east of England. All the action is seen through the eyes of twelve year old Peter, and is written in the first person. The reader becomes intimately acquainted with him. For the duration of the novel, I ‘became’ Peter.
We see how hard war is for everyone. Peter’s father is away at war; his friend Kim’s brother is fighting; and a German plane crashes near the village. Plus, there are raids and rationing. War touches everyone.
Peter’s mother functions as a single parent whilst his father is away. We witness the difficulty of trying to feed herself and Peter, and of being both mother and father to him.
The air raids are vividly portrayed. Bombs fall on the village as German planes shed their loads before flying home. A plane crashing in a field causes panic amongst the locals as a parachutist was seen minutes before but is nowhere to be seen. Hunt the Nazi becomes the latest craze.
Kim is a twelve year evacuee from Newcastle. She becomes friends with Peter. She is a tomboy. Together they stumble upon the Nazi airman. “He looks just like us.” Propaganda has told them that the Nazis have piercing red eyes but of course this is not the case. Not all German’s are Nazis. Erik is just like them. He has a family and a brother in Germany and he just wants to go home. Peter and Kim, though wary at first, recognize a man in need of help. Their hearts are huge, with a capacity for compassion. They contrast with others who just want to shoot the Nazi. Peter and Kim see the man behind the uniform. Everyone else just sees the uniform.
This is a book that highlights the futility of war. On both sides there are families who are missing their loved ones. Young men didn’t necessarily want to go to war, they went because of conscription. There is nothing glamorous about war.
People feared early morning knocks on the door and also the telegraph boy. Dan Smith has perfectly captured the atmosphere of fear within the story.
As well as the fear of war, Peter has to contend with bullies. The bullies are underhand and unbelievably cruel in their actions.
My Friend The Enemy was a brilliant book. It would make a marvellous series or movie. I think this book should be part of the National Curriculum as it is so powerful in showing the futility of war and how propaganda is not to be believed. It would also enable children to ‘experience’ life in wartime Britain through the eyes of a twelve year old.
I am really enjoying Dan Smith’s novels and am certainly going to read more, more, more.
January 22, 2018
When I started reading this book it felt like it was going to be a book with a lot of death and I was wrong. I chose this book because it was a realistic,historical book. You could see that it has a story to tell people while there reading this book. It has a realistic feeling as you look at the cover it shows how people how we view the enemy at times of war. The characters in this book have gone through alot especially the main character and the secondary character at the end of the book. The other three character in the book are looking like there fine but you can tell that there not. That this helped keep the book realistic.
There were some small problems that I had with the book. At certain parts it is a bit slow but it is not too slow but could be a little faster. The middle of the book when they were getting supplies it was a little slow. There was a lot of bullying and it was there every single time. The end and the middle had a lot of bullying and it was there again and again in the ending. The way that they had from boms droping. When they her the air raid siren the go in to a stelter that isn't that safe from the bombs.
I liked the way that it was worded because it will make you feel like it is real and that you are not alone. The way that it is explained is how you don't feel alone.the way that the words describe the characters in the book will help you feel like you're there in real life. The other thing I liked about it was that tow of the characters were doing something that would be totally looked down on. The way that the two kids put their differences apart in the book with the enemy is how it should be in every war. The way that they comprehend on the language barrier is incredible. One of the characters speaks the language that the enemy is speaking.
The way that they hid the enemy from the soldiers is a very genius idea. They see the soldiers in the woods and they have an alibi for why there in the woods. Towards the end there was a bombe stuck in the street and the kids went and saw it. the soldiers were not looking at the woods because of the bombe and they used it as a distraction and it worked. The hiding the enemy from the soldiers and it was so close to being found. In the end i did enjoy the book
There were some small problems that I had with the book. At certain parts it is a bit slow but it is not too slow but could be a little faster. The middle of the book when they were getting supplies it was a little slow. There was a lot of bullying and it was there every single time. The end and the middle had a lot of bullying and it was there again and again in the ending. The way that they had from boms droping. When they her the air raid siren the go in to a stelter that isn't that safe from the bombs.
I liked the way that it was worded because it will make you feel like it is real and that you are not alone. The way that it is explained is how you don't feel alone.the way that the words describe the characters in the book will help you feel like you're there in real life. The other thing I liked about it was that tow of the characters were doing something that would be totally looked down on. The way that the two kids put their differences apart in the book with the enemy is how it should be in every war. The way that they comprehend on the language barrier is incredible. One of the characters speaks the language that the enemy is speaking.
The way that they hid the enemy from the soldiers is a very genius idea. They see the soldiers in the woods and they have an alibi for why there in the woods. Towards the end there was a bombe stuck in the street and the kids went and saw it. the soldiers were not looking at the woods because of the bombe and they used it as a distraction and it worked. The hiding the enemy from the soldiers and it was so close to being found. In the end i did enjoy the book
April 11, 2019
When I was a kid, I really don't remember there being many books about the experiences of teens or young kids during war time. But then again, I was reading a lot of fantasy novels. Today, however, whenever I go to book fairs, there are entire sections about kids living through WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and other wars. It's really interesting. I do think they serve a purpose as they give a strong idea of what war is like. It de-glamorizes the experience by often revealing the harsh realities of death, suffering, strife, and everything else associated with war and they are written in an easy manner for young readers.
I wanted to read this one before adding it to my classroom library as I was a little concerned it might be down playing what the Germans had done during World War 2. The story is about a German fighter pilot who crashes in England near the coast. Two lonely children, one a boy whose father has gone off to fight and a girl who had been sent to the village to get away from the fighting in the cities, find him and help him. Through the course of about a week or so, they befriend him and start to see him less as an evil enemy and more of a young man who could be their older brother.
The book shies away from the Nazi atrocities which is fine as this book didn't take place near the concentration camps. The book details the deprivations both of these kids were enduring, the terror of bombing raids, and the uncertainty of ever seeing loved ones off fighting the war. It's a pretty decent story I think many young readers will enjoy without getting too bogged down in the politics and horror of World War 2.
I have no problem adding this book to my classroom library.
I wanted to read this one before adding it to my classroom library as I was a little concerned it might be down playing what the Germans had done during World War 2. The story is about a German fighter pilot who crashes in England near the coast. Two lonely children, one a boy whose father has gone off to fight and a girl who had been sent to the village to get away from the fighting in the cities, find him and help him. Through the course of about a week or so, they befriend him and start to see him less as an evil enemy and more of a young man who could be their older brother.
The book shies away from the Nazi atrocities which is fine as this book didn't take place near the concentration camps. The book details the deprivations both of these kids were enduring, the terror of bombing raids, and the uncertainty of ever seeing loved ones off fighting the war. It's a pretty decent story I think many young readers will enjoy without getting too bogged down in the politics and horror of World War 2.
I have no problem adding this book to my classroom library.
December 19, 2020
A quality historical fiction novel set during WWI in England. This is not just a "fluffy", fun read... it has meat on its bones. It's a wartime story, and naturally has a little grit to it.
An airplane crashes. A German is loose nearby Peter's village. Lo and behold, who locates this missing German, but Peter and his friend Kim.... AND they decide to keep this German a secret from the adults who are seeking him. They decide together to feed this injured man and keep him hidden.
Aiding and abetting the enemy isn't right, but taking care of a fellow human being is.
I like the feisty character of Peter's compatriot, Kim, especially when she spats out, "Shut your gob!" (Oh how I love British phrasing!)
Recommended for: Teens & Young Adults
Suitable for: 11 and up
(contains some gory details)
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest opinion.
An airplane crashes. A German is loose nearby Peter's village. Lo and behold, who locates this missing German, but Peter and his friend Kim.... AND they decide to keep this German a secret from the adults who are seeking him. They decide together to feed this injured man and keep him hidden.
Aiding and abetting the enemy isn't right, but taking care of a fellow human being is.
I like the feisty character of Peter's compatriot, Kim, especially when she spats out, "Shut your gob!" (Oh how I love British phrasing!)
Recommended for: Teens & Young Adults
Suitable for: 11 and up
(contains some gory details)
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest opinion.
October 29, 2017
This book is very good. For the people that like wars well this book is about WWII.
There is this British boy named who is living through WWII. There is a point in the story were it says that he wants hes father to come back home. His father went to fight the Nazis.
They are in British territory and then a German airplane crashes very close to Peter. Now Peter is knocked out.
It didn't tooked that long for the village to realize that a plane crashed close to them. When the children got to the plan there is were Peter meets Kim a girl of hes age with short hair and dressed as a boy. They became friend the second they meat each other.
Kim and Peter decides to go back to the plane at night. They were gourds every were, but they didn't care they still decide to go inside the plane and inside the plane they see a dead German soldier.
They ended up with the Germans soldier gun.
There is this British boy named who is living through WWII. There is a point in the story were it says that he wants hes father to come back home. His father went to fight the Nazis.
They are in British territory and then a German airplane crashes very close to Peter. Now Peter is knocked out.
It didn't tooked that long for the village to realize that a plane crashed close to them. When the children got to the plan there is were Peter meets Kim a girl of hes age with short hair and dressed as a boy. They became friend the second they meat each other.
Kim and Peter decides to go back to the plane at night. They were gourds every were, but they didn't care they still decide to go inside the plane and inside the plane they see a dead German soldier.
They ended up with the Germans soldier gun.
March 12, 2018
Name Nolan
Title My Friend The Enemy
Published by Chicken House
And the author is Dan Smith
The copyright 2014
Pages is 279
Setting
My Friend The Enemy starts in northeast England in a small village in the year 1941. In this village there is a boy name Peter and his mom who live in a house little bit out of town. Peter’s father is a soldier in the British army, and there is a big threat of a Nazi bomber in that time.
Plot
The conflict of this story is with a Nazi airman named Erik, who is being healed by Peter and his friend. Erik survived the plane crash. He is weak and injured so it is that much more difficult to hide him from the authorities.
Characters
Erik, the airman, is my favorite character because I would love to be able to pilot a plane like him.
There is Kim, who is peter’s friend Maybe she is his girlfriend from what I understand of the story line.
There is Peter kim’s friend, who has the pistol and likes to be around Kim.
There is Peter’s mom who doesn’t know about Erik.
My personal opinion
Personally, I think My Friend The Enemy is a good book but I would include more action and use fewer words. If you like action and adventure this is the book for you. I am giving it a 4 stars review out of five.
"
Title My Friend The Enemy
Published by Chicken House
And the author is Dan Smith
The copyright 2014
Pages is 279
Setting
My Friend The Enemy starts in northeast England in a small village in the year 1941. In this village there is a boy name Peter and his mom who live in a house little bit out of town. Peter’s father is a soldier in the British army, and there is a big threat of a Nazi bomber in that time.
Plot
The conflict of this story is with a Nazi airman named Erik, who is being healed by Peter and his friend. Erik survived the plane crash. He is weak and injured so it is that much more difficult to hide him from the authorities.
Characters
Erik, the airman, is my favorite character because I would love to be able to pilot a plane like him.
There is Kim, who is peter’s friend Maybe she is his girlfriend from what I understand of the story line.
There is Peter kim’s friend, who has the pistol and likes to be around Kim.
There is Peter’s mom who doesn’t know about Erik.
My personal opinion
Personally, I think My Friend The Enemy is a good book but I would include more action and use fewer words. If you like action and adventure this is the book for you. I am giving it a 4 stars review out of five.
"
September 21, 2018
My Friend the Enemy, Book 1, Quarter 1
The book is called My Friend the Enemy. The author is Dan Smith. The genre of the book is Historical Fiction. The setting is in village with the main characters are Peter, Kim, and Erik. The main problem is that Kim and Peter found a Nazi in the plain crash and they are trying to take care of him without getting caught by trying to help the enemy soldier. The plot is that Kim and Peter found a enemy soldier in the plain crash and then helped him. I enjoyed the book because there action throughout the book. I also liked the book because i like books that revolt around war-themed things. The Book was complete and there was not any key elements left out of the book. The book did spark some fear emotion for Kim and Peter.
The book is called My Friend the Enemy. The author is Dan Smith. The genre of the book is Historical Fiction. The setting is in village with the main characters are Peter, Kim, and Erik. The main problem is that Kim and Peter found a Nazi in the plain crash and they are trying to take care of him without getting caught by trying to help the enemy soldier. The plot is that Kim and Peter found a enemy soldier in the plain crash and then helped him. I enjoyed the book because there action throughout the book. I also liked the book because i like books that revolt around war-themed things. The Book was complete and there was not any key elements left out of the book. The book did spark some fear emotion for Kim and Peter.
March 8, 2019
A British boy was in the woods during the war and a Nazi plane crashed into him knocking him out. When he woke up he went to search the plane for souvenirs and found a gun. On his way back home he found a Nazi soldier that had parachuted out of his plane. The soldier needed medical aid so the boy hid him and gave him food. I did not enjoy this book because I found it to be very boring and was not intriguing to me at all. I found myself forced to read this book instead of wanting to read it. I wouldn’t recommend this book to most people because it's a fairly mature book because it talks about Nazis and stowing people away. I would also not recommend this book because i didn't enjoy if at all, it was very boring to me and i don't think many people would enjoy it.
July 27, 2017
3.5 stars. A slow start, but once the airman is discovered it gets more interesting. The kids wrestle with the difference between the monstrous enemies they see on propaganda posters and the scared teenager they found in the woods, and the friendship they start to feel for him versus their distrust/fear of the local sergeant, which makes them scared to turn him in even though he is an enemy combatant.
Readers who enjoyed this story, or feel like "I would have enjoyed it except for (x)", might like the similar but more grown-up 'Summer of my German Soldier' by Bette Greene, about an escaped POW.
Readers who enjoyed this story, or feel like "I would have enjoyed it except for (x)", might like the similar but more grown-up 'Summer of my German Soldier' by Bette Greene, about an escaped POW.
January 30, 2019
I thought this was a very historically accurate book because it states things such as that German bombers dropped bombs on coastal cities to lighten their load for the trip back. It also shows the war from the perspective of a little British boy named Peter. It was very colorful the way Dan Smith showed show not tell all throughout the book. The characters were very diverse and showed the Germans not as demons, but humans that were just fighting for what they thought was right. Overall this book greatly shows the good and bad of war and tells a powerful story about treat others the way you want to be treated.
November 16, 2017
I read this out loud to my 7 and 9 years old after I found it on a suggested reading list. There are places where the story drags and there is way too much unnecessary dialogue, but it also had some fantastic discussion points about what it means to be the "enemy" and the problem with vilifying an entire people or county (or religious belief, to bring it modern times). Overall, we really enjoyed this book. I was surprised at the swearing and hints about his mothers "special friend" that had stayed the night. Could have left that out.
December 6, 2016
Great book. I loved the organization because it had a nice flow and it was easy to understand in my opinion. I loved how every decision was decided with much thought. Two people Kim and Peter made a life changing decision that benefited almost everyone until someone's death. This book is great for readers that like books about history and war. Also Dan Smith has written many other books that include history about wars.
March 9, 2020
This is a very well written book. Peter befriends Kim, who has just moved from Newcastle to stay safe from the war. They become instant friends. A German warplane crashes in their village and a German soldier parachutes out and is injured. Peter and Kim help save him, befriend him, and hide him for several months. The writer does an excellent job of portraying Kim and Peter's feelings about the war from a children's perspective. A very insightful and interesting read!
July 9, 2020
This book was amazing! I love the action and adventure that Kim and Peter do along with heart-racing moments. I would recommend this book to anyone. What got me to read this was because World War II was one of my favorite history subjects to study. I really wish that Dan Smith could have made "My Friend The Enemy" a book 2. I was kinda sad when I got to the end of the book because I didn't want it to end.
April 3, 2019
Peter is in the field when a plane crashes near him. Peter and his friend Kim find a German soldier in the plane in serious need of help. Peter and Kim help the soldier and fight through the adversity of saving the enemy's life. I liked the book because it was a nail biter and kept me flipping the pages.
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