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Stones in Water #2
Fire in the Hills
Roberto joins the Italian freedom fighters in this chilling sequel to Stones in Water.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 17, 2006
17 people are currently reading
396 people want to read
About the author
Donna Jo Napoli
138 books1,112 followersDonna Jo Napoli is both a linguist and a writer of children's and YA fiction. She loves to garden and bake bread, and even dreams of moving to the woods and becoming a naturalist.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.
She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.
She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 15, 2013
This was a very interesting book. I greatly enjoyed the main character's eventual development into manhood and the tone of the story. This book handled a tense historical period, and did a good job of inserting fictional characters seamlessly into that world. I thought that the characters were interesting, well developed, and mostly likable. However, while the book is interesting to read, it is also a depressing story. To be fair though, it would be difficult to write about the struggles of war without being somewhat depressing.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy history, or war, or especially historical fiction. However, there is also value to those who enjoy stories that feature the growing of a boy into a man, and the story has enough action and tension to keep virtually any reader engaged. I would feel comfortable recommending this book to virtually anyone, as it is interesting and because it is a very enlightening read. Finally, I think I would recommend this story to someone who lacks confidence in their own abilities, as this story does feature a boy overcoming his weaknesses and becoming a strong, central character.
Warning
Violence: As it is a book that happens in a time of war, there is some violence, but nothing too
excessive.
Language: Nothing to worry about.
Sex: Nothing to worry about.
Rock and Roll: Nothing to worry about.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy history, or war, or especially historical fiction. However, there is also value to those who enjoy stories that feature the growing of a boy into a man, and the story has enough action and tension to keep virtually any reader engaged. I would feel comfortable recommending this book to virtually anyone, as it is interesting and because it is a very enlightening read. Finally, I think I would recommend this story to someone who lacks confidence in their own abilities, as this story does feature a boy overcoming his weaknesses and becoming a strong, central character.
Warning
Violence: As it is a book that happens in a time of war, there is some violence, but nothing too
excessive.
Language: Nothing to worry about.
Sex: Nothing to worry about.
Rock and Roll: Nothing to worry about.
November 2, 2011
Fire in the Hills by Donna Jo Napoli, Historical Fiction
Roberto was only 12 when the Nazis took him from his home in Venice and sent him to a labor camp in Eastern Europe. This is the first line of Fire in the Hills by Donna Jo Napoli, and the action doesn’t stop there, it keeps going at a steady rate.
Roberto is a strong but peaceful boy. He has been picked up by the Americans as they begin their assault on Italy. He makes his way off the ship and is determined to get back home. He meets Volpe Rossa (Red Fox in Italian), a witty and brave character. She introduces him to the Italian Resistance. These fighters are called partigiani. They help the movement by smuggling weapons, sabotaging cars, and running information to Resistance leaders. As they attract more and more attention, they are forced to change their names.
I loved this book, and there is a lot of detail about the setting. There are 213 pages in Fire in the Hills. Some quotes from this book are: “A bomb hit the destroyer in front of them. Flames shot upward, then across the ship. When they reached the ammunition cargo, it exploded. Heat hit him like a thick curtain.” As you can see, this book is very detailed.
Fire in the Hills is an amazing book. The pacing is also good, with just enough space between the action and dialogue moments. Also, there are plot twists that you will never see coming. The characters are very believable, and have human emotions. I would recommend this to anyone that like action, history, and/or espionage books.
Roberto was only 12 when the Nazis took him from his home in Venice and sent him to a labor camp in Eastern Europe. This is the first line of Fire in the Hills by Donna Jo Napoli, and the action doesn’t stop there, it keeps going at a steady rate.
Roberto is a strong but peaceful boy. He has been picked up by the Americans as they begin their assault on Italy. He makes his way off the ship and is determined to get back home. He meets Volpe Rossa (Red Fox in Italian), a witty and brave character. She introduces him to the Italian Resistance. These fighters are called partigiani. They help the movement by smuggling weapons, sabotaging cars, and running information to Resistance leaders. As they attract more and more attention, they are forced to change their names.
I loved this book, and there is a lot of detail about the setting. There are 213 pages in Fire in the Hills. Some quotes from this book are: “A bomb hit the destroyer in front of them. Flames shot upward, then across the ship. When they reached the ammunition cargo, it exploded. Heat hit him like a thick curtain.” As you can see, this book is very detailed.
Fire in the Hills is an amazing book. The pacing is also good, with just enough space between the action and dialogue moments. Also, there are plot twists that you will never see coming. The characters are very believable, and have human emotions. I would recommend this to anyone that like action, history, and/or espionage books.
December 20, 2014
This is yet another example of my wish that goodreads could enable half stars for rating purposes. If that were the case I would give this book 3.5 stars. It's just a tad more than average, a book that I enjoyed reading but have no strong feelings about.
When I first started reading this book I did not realize that it was a sequel to Stones in Water. Once I made that realization, I was very glad that I serendipitously read the books in the right order. I also enjoyed reading the summary of the events in the previous book that Napoli creatively included in the narrative. It helped me filled in on some of the events I missed with a too quick reading of the first book.
That being said, some of the plot transitions were far too muddled for me to enjoy this book more than I did or give it a stronger rating. Some events are not even explicitly mentioned in the narrative, just the consequences. This makes for a disconcerting need to keep flipping back to see if something had been missed. I'm not a fan of that.
It's a good book that many may enjoy. I just think that it could have been written better.
When I first started reading this book I did not realize that it was a sequel to Stones in Water. Once I made that realization, I was very glad that I serendipitously read the books in the right order. I also enjoyed reading the summary of the events in the previous book that Napoli creatively included in the narrative. It helped me filled in on some of the events I missed with a too quick reading of the first book.
That being said, some of the plot transitions were far too muddled for me to enjoy this book more than I did or give it a stronger rating. Some events are not even explicitly mentioned in the narrative, just the consequences. This makes for a disconcerting need to keep flipping back to see if something had been missed. I'm not a fan of that.
It's a good book that many may enjoy. I just think that it could have been written better.
July 9, 2008
This is a pretty good young/older readers book that tells a story not often told for this age group. It follows a young boy named Roberto as he tries to make his way across Sicily and then the Italian mainland during World War II after being held by the Nazis in a prisoner of war camp. It is a sequel to "Stones in the Water," which told of Roberto's time in the camp. While reading "Fire," I wish I had read the first book, as it would have made the groth of the character more compelling. As it is, Roberto's growth into one of the resistance fighters is quite impressive.
August 25, 2009
"Fire in the Hills" is the second book in the "Stones in Water" series. In this book Roberto finally reaches Italy. Unfortunately one of the first things that happens to him is he gets captured by the Germans. But when he escapes he joins the Italian resistance to try to get back to Venice. I would recomend this book to any one who likes World War II fiction (ages 11- adult (risqué content)). I really liked this book because it takes place in World War II.
- William S.
- William S.
November 2, 2009
This book was the sequel to Stones and Water that I read over the summer. It is about a boy named Roberto who lives in Italy during WWII. He was stolen by the Nazis and sent to work in a camp. After he gets out of the camp, that is where this book starts. He meets a girl named Volpe Rosa and joins the partigiani, a secret rebel group in Italy. This book is about his story of going to Florence and Venice with the partigiani and Volpe Rosa.
September 7, 2013
What an awesome book - exciting, yet true to the history of the time. The tale follows Roberto, who joins the Italian resistance movement after being forced to work for Germans, not once, but twice. What makes it so special is that Roberto is a young boy at the beginning of the tale and has become a man in age by the end.
November 2, 2010
Very nice book. I enjoyed it through and through. For fans of historical friction, this book is for you! Set in Italy in WW2, this book features a young boy whom joins the Italian resistance against the German Natzis.
May 4, 2018
Fire in the Hills was a very interesting book to read. I think this book would be interesting to everyone but people who like historical or fiction books or suspenseful books would really like it,and be interested in it. In this book a teenager named Roberto was taken from his home in Venice by the nazis,and then was sent away to a labor camp.This book has nonstop action,and you will not want to stop reading it.
What I liked- I liked how much action there was in the book,and how intense the book was it always kept me wondering about whats going to happen next. I like that the book is fiction,and it is very realistic,and tells you about an major historical event that happened. I liked how this book gives you a clue of what life was like during that time period,and what some people have to go through during this time period. Also I like how detailed the book was,and the book has a pacing with just enough space between action,and dialogue moments.
What I do not like- I do not like the main characters that much in this book. Even though this book was very descriptive there was not so many descriptions of the main characters. Some events in this book are not even specifically mentioned in the narrative. So I like this book I just think parts of this book could of been written better.
Overall- I think this is a good book,and I would recommend it to people who like fictional books or like book that are suspenseful,or historical. I say this because this book makes you feel nervous about what going to happen,and there are parts that are kind of scary,and violent,and some people die. Also this book is about an event that is historical. That is why i would recommend this book book to people who like suspenseful or historical books.
What I liked- I liked how much action there was in the book,and how intense the book was it always kept me wondering about whats going to happen next. I like that the book is fiction,and it is very realistic,and tells you about an major historical event that happened. I liked how this book gives you a clue of what life was like during that time period,and what some people have to go through during this time period. Also I like how detailed the book was,and the book has a pacing with just enough space between action,and dialogue moments.
What I do not like- I do not like the main characters that much in this book. Even though this book was very descriptive there was not so many descriptions of the main characters. Some events in this book are not even specifically mentioned in the narrative. So I like this book I just think parts of this book could of been written better.
Overall- I think this is a good book,and I would recommend it to people who like fictional books or like book that are suspenseful,or historical. I say this because this book makes you feel nervous about what going to happen,and there are parts that are kind of scary,and violent,and some people die. Also this book is about an event that is historical. That is why i would recommend this book book to people who like suspenseful or historical books.
February 9, 2020
The conclusion to Roberto’s WWII saga did not tell as intriguing a story as the first installment, Stones in the Water. Book I begins with a carefree Italian boy whose clandestine trip to the movies turns into a kidnapping by the Nazi soldiers in the area who need laborers to build runways and encampments for the war effort. He survives, but loses close friends, sees the cruel treatment of those imprisoned by the German army and upon escaping his captors, vows to return home. Fire in the Hills slowly moves Roberto back towards Venice with more loss, near starvation and sights that will change him forever. But the telling of this journey doesn’t begin to capture the reader until more than halfway through when he meets Volpe Rossa (Red Fox), a female Resistance fighter with a fiery spirit who persuades Roberto to take on a new name, Lupo (Wolf), and fight the German and Fascist forces in order to free his homeland. I hope that the many readers of WWII historical fiction in my fifth grade library will stick with this 2 book series as its focus is not a part of the era that is covered well in the classroom or in middle grade fiction or non-fiction.
Author Napoli includes violence that is appropriate to both the war and her intended audience. There is no profanity or sexual content although some more astute readers may realize that some of Roberto/Lupo’s fears for his companion’s safety include his worry that she will be raped. Napoli handles this very real concern with discretion and any student who picks up on that reality is surely able to handle the fact with maturity.
Author Napoli includes violence that is appropriate to both the war and her intended audience. There is no profanity or sexual content although some more astute readers may realize that some of Roberto/Lupo’s fears for his companion’s safety include his worry that she will be raped. Napoli handles this very real concern with discretion and any student who picks up on that reality is surely able to handle the fact with maturity.
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January 28, 2021Following the first book, this sequel had me interested and on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. Amazing perspective, incredible detail, everything about this book was calling my name. The main character, Roberto, continues his quest to get back to his home in Venice, but when he arrives, he is greeted with a very unexpected twist. Read until the end to find out how he manages to get back to safety. I suggest everyone to read this because just as the first book, it was a superb novel.
5/5 stars.
5/5 stars.
May 1, 2025
Honestly the beginning was so exciting. Amazing. But the middle seem to bored me a bit. Still nice to learn. But the last chapter? SO INTERESTING. Very nice.
I would rate it 2.5 but reading the postscript that it was ment to encapsulate the facts and stories of WW2 was AMAZING. I learnt quite a bit.
And... I JUST LEARNT IT WAS A SEQUEL. THERES ANOTHER PART. THATS WHY ONE CHAPTER WAS INFO DUMPING ON ROBERTOS STORY. CUS THERES ANOTHER BOOK THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE THE BEGINNING AND IT WAS A CHAPTER RECAP. WHAT THE HELL NOW I NEED TO READ THE FIRST BOOK. I DIDN'T KNOW.
I would rate it 2.5 but reading the postscript that it was ment to encapsulate the facts and stories of WW2 was AMAZING. I learnt quite a bit.
And... I JUST LEARNT IT WAS A SEQUEL. THERES ANOTHER PART. THATS WHY ONE CHAPTER WAS INFO DUMPING ON ROBERTOS STORY. CUS THERES ANOTHER BOOK THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE THE BEGINNING AND IT WAS A CHAPTER RECAP. WHAT THE HELL NOW I NEED TO READ THE FIRST BOOK. I DIDN'T KNOW.
June 3, 2019
Roberto, the 14-year-old boy is just finding his way back to Italy after being removed by the Nazis and put in a labor camp. He is then captured by the Americans then he is introduced by Volpe Rossa to the partigiani which are Italian resistance fighters. This is where the book really goes in depth and becomes very investing to read. I enjoyed reading this very much. This book gave me great insight into just how war can affect peoples lives.
June 30, 2017
Well researched and informative. It also finished the character development of Roberto from the first book, Stones in Water. However, it just didn't have quite the poignancy that Stones in Water had. The cohesion wasn't quite there, and there wasn't a clear and obvious theme that emerged like Stones in Water had.
A good book. Not a great book.
A good book. Not a great book.
May 24, 2020
Hatred, animal behavior, lasciviousness, cruelty and evil abound in the blind following of a crazed German power monger who thinks nothing of human life. The heroes of this story are the brave souls who fought for the resistance and those who helped them, and the people who finally had enough and took charge of liberating their cities in Italy, along with the allied help.
April 2, 2018
This was a very sitting-on-edge-of-seat book! The whole way through I was scared for the main character, as it was written realistically and made me feel in the book. I would definitely recommend!
Did you know I even had a dream that I was with Roberto?
Did you know I even had a dream that I was with Roberto?
November 7, 2023
While this was still a telling of a story that kept me interested, I didn't find it drew me in as much as the first installment of the series. I like the writing style and how we get to know the characters, but something just felt missing in this one.
June 6, 2018
Another superb historical fiction book for Intermediate/Middle School readers by Napoli.
January 20, 2020
Pending.
September 11, 2025
Italians are addicted to losing
February 27, 2018
Personal response: was the kind of book that you could never put down. The sequencing of how the storyline played out was increible. I also thought that every time you read the book there was always information that would stick with you until the next time you read the book.
Plot: Growing up Roberto had nothing in common with his other friends. The setting was around 1940s and the Jews were in disguise. Why exactly were the Jews in disguise? They were in disguise because of a cruel man named Adolf Hitler. To Hitler the Jews including Roberto were nothing that belonged in his world of perfect people. Hitler set up homes for the -Jews. The sad part is these homes were where most Jews would say their last goodbyes. In fact Roberto was a victim of the camp along with all of his friends that he made along the way. Little did Roberto know that in a few months as time went on, Roberto could either live or die. During to rescuing his friends he makes a choice to join the Italian Freedom Fighters. They were mainly known as the people that rescue the Jews from Concentrations Camps. As days and months passed, Roberto joined friends from the concentration camps toy help break out everyone was not free yet and along with the rescue part came troubles with the Nazis and Hitler's Gestapo Police. While a week passed when Roberto thought the Nazis had other problems to worry about, came the day that he never wanted to hear. A friend of Roberto's had telegraphed the speech between the Nazi soldiers to carry out a war between Roberto's friends and family to move back to the Concentration Camps were they belong, or to surrender everything and put their lives on the line for Hitler and his cruel intentions!
Characterization: The character that I chose for characterization is Roberto. Throughout the book Roberto has stated that he is a brave individual. Just as I could imagine being in Hitler's World would have been a terrible journey. Roberto along with the other 6 million Jews that fought the battle as long as they could before death took over their lives and surrendering to Hitler. In my opinion it takes guts to stand up to someone with a lot of power and fight against them. So in the end this is why Roberto deserves Characterization.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book to anyone that would like to learn more about Hitler's intentions with Jews during the Holocaust, in this true novel by Donna Napoli. Lastly I'd recommend this to the high school level reader and beyond due to the graphic intensity of the book and some of the language some find offensive.
Plot: Growing up Roberto had nothing in common with his other friends. The setting was around 1940s and the Jews were in disguise. Why exactly were the Jews in disguise? They were in disguise because of a cruel man named Adolf Hitler. To Hitler the Jews including Roberto were nothing that belonged in his world of perfect people. Hitler set up homes for the -Jews. The sad part is these homes were where most Jews would say their last goodbyes. In fact Roberto was a victim of the camp along with all of his friends that he made along the way. Little did Roberto know that in a few months as time went on, Roberto could either live or die. During to rescuing his friends he makes a choice to join the Italian Freedom Fighters. They were mainly known as the people that rescue the Jews from Concentrations Camps. As days and months passed, Roberto joined friends from the concentration camps toy help break out everyone was not free yet and along with the rescue part came troubles with the Nazis and Hitler's Gestapo Police. While a week passed when Roberto thought the Nazis had other problems to worry about, came the day that he never wanted to hear. A friend of Roberto's had telegraphed the speech between the Nazi soldiers to carry out a war between Roberto's friends and family to move back to the Concentration Camps were they belong, or to surrender everything and put their lives on the line for Hitler and his cruel intentions!
Characterization: The character that I chose for characterization is Roberto. Throughout the book Roberto has stated that he is a brave individual. Just as I could imagine being in Hitler's World would have been a terrible journey. Roberto along with the other 6 million Jews that fought the battle as long as they could before death took over their lives and surrendering to Hitler. In my opinion it takes guts to stand up to someone with a lot of power and fight against them. So in the end this is why Roberto deserves Characterization.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book to anyone that would like to learn more about Hitler's intentions with Jews during the Holocaust, in this true novel by Donna Napoli. Lastly I'd recommend this to the high school level reader and beyond due to the graphic intensity of the book and some of the language some find offensive.
July 17, 2013
The reason I picked up this book was because it was a required author – and I sort of wished I had picked a different book. Not that I didn’t enjoy this book, but it was a total boy book, and I hadn’t realize until I got half way through it that it was a sequel. But either way, it was still an interesting read. It was very touching at times; it’s a story about a boy who was basically drafted into the military and breaks away from it. however, he is then captured by some German officers and he is forced to be their translators, then he breaks away from them, and he tries to make his way back home. He goes through many struggles and encounters some brutal things, however, along the way, he is also shown love, compassion, and kindness from many different people. Overall, it was a beautiful and touching story. I also really enjoy historical fiction, so this book was alright in my book.
Although there was violence and this book deals with war, this book is about a boy who grows into a man, so I think I would recommend this book to young male readers. If the boy isn’t super interested in reading, I might not use this book to introduce him to the beauty of reading.
Violence: There is quite a bit of violence, after all, he’s in the middle of a war.
Language: Some but nothing too heavy
Sex: Nope.
Drugs: There might have been alcohol, but that’d be it.
Although there was violence and this book deals with war, this book is about a boy who grows into a man, so I think I would recommend this book to young male readers. If the boy isn’t super interested in reading, I might not use this book to introduce him to the beauty of reading.
Violence: There is quite a bit of violence, after all, he’s in the middle of a war.
Language: Some but nothing too heavy
Sex: Nope.
Drugs: There might have been alcohol, but that’d be it.
April 5, 2009
A heartrending story of war and loss, Fire in the Hills follows Roberto, an Italian 14 year old who has been forced to be a soldier by the Germans in World War II. Desperately trying to make his way back to his home in Venice after escaping labor camps, he befriends a brave, strong-willed teenage girl who helps him becomes involved with the partigiani, a resistance movement to the Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italian fascism. The brutality and violence, such as the description of a boy whose entire family is killed point-blank while he’s forced to eat a watermelon he stole from German soldiers, is raw and hard to read, particularly because of the historical truth behind the fiction. An honest and devastating depiction of a part of World War II that may be unfamiliar to many—the story of the Italian resistance movement—the book is a worthwhile addition to any library. Because of the harsh violence and at times slow-moving story, the book is recommended for sixth graders and up.
July 20, 2010
14-year-old Roberto has to find his way back to his home in Florence after escaping the WWII German work camp that he was sent to previously. He finds that the city he finds himself in is engulfed in war and he tries to keep himself alive as he is captured once again and used as an Italian translator. He escapes and finds a resistance group of Hilter and Mussolini called the partigiani who help him get back home. He finds himself smuggling goods and weapons and standing up against powerful leaders and soldiers. Rosa Volpe, a teenage girl, leads him through this journey and keeps him safe.
My reaction:
I like WWII history and I found this book fascinating as it was told from the later part of the war and from a different perspective. I felt it was well written and had a pretty good plot. I have heard that the first book of the series is really good to read and I think it would have helped me be more invested in the book if I read that one previously. However, I thought the book was compelling and I would recommend it.
Number of pages: 215
Copyright: 2006
My reaction:
I like WWII history and I found this book fascinating as it was told from the later part of the war and from a different perspective. I felt it was well written and had a pretty good plot. I have heard that the first book of the series is really good to read and I think it would have helped me be more invested in the book if I read that one previously. However, I thought the book was compelling and I would recommend it.
Number of pages: 215
Copyright: 2006
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March 8, 2013Fire in the hills
By:Donna jo napoli
This book is a bout a boy that was taken away by german officers and used for a right hand translator for the germans. Soon he got away and has been trying to get back to venice to meat his family again. He was sent with american troops over to the area then he was running of and began to be lonely and a begger. later he found a home to stay and found a girl who helped diliver messages. He soon liked the girl and she counted him in for her job as a pourtuginia rebelian to help in any way of transportation, sending guns and ammo, putting out posters and trying to upproar the towns to fight back. soon through crazy fights he ended out alove and was sent straight home and was safe with his family. This book i recomend for anyone who likes WW II stuff. i give the book 4 stars. the charactors are Teressa,and roborto. I thought it was an interesting book.
Hunter bangerter
Pd 7
By:Donna jo napoli
This book is a bout a boy that was taken away by german officers and used for a right hand translator for the germans. Soon he got away and has been trying to get back to venice to meat his family again. He was sent with american troops over to the area then he was running of and began to be lonely and a begger. later he found a home to stay and found a girl who helped diliver messages. He soon liked the girl and she counted him in for her job as a pourtuginia rebelian to help in any way of transportation, sending guns and ammo, putting out posters and trying to upproar the towns to fight back. soon through crazy fights he ended out alove and was sent straight home and was safe with his family. This book i recomend for anyone who likes WW II stuff. i give the book 4 stars. the charactors are Teressa,and roborto. I thought it was an interesting book.
Hunter bangerter
Pd 7
January 27, 2011
This is a story about a 14-year-old boy that was taken from his home in Venice. This book covers his story as he has escaped the Nazis, spent time with Americans, escapes the Nazis a few more times and tries to find his way back to Venice. He spends a few months working with a family until a girl named Teresa shows up and he decides to travel with her and join the partigiani working against the Nazis.
I didn't realize this was a sequel until someone brought the first book to class. Roberto is an interesting character that you don't actually get to know; he is more like someone to follow throughout the war. I thought this was a great book and was full of adventure. I liked hearing a new view of WWII.
I didn't realize this was a sequel until someone brought the first book to class. Roberto is an interesting character that you don't actually get to know; he is more like someone to follow throughout the war. I thought this was a great book and was full of adventure. I liked hearing a new view of WWII.
December 10, 2010
I would have liked this book better if it used a higher standard of writing. The wording just seemed dumbed down a bit. But other than that, I adored it. I am constantly curious about the Holocaust, and I love Italy and it's rich history. So those two things combined made for a perfect book. It also could have gone into more detail about the past of the main character. When it talks about it, I didn't feel conected. It seemed more of a bland statement and didn't get the emotion across. But I liked it anyhow.
February 19, 2015
This is the first WWII book I've read from the perspective of an Italian, and I must say, it's been done beautifully. At the end, there's two heart breaking parts and it ends leaving you wonder, but in a not-too-wondering sort of way. While the book is fiction, the author strove to keep it as accurate as possible. It was a wonderful read.
January 31, 2009
Good so far. Same topic (WWII) as her book, Stones in the Water, but is for middle school rather than elementary. More harsh war details.
This book gives a very good picture of the Italian underground resistance to Hilter during WWII and talks a bit about Mussoulini.
This book gives a very good picture of the Italian underground resistance to Hilter during WWII and talks a bit about Mussoulini.
March 10, 2010
i gave this book 4 stars because the 1st book was stones in water and i liked that book so i liked this book cause the main character is exciting. I also like this character because he relates to my step brother cause they both are very exciting.
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