We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler in Mock Newbery 2026

May 11, 2025 Pamela rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 1-nonfic, 3-chapter-bks, history-cnx, international, social-issues-and-community-life

Running just over 100 pages, this quick read written for middle-grade students is about a brother and sister in Nazi Germany who were part of Hitler’s youth until they became disillusioned with the movement and started writing anti-Nazi pamphlets and distributing them as broadly as possible. They and their similarly minded friends are amazing examples of integrity, courage, and trusting in your own convictions about what is right and what is wrong, no matter what others are saying or the dangers ...more

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Jan 08, 2017 Barbara rated it really liked it

Shelves: compassion, conflict, moving, urban-life, social-activists, jobs, nature, bullies, cultural-identity, education

As usual with anything written by Russell Freedman, I was riveted by this well-researched account of student resistance against the Nazi regime during WWII. The White Rose was born out of a concern over the actions of the Nazis against their own German citizens, including Jews and the disabled, and the reprisals against anyone critical of the regime, and thus, served as an attempt to rouse the general public to take action. The leaders of the group were young students at Munich University. Surpr As usual with anything written by Russell Freedman, I was riveted by this well-researched account of student resistance against the Nazi regime during WWII. The White Rose was born out of a concern over the actions of the Nazis against their own German citizens, including Jews and the disabled, and the reprisals against anyone critical of the regime, and thus, served as an attempt to rouse the general public to take action. The leaders of the group were young students at Munich University. Surprisingly, several had been members of the Hitler Youth who had become disillusioned with their leaders and the actions supported by the ruling political party. The book mainly focuses on Hans Scholl and his younger sister Sophie who were part of an effort to write, print, and distribute leaflets calling Adolph Hitler and his followers to task for their actions and trying to encourage others to resist those actions and speak up. Although their efforts ended in 1943 with their arrest, trial, and execution, their words and deeds live on, memorialized with a museum and tribute at the university and inspiring others to speak out against what is wrong. Even after the death of the siblings and others in the movement, there were still others who took up their cause. Young readers can take heart at how these young men and women were able to hide what they are doing right under the noses of the Nazis for a brief time when others, much older and more politically connected, chose to do nothing. Filled with actual words from the movement as well as comments from family members and archival photographs, the book also contain recent images from Munich photographed by Evans Chan to help readers see the places where this written rebellion took place. The words with which Freedman concludes his account are stirring: "We hear their voices even today, speaking truth to power. They will not be silent" (p. 87). It is impossible not to consider the story of the White Rose against the current political landscape. Who among us will speak truth to power, who among us will remain silent, and how do we know what the truth even is? History teachers should be delighted to add this book to their classroom collection since it shows so vividly how much of an impact a small group of determined, brave individuals can have and forces readers to think about what cause today might inspire such loyalty. ...more

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Mar 07, 2018 Christina rated it really liked it

Shelves: middle-school, 2016-kids-ya, 2019-caudills

Russell Freedman's books are chock full of meticulous research, engaging prose, and photographic evidence, and this book is no different. It tells the story of Hans and Sophie Scholl, two of the founders of the White Rose Movement of university students standing up to Hitler. Appropriate for middle grades, junior high, and early high school readers. ...more

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