Behind the Bedroom Wall

"Behind the Bedroom Wall" is a story about a girl named Korinna Rehme. She lives in Germany during World War II and she is very much a child of the times. She worships Hitler and is a member of the Nazi Youth group along with all her friends.  She hates the Jews and believes that if it were not for them Germany would not be in the state that it was in. But the Fuhrer will save them all with his wisdom and intelligence. He will win the war against the Americans, and he will bring Germany back to the beautiful prosperous country it once was.
Korinna believes this with all her heart. But one day, she finds out her parents are hiding a mother and her small daughter behind the cupboard in Korinna's own bedroom. Her parents are traitors. They are protecting filthy Jews in defiance of the law. She has to turn them in. She must turn them in. But can she?
To complicate matters, Korinna finds herself being drawn towards Rachel, the small child hidden in her cupboard. Suddenly Jews are no longer bogey men. Korinna looks around her. She sees Jews are people with children, friends and family just like her own. Korinna is confused. What is the right choice? Loyalty to her family or loyalty to her Fuhrer?
This book is written by Laura E. Williams. Ms. Williams presents her story in a vivid and realistic way. Korinna is frightened, confused and conflicted about her feelings. Her best friend, Rita has no such issues. Rita is vindictive. And Rita's older brother Hans, a member of the Gestapo is fanatical in his attempts to wipe out the Jews. Nothing means more than the loyalty to Hitler. Friends and Family are second to Hans as he literally destroy the things that mean so much to Korinna's family. 
Children from the age of ten up will be able to read this book to see what life was like for children in those days. They will see it from both a Jewish and a German prospective. It will open up an understand about a time that was full of people who were brave and willing to risk everything for strangers.
This book won the Milkweed Prize for Children's Literature. If you read it you'll discover why.
"Behind the Bedroom Wall" is a good introduction into the history of World War II.