Language: PG13 (46 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (Romance, kisses); Violence: PG (Occupation of Nazi's, violence toward Jewish people, peril for Dutch citizens)
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Isa is a teenager in Amsterdam during WWII. Her mother is dead and her father, a painter and art dealer is addicted to morphine, so paying the taxes on the gallery and making enough money to meet their basic needs falls to her. She sells a painting to the Germans. It is a forgery, but they don't know it, at least she thinks they don't. But when Michel, one of the Nazi soldiers shows up at her door, and remembers her from when he visited from Vienna with his father, her world starts to crumble and she finds herself meeting Michel's demands, as well as helping her friends who work with the Dutch resistance.
An exciting historical fiction, based on actual people. I liked Cameron's author notes at the end, giving us the rest of the story of the real people, and more about the pieces of art that were hidden, forged or sold. There isn't any war action (except for a couple of night air attacks on the city of Amsterdam), but there is lots of danger and scary door banging. A nice read, but a bit long for middle school.
Characters are Dutch, Austrian or German.
Lisa Librarian
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