Looking for novels set in Nazi Germany for a teen DD

[loveyouradvice]

She's doing history GCSE and one aspect is understanding life in Nazi Germany - any recommendations for novels? Ideally lighter weight ones, gripping narrative... even detective novels set in this era... or YA!!!

The book theif is great

Or alone in Berlin

Another vote for The Book Thief.

Fatherland by Robert Harris?

When Hitler stole pink rabbit, though they left Berlin in it so it may not be enough about Germany.

Was just going to suggest the book theif it is an excellant read.

Mein Kampf... Was always my go to history book read and I was 2 marks off of an A* so....

Might be a bit younger but maybe
Judith Kerr - When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Michael Morpurgo - An Elephant in the Garden
Schindlers Ark ?

I read Fatherland when I was doing my GCSEs but it's probably not what you're looking for- gripping but not at all lightweight and actually set in an alternative, if the Nazis had won, future.

There might be some in this list she'd like? www.goodreads.com/list/show/30770.Nazi_Germany_in_fiction

The boy in the striped pyjamas.

Sophie Scholl is an excellent film about the German resistance movement in Nazi Germany. (I know you asked for books, but thought I'd mention it anyway!)

Oh, and of course The Reader and Schindler's list ( obvs film versions of these exist too!)

Has she read Anne Franks diary?
I read it when my daughter was about the same age and it gave me a good insight into how teenagers think

The diary of Anne Frank
The Silver Sword by Ian Serralier

Neither is actually in Germany, but in other Nazi-occupied countries, if that's any help?

There is a young adult book called Milkweed which is told from the perspective of a young jewish boy.

Stones from the River

'The Boy at the Top of the Mountain' by John Boyne clearly shows how people were corrupted by the Nazi creed.

"Alone in Berlin" by Hans Fallada is truly fabulous. I was breathless, I laughed, I sobbed my way through the end and the notes afterwards. It might be a bit heavy going, but I feel that people must read it. Maybe you could read first and decide if your daughter could cope? It is about a couple who live in Berlin and send anti Nazi postcards. It is based on a true story which makes it harder to read, I think. this article has a little more of an explanation and gives away the ending, which I don't want to do here.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0684858096/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496586377&sr=8-1&pi=SL75&keywords=stones+from+the+river&tag=mumsnetforum-21

The Bernie Gunther novels by Philip Kerr.... Bernie is a Berlin detective before the war, and the novels start in the 30s before WWII but after the Nazis rise to power, and go right through to the 50s with flashbacks to the war

Bernie is a - ahem - loveable rogue so there is sex and a LOT of violence in the books, but they are absolutely brilliant and I re-read them whenever I can

Eva by Meyer Levin

I really enjoyed Soldat (maybe enjoyed is the wrong word - found it fascinating, I mean). Not sure if it'd be too old for her, though.

The Book Thief and The Reader.

The Past is Myself - Christalbel Bielenberg
Autobiography of UK woman who married German and moved to Germany shortly before the outbreak of WW2. In those days marriage to a foreigner meant loss of UK citizenship if you were a woman so she had to remain in Germany throughout the war. My son read it on my recommendation for his GCSEs and found it useful for philosophy and ethics.

Mischling, second degree