I am a born reader. I can’t even explain how important the books I read as a kid are to me still. I was lucky enough to have parents who encouraged my bookworm behaviour and lavished beautiful picture books on me. When I moved on to chapter books, my mum would let me get extra books on her library card when I maxxed out the ten-book limit on my own card.
I recently found Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene during one of my second-hand shopping trips. I LOVED this book as a child. I immediately was hit with a strong craving to reread this amazing book, and it absolutely holds up.
While it’s technically a young adult book, Summer of My German Soldier is so profound and complex you can enjoy it at any age.
It’s about Jewish 12-year-old Patty Bergen who is bored and lonely during a stifling Arkansas summer in the 1940s. Neglected by her family and with few friends, Patty finds an unlikely kindred spirit in Anton, an escaped prisoner from a nearby POW camp who she shelters in her family’s garage. Kind and erudite, Anton is like no-one she has ever met before.
Summer of My German Soldier is a deeply moving story about prejudice, compassion, and strength of character. As a Jewish girl and a German soldier, the danger Patty and Anton are in is palpable – but what is the most striking about this book is Patty’s desperation for the love and acceptance her family refuses to give her. The story is absolutely compelling, and as an adult I found it even more gripping.
Since I read this book the first time (well before the internet was a thing) I’ve found out that Bette Greene wrote a sequel, which I’ll be chasing up with great excitement.
You can find a copy of the book Summer of my German Soldier by Bette Greene here.
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Cherie lives, works, and reads in beautiful Tasmania – the green island gem below Australia known for its gorgeous landscape and beautiful wildlife. She holds multiple academic qualifications in English, journalism, and fine art theory, and has worked in writing, editing, and communications roles for more than a decade. Most importantly, she has a deep love for books that began as soon as she learned how to read.
Old, new, any genre – for Cherie, reading is about as vital as breathing. She is interested in sharing books that move, excite, and compel, so others can share the joy of a truly great read. While she reads across most genres, her favourite is literary fiction. Particularly anything by Margaret Atwood, Ottessa Moshfegh, Kate Atkinson, Elizabeth Berg, Ann Patchett, and Anne Tyler.
Cherie frequents Tasmania’s beautiful boutique book shops as well as scouring secondhand shops for books to add to her extensive home library. Catch up with her on LinkedIn and on Instagram.
