Summer of My German Soldier

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lucybeanjean, August 29, 2011 (view all comments by lucybeanjean)
The novel opens, at a train station, with many of the Jenkinsville townspeople, including Patty, awaiting the arrival of the German POWs. The crowd watches as the POWs depart the train and file into the trucks, to be taken away to their prison camp. Patty is slightly disappointed in the lack of action of the event. She walks home after her afternoon at the train station and has lunch with Sharon, her younger sister, and Ruth, their housekeeper. Patty then makes a trip to her parents’ department store. Patty’s mother and father are rude and neglectful towards her.

One Sunday afternoon the Bergens decide to visit Patty’s grandparents in Memphis. Patty’s parents neglect Patty, during the car ride, and show much interest and favoritism in Sharon. When they arrive, Patty’s grandmother makes plans to take Patty out the next week and she gives her money with which to purchase books. As the rest of the family arrives, tension begins to grow. Patty’s mother, Pearl, is jealous of her sister-in-laws, and the attention her parents give her brothers. Pearl’s parents had never been too fond of Harry Bergen.

A few days later Patty observes as a truckload of POWs enter her father’s store. Patty notices Reiker, who is the only POW who can speak English. Patty decides to help Reiker pick out a pocket pencil sharpener and the two strike up a conversation. Before Anton leaves the store he purchases a faux diamond pin. Patty wishes that one day, the two will become friends.

During the summer most of Patty’s acquaintances had gone away to camp; she was left to play with Freddy Dowd one summer afternoon. They decided to play a game where they would throw rocks at the hubcaps of passing by cars. However, when Patty throws a rock at a car riding by, the rock goes out of control and breaks the car window. Patty asks Ruth to lend her the money to repay the car owners; but before she can walk into town to repay them, her father finds out what she did and beats Patty.

Throughout the lonely summer days, Patty had been working on setting up her hideout. One day as she is gazing out the window of her hideout, she sees Anton running along the train tracks. Anton had escaped prison camp and Patty offers him to stay in her hideout. Patty visits Anton everyday and brings him food. They talk and spend the days together.

Eventually the news breaks out that a POW has escaped. The people of Jenkinsville become apprehensive; the FBI goes to the department store to question Harry. Patty’s father told the FBI that he had a recollection of Anton but he did not remember too much about him. When Sister Parker looked at the picture, she remembered that Anton was the boy who had been talking with Patty. The FBI began questioning Patty; she told the FBI what she remembered about her conversation with Anton. However, instead of telling them that Anton had purchased the pin, she told them he purchased a straw hat like the rest of the prisoners.

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Product Details

ISBN:

9780141306360

November, S.:

Greene, Bette

Publisher:

Puffin Books

Author:

Greene, Bette

Location:

New York, N.Y. :

Subject:

Self-Esteem

Subject:

World war, 1939-1945

Subject:

Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General

Subject:

Social Situations - Adolescence

Subject:

Jews

Subject:

Prejudices

Subject:

Conduct of life

Subject:

Historical - United States - 20th Century

Subject:

Juvenile fiction

Subject:

Arkansas

Subject:

Prisoners of war

Subject:

World War, 19

Subject:

Social Issues - Adolescence

Subject:

Love & Romance

Subject:

Jews -- United States.

Subject:

Children s Young Adult-Social Issue Fiction-Adolescence

Subject:

Children s Young Adult-Social Issue Fiction

Copyright:

1999

Edition Description:

Mass Market

Series:

Young Puffin

Series Volume:

M33

Publication Date:

19990931

Binding:

TRADE PAPER

Grade Level:

from 5 up to 8

Language:

English

Illustrations:

Yes

Pages:

208

Dimensions:

7.26x4.42x.57 in. .36 lbs.

Age Level:

10-14