The Boy at the Top of the Mountain - Softcover

Boyne, John

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9780385687690: The Boy at the Top of the Mountain

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0385687699 ISBN 13: 9780385687690

Publisher: Doubleday Canada, 2017

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The powerful, unforgettable new novel from the bestselling author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, for ages 12+.
When Pierrot becomes an orphan, he must leave his home in Paris for a new life with his Aunt Beatrix, a servant in a wealthy household at the top of the German mountains. But this is no ordinary time, for it is 1935 and the Second World War is fast approaching; and this is no ordinary house, for this is the Berghof, the home of Adolf Hitler.
Quickly, Pierrot is taken under Hitler's wing, and is thrown into an increasingly dangerous new world: a world of terror, secrets and betrayal, from which he may never be able to escape.

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About the Author

JOHN BOYEN was born in Ireland in 1971. He is the author of nine novels for adults and four for younger readers, including the international bestsellers The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, which has sold more than six million copies worldwide, The Absolutist and, most recently, Stay Where You Are and Then Leave. His novels are published in over forty-five languages. He is married and lives in Dublin. Visit him on the web at JohnBoyne.com.

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-The author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Random, 2006) delivers another powerful allegory in this compelling World War II story about a young boy swept into the fear, zealotry, and bigotry of Nazism. In 1936 Paris, seven-year-old Pierrot Fischer is orphaned. After the deaths of his devoted French mother and troubled, abusive German father, Pierrot is temporarily cared for by his neighbor, the mother of his Jewish friend, Anshel. When his German aunt, a housekeeper at Hitler's Berghof, Berchtesgaden home, sends for Pierrot, his name is changed to Pieter, his friendship with Anshel is denied, and he resides at Berghof with the house staff, awaiting Hitler's periodic visits. Despite the warnings of his aunt, Pieter embraces Hitler's volatile attention and dogmatism, turning against family and friends. With skill and emotional detachment, Boyne tells Pieter's story through descriptions and dialogue that are concise, spare, and vivid. Ahead of Pieter, readers will grasp the impending consequences, pain, and horror of the boy's obsequious relationship with Hitler. Woven into the story are authentic personalities and facts including the dictator's passion for dogs, painting, anti-Semitism, and unquestioning loyalty. Pieter's story offers a lens for examining post-traumatic stress disorder and the violent and coercive extremism of the 21st century. VERDICT Pieter's traumatic childhood, infatuation and interactions with Hitler, adolescent angst, and destructive choices will captivate teens and prompt thought-provoking discussion.-Gerry �Larson, formerly at Durham School of the Arts, NCα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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