Pennies for Hitler

Jackie French

Jun 2012 · Sold by HarperCollins Australia

About this ebook

'HISTORICAL FICTION AT ITS BEST'
-- Bookseller & Publisher

It's 1939, and for Georg, son of an English academic living in Germany, life is full of cream cakes and loving parents. It is also a time when his teacher measures the pupils' heads to see which of them have the most 'Aryan'- shaped heads. But when a university graduation ceremony turns into a pro-Nazi demonstration, Georg is smuggled out of Germany to war-torn London and then across enemy seas to Australia where he must forget his past and who he is in order to survive. Hatred is contagious, but Georg finds that kindness can be, too.

A companion piece to the best-selling Hitler's Daughter, this is a story of war-torn Europe during WWII, as seen through the eyes of a young German boy Georg, who loses his family and must forget his past and who he is in order to survive.

MORE PRAISE FOR PENNIES FOR HITLER

'Jackie French's research and subsequent feeling for the era is superb the descriptions of wartime Australia alone are fascinating. This is historical fiction at is best and thoroughly recommended for upper primary children and beyond.' -- Bookseller & Publisher, 5 Star Review

'From its dramatic opening sequence to its one word conclusion 300 pages later, this is an absorbing story rich with details of everyday life' -- Canberra Times

'This striking fiction for school age readers gives an unflinching view of war and a close-up human perspective on asylum seekers.' -- Saturday Age

Ratings and reviews

This story takes place during WWII, but it isn’t the usual tale of that period. The main character is a German boy. He has been taught in school that Hitler is correct in his way of thinking and Jewish people are bad. He doesn’t realize what is happening in his country until someone finds a Jewish ancestor on his father’s side. His life is forever changed. Much of this book takes place in Australia. I don’t remember ever reading of what was happening in Australia during WWII. Sometimes I don’t think about the fact that this was a world war and affected everyone. The message is to love not hate. I enjoyed it and recommend it for young and adult readers.

I don't own it but I borrowed it from a frend and SO much DRAMA poor George but great book

A powerful book exploring ideas of identity, war and love. I read this on two sittings. Moving novel.

About the author

Jackie French AM is an award-winning writer, wombat negotiator, the 2014–2015 Australian Children's Laureate and the 2015 Senior Australian of the Year. In 2016 Jackie became a Member of the Order of Australia for her contribution to children's literature and her advocacy for youth literacy. She is regarded as one of Australia's most popular children's authors and writes across all genres — from picture books, history, fantasy, ecology and sci-fi to her much loved historical fiction for a variety of age groups. ‘A book can change a child's life. A book can change the world' was the primary philosophy behind Jackie's two-year term as Laureate. jackiefrench.com facebook.com/authorjackiefrench