Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene

Post date: Nov 24, 2012 5:45:57 PM

One summer and one German POW during World War II changes 12 year old Patty Bergen's life. Patty has never been able to please her parents no matter how hard she tries. They are critical of what she does and how she looks. All her friends have gone to summer camp, and the only friend she has around that summer is her nanny Ruth. When the United States government decides to house German POW's in her small Arkansas town of Jenkinsville, the people do not want them there. One day the POW's come into her father's store to purchase hats for working in the farm fields. One POW strikes up a conversation with Patty while she is working behind the counter at the store. As they talk to each other she begins to think that the POW is a nice man and is not the enemy. Her life changes when one day she sees a German POW trying to hop a train out of town. Patty notices that it is the POW who was nice to her. What will Patty do? Should she turn the POW in or help him escape?