ALA Booklist (Sun Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2019)

Preus' latest, being about a community of equally interesting characters, lacks a central hero or heroine, yet the many parts nevertheless make for a fascinating whole of historical facts about the real-life village of Le Chambon (here fictionalized as Les Lauzes) and how it managed to save an amazing number of Jews from the Nazis in WWII France. Inspector Perdant, eager to catch the titular "scoundrels" opposing the Germans, ties together the narratives of a group of children and teens who risk their lives by forging documents, supplying the French Underground, and escorting the endangered to the Swiss border. The stories all come together on a memorable night when Jules, the youngest rebel, leads Perdant on a wild goose chase in order to keep safe the others, who have met up with a band of partisans at a deserted chau. An epilogue covers the nonfictional stories of those who inspired Preus' characters. Readers inspired by communities making a difference d in WWII and Holocaust history ll find much of interest here.

Horn Book (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)

In 1940s Vichy France, a remote mountain-plateau village known for sheltering refugees fleeing Nazi persecution houses a unique and innovative high school that draws students from all over France and beyond. Many of the students secretly work for the resistance, the maquis, which becomes much riskier after the arrival of Inspector Perdant from the national police, there to "identify evidence of illegal activities and unregistered Jews, foreigners, communists, and undesirables." Preus (Heart of a Samurai, rev. 9/10; Shadow on the Mountain, rev. 11/12) weaves the experiences of students Philippe (who smuggles refugees over the border into Switzerland), Celeste (who carries messages for the maquis), Jean-Paul (who runs a sophisticated document-forging operation), and others into a tale of danger and bravery, luck and wits, purpose and community, and even occasional humor (some pretty on-point Nazi jokes). Chapters alternate among characters, with Preus always circling back to Perdant's constant spying and dogged pursuit of arrests, which amps up the suspense (somewhat undermined, however, by how easily local farm boy Jules outwits him at every turn). An extensive epilogue informs readers about the real people upon whom the novel's characters are based; and about concentration camps, the Boy Scouts and their relationship to the maquis, and the actual high school L'Ecole Nouvelle Cevenole in the village of La Chambon. A bibliography and a pronunciation guide complete the book.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Preus-s WWII novel, based on historical accounts, takes place in a remote village in southeastern France where Jewish teenagers rescued from concentration camps are hiding in plain sight. Housed, fed, and educated by the residents, the teens become actively engaged in their secret missions to help other Jews escape-conveying

School Library Journal (Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2020)

Gr 5-8 During World War II, several remote villages in Southern France were home to a community of resistance fighters. Farmers, educators, and clergy all played a part, but this story highlights the daring work of young men and women who forged documents, moved supplies and passed along coded information. For example, one teen created documents that secured his mother's release from an internment camp. One young woman bicycled for miles to deliver messages and contraband. Some used their Boy Scout training in outdoor survival to spirit refugees, sometimes disguised as troop members, to safe houses or through the arduous journey out of France and into Switzerland. This fascinating story is inspired by actual people and events. It highlights an interesting piece of history but is weakened by the narrative structure. It bounces around various plotlines, robbing each one of the tension that starts to build and causing the story to lose momentum. Extensive back matter helps compensate with information about the people, places, and missions that form the novel's basis, as well as a comprehensive bibliography including books, documentaries, and links to museum exhibits. There is also a pronunciation guide to the names of the French characters and locations. VERDICT Overall, this book does a decent job of honoring these young people who stood up and made a difference. An additional historical fiction purchase for libraries serving middle graders. Carla Riemer, Albany High School, CA