Village of Scoundrels

by Margi Preus

Overview

Based on the true story of the French villagers in WWII who saved thousands of Jews, this novel tells how a group of young teenagers stood up for what is right. Among them is a young Jewish boy who learns to forge documents to save his mother and later goes on to save hundreds of lives with his forgery skills. There is also a girl who overcomes her fear to carry messages for the Resistance. And a boy who smuggles people into Switzerland. But there is always the threat that they will be caught: A policeman is sent to keep an eye on them, German soldiers reside in a local hotel, and eventually the Gestapo arrives, armed with guns and a list of names. As the knot tightens, the young people must race against time to bring their friends to safety.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781613125076
Publisher:	Amulet Books
Publication date:	05/23/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	13 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Margi Preus is the author of West of the Moon, Shadow on the Mountain, and Heart of a Samurai, which was a Newbery Honor book. She also writes for a variety of theater companies. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota.

Editorial Reviews

"Fascinating. . . Readers inspired by communities making a difference—and in WWII and Holocaust history—will find much of interest here."

Booklist

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Both thrilling and chilling, Village of Scoundrels will surely keep readers engrossed from start to finish."

Shelf Awareness

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Preus conveys the tales of heroism and resistance of the village teens with a story that is filled with suspense and intrigue... Readers will be inspired by these teens that stood for what is right and who, through their actions, saved the lives."

School Library Connection

"Preus crafts a delicate balance of the characters’ interweaving tales and the community that bands together to protect its vulnerable population."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Fascinating. . . Readers inspired by communities making a difference—and in WWII and Holocaust history—will find much of interest here."

Booklist

★ 2019-10-09
The inhabitants of a village in the mountains of Vichy France quietly carry out clandestine activities as they rescue and hide Jews.

Adults, teens, and even younger children work independently and in carefully constructed networks of established residents and Jewish refugees. "Everyone in this town had secrets." Refugees are hidden on outlying farms. Youngsters attend school and live in boardinghouses. All are given beautifully forged identification papers, many made by Jean-Paul, who has forged several versions of his own papers. Some have joined the Maquis, disguised as Boy Scouts. Céleste conveys secret messages; Philippe leads refugees to safe houses and to the Swiss border while others create diversions that lead authorities astray. Ten-year-old Jules notices and remembers everything. He maintains an odd, provocative relationship with the French policeman Perdant, openly questioning him about the morality of his insistence on following the orders and laws of the Nazi overseers. The knowledge he gains allows him to provide the others with key information, warnings, and time to get to safety. Each character's backstory is woven seamlessly into the action. Preus builds suspense and drama by following these brave souls as they take on dangerous tasks, facing arrest, deportation, and, very likely, death if they are caught by the Nazis. Named as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem, these characters are based on real people from the village of Le Chambon sur Lignon, and Preus tells their afterstories in a well-researched, comprehensive epilogue.

Deeply emotional, intense, and thought-provoking. (pronunciation guide, list of characters, photos, documents, bibliography) (Historical fiction. 10-18)

Kirkus Reviews