Projekt 1065: A Novel of World War II

by Alan Gratz

Overview

Award-winning, critically acclaimed author Alan Gratz (Prisoner B-3087) returns with another gripping World War II story, this time about a spy in the Hitler Youth.

Infiltrate. Befriend. Sabotage.World War II is raging. Michael O'Shaunessey, originally from Ireland, now lives in Nazi Germany with his parents. Like the other boys in his school, Michael is a member of the Hitler Youth.But Michael has a secret. He and his parents are spies. Michael despises everything the Nazis stand for. But he joins in the Hitler Youth's horrific games and book burnings, playing the part so he can gain insider knowledge. When Michael learns about Projekt 1065, a secret Nazi war mission, things get even more complicated. He must prove his loyalty to the Hitler Youth at all costs — even if it means risking everything he cares about.Including... his own life.From acclaimed author Alan Gratz (Prisoner B-3087) comes a pulse-pounding novel about facing fears and fighting for what matters most.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545880169
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	10/11/2016
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	9,937
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.20(d)
Lexile:	780L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

ALAN GRATZ is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several highly acclaimed books for young readers, including Two Degrees, Ground Zero, Allies, Grenade,Refugee, Projekt 1065, Prisoner B-3087, Code of Honor, and Captain America: The Ghost Army, an original graphic novel. Alan lives in North Carolina with his wife and daughter. Look for him online at alangratz.com.

Read an Excerpt

A British pilot, on the run in the countryside right outside Berlin?... My heart hammered like I was the pilot himself, lost, injured, hunted behind enemy lines. If he was caught, he'd be tortured and killed. How long could he hide out from the SS patrols? And if he did elude them, how would he avoid forty Hitler Youths crawling through the woods and fields to look for him? The other boys in the troop were already stampeding for the exit, excited to have real, adult work to do for the Fatherland. I hesitated in the doorway. I had to get word to my parents. They had helped Allied soldiers and spies get out of Berlin before. But how?...There wasn't time to get word to my parents. I was just going to have to save the British pilot myself.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Projekt 1065:* "While the book is replete with fascinating historical insight, Gratz has also crafted a suspenseful mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With short, action-packed chapters, it is a great choice for reluctant readers as well... A winning combination of action, suspense, and historical setting." — School Library Journal, starred review* "A rare insider's glimpse into the Hitler Youth: animated, well-researched, and thought-provoking." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review"[A] high-action spy thriller." — BooklistPraise for Prisoner B-3087:A Junior Library Guild SelectionGolden Sower Award, 2014-2015 Winner NebraskaIsinglass Teen Read Award, 2014-2015 Winner New HampshirePennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award, 2014-2015 Winner PennsylvaniaJunior Book Award, 2015-2016 Winner South CarolinaGrand Canyon Reader Award, 2015-2016 Winner ArizonaTruman Readers Award, 2015-2016 Winner MissouriReaders Choice Awards, Winner 2015-2016 Virginia Volunteer State Book Award Winner, 2015-2016 Tennessee "A powerful story, well told." — School Library Journal"A bone-chilling tale not to be ignored." — Kirkus Reviews"[A] remarkable survival story." — Booklist"Gratz ably conveys... fatalism, yearning, and determination in the face of the unimaginable." — Publishers Weekly"Heartbreaking, gripping, raw, and emotional... storytelling at its finest." — VOYAPraise for Code of Honor:"Readers will be swept up by both the intrigue and the rapid pacing... Kamran is a smart and sympathetic narrator, and readers will be happy to spend time with him in this action-packed thriller." — Kirkus Reviews"Exciting, at times ripped from the headlines, and scary, this cinematic work has layers of intrigue and danger in each scene... will appeal to a variety of readers and will raise questions about patriotism, loyalty, and trust... A winner." — School Library Journal"Vivid characters and timely topics, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, contribute to making Code of Honor a first-rate novel." — VOYA

From the Publisher

★ 08/01/2016
Gr 7 Up—Michael O'Shaunessey may be the son of the Irish ambassador to Germany, but in 1943, with his flawless German and easy intelligence, he represents the perfect Hitler Youth, ambitiously climbing the organization's ranks. Michael is living a lie; he despises the Nazis and all they represent. He enlisted in the Hitler Youth in order to infiltrate Nazi hierarchy and access information that will assist his parents in spying for the Allies. When a friend shows him plans for the new jet airplane the Nazis are developing, his covert activities turn deadly serious. Gratz returns to the World War II era of his Prisoner B-3087 to illuminate a little-known aspect of the war. Although Ireland declared itself neutral, documents declassified decades after the war revealed its diplomats were actually collecting intelligence for the Allies. Gratz takes readers inside daily life in Germany as well as the Hitler Youth organization, deftly conveying the suspicion and fear that were the constant companions of German citizens. Michael grapples with deep moral dilemmas, including the painful choice to sacrifice one life for the greater good. An author's note offers supplemental information and background on the Hitler Youth. While the book is replete with fascinating historical insight, Gratz has also crafted a suspenseful mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With short, action-packed chapters, it is a great choice for reluctant readers as well. VERDICT A winning combination of action, suspense, and historical setting. Recommended for all collections.—Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor School District, Lancaster, PA

School Library Journal

★ 2016-07-02
The son of the Irish ambassador to Germany poses as a member of the Hitler Youth in order to support the Allies during World War II. Just like his parents, 13-year-old Michael O’Shaunessey, from the politically neutral country of Ireland, becomes a spy in Nazi Germany. When a downed British pilot alerts him to the existence of Projekt 1065—an effort by Nazi Germany to build a faster warplane that works without propellers—Michael discovers that his classmate Fritz’s father is designing the plane, which gives him remarkable access to the blueprints. Michael’s photographic memory comes in handy for remembering enemy codes and formulas. When, as a junior Gestapo, he joins the group assigned to assassinate a Jewish physicist who is working on developing an American atom bomb, he becomes embroiled in a complex drama of espionage and betrayal. Through Michael’s narration and an accessible story and characters, Gratz sheds light on the connection between Fascism and bullying, the moral dilemmas of war, and the lesser-known, common use of children for serious tasks by the Nazi regime. He doesn’t shy from challenging his readers, offering them a coming-of-age story that concludes that sometimes good people must be sacrificed or wrong things must be done in order to win a larger battle. A rare insider’s glimpse into the Hitler Youth: animated, well-researched, and thought-provoking. (author’s note) (Historical fiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews