Dear Classmates,

I have recently finished the book, Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus. It is a 261 page realistic fiction book. The author, Margi Preus was the runner up for the 2011 nobel peace prize. She is currently a college teacher and lives in Minnesota. Margi Prues has written many other books like The Peace Bell. She won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. This year I have read about 60 books but I did not complete the 40 book challenge. The majority of the books I read were fantasy and sci-fi books. I am proud that I read so many books, more than I have ever read in a year.

 

In summery, the book Shadow on the Mountain is about a teenage boy living in Norway named Espen. When the Nazi’s took over Norway, Espen wanted to help fight. He started small by delivering illegal  newpapers to the country. Countless times Espen is forced to outsmart the Nazi’s or get caught. After time he gets apointed higher and higher roles until he is chosen to spy on and collect knolledge on a German concentration camp. On the last day spying, he is caught. What will happen. Will he live, escape, or die. Read the book to find out what happens next.

 

!!CAUTION SPOILER ALERT!!

 

I liked that the author shows that Espen is just a normal kid that plays soccer, likes to ski and goes to school. It really shows how anyone can help the fight and every little thing helps. If he can make a great change to the world, than so can others.

 

I liked how in the end, Espen escapes Norway and goes to Sweeden. It really shows how his friend Keill still does care for him even after Keill went to work for the Nazi’s. Keill was sent after Espen to kill or capture him before he could escape. Keill finally caught up but instead of killing Espen, he let Espen go and lied to his German officers.

 

I was suprised when Aksel shot ans killed Stein. They were freinds before, on the same soccer team until Askel joined the Nazi’s. Askel found out Stein was working against the Nazi’s and shot him. This suprised me because I would never do such a thing to a person that I know and was freinnds with.

 

On page 15 there is a quote that I found interesting,

“Espen stopped chewing for a moment. Spying! That’s what he would like to do. That would be it, exactly! “My friend and I have done quite a bit of spying already,” he said.

“Are you brave enough to continue delivering newspapers?” Tante Marie asked”.

 

I found this quote interesting becuase it is when Espen truely begins to work for the Resistance. I rate this book an 8.5 out of 10 because it is a good book but not amazing.

 

From,

Zac