The Boys from St. Petri (novel) facts for kids
.jpg)
First edition (Danish)
|
|
| Author | Bjarne Reuter |
|---|---|
| Original title | Drengene Fra Sankt Petri |
| Translator | Anthea Bell |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Gyldendal |
|
Publication date
|
1991 |
|
Published in English
|
1994 |
| ISBN | 0-14-037994-0 |
The Boys from St. Petri is an exciting children's book. It was written by Danish author Bjarne Reuter. Puffin Books published the English version in 1994.
This novel won the Mildred L. Batchelder Award in 1995. This award is given by the American Library Association. It celebrates great children's books first published in another language. Many teachers and experts use this book. It teaches important lessons about activism and the Danish resistance. These events happened during World War II.
Contents
Meet the Characters
- Lars Balstrup is the main character of the book. He lives with his older brother Gunnar, his mother, and his father. Lars and his friends fight to protect their home in Denmark. They are against the Nazi rule. Lars quickly grows up as his actions lead to serious problems. He finds a German Luger gun. His brother tells him to learn how to use it for safety.
- Gunnar Balstrup is Lars's older brother. He is also the leader of the St. Petri group. Gunnar is the oldest in the club. He started the club with Soren's help. He also leads the boys' boat racing team. People think he is one of the best paddlers. Gunnar has a girlfriend named Irene. He wants to marry her.
- Otto Hvidemann is a young boy. His father died during the war. He helps his mother raise his two younger sisters. Otto works at a brickyard to support his family. He strongly dislikes the Germans. He believes they caused his father's death. He will try anything to stop or harm German soldiers.
- Luffe is one of Gunnar’s friends. His father manages the railroad. Luffe can find out important information. He learns when trains will arrive and what they carry. When he gets excited, his speech becomes unclear. He finds out when a German train will arrive. This train is full of machinery. Luffe is also a scientist. He likes to make bombs from different materials. He builds a very large bomb for the German train.
- Axel Terkelsen is an older brother. He joins the St. Petri club when Soren leaves. He cares a lot about his family. During their most dangerous mission, Axel thought about his sisters' dollhouse. This shows he has a caring side. He also has a mischievous side. This helps him join the club's adventures.
- Soren is one of the St. Petri club's founders. He leaves after arguing with Gunnar. He thinks the club's actions are too dangerous. He is not kind to new members. He does not trust Otto at all. When they first met, Otto threatened Soren with a gun.
- Sevend Hansen is a member of the Gestapo. He is feared by everyone who dislikes the Nazi Party. He constantly investigates the St. Petri group. He focuses on Gunnar in particular. At the end of the story, he arrests Gunnar, Lars, Luffe, and Axel.
- Dr. Halling is an older man. He is Kirsten Halling's father. He supports the Nazis. He suspects Lars, Otto, Gunnar, Luffe, and Soren. He knows they are involved in explosions and fires. He is also a doctor. He enjoys listening to the daily German marching band. Most people dislike this band.
- Kirsten Halling is Dr. Halling's daughter. She likes Lars very much. She often follows him around. Lars does not feel the same way about her. She always wears nice dresses. Her hair is always neatly styled.
- Irene is Gunnar's girlfriend at the start of the book. Later, she turns down Gunnar's marriage proposal. She likes to be alone to think. She often goes into the woods. She sits in an old, abandoned cafe there. Lars has a crush on Irene. He tells her he loves her. She tells him she loves him back.
Story Events
Summer 1942: Joining the Fight
Lars wants to join the St. Petri group. This club is against the Nazis. They are fighting against Adolf Hitler taking over Denmark. Lars must pass a test to join. He has to hold up a church chandelier without dropping it. Meanwhile, Lars finds a German Luger gun. A boy named Otto Hvidemann stole it. Otto later joins the St. Petri group. After Lars joins, the boys plan their first real mission. They want to sabotage the German headquarters.
Fall 1942: Daring Missions
In the fall, the boys plan to steal bombs. These bombs are at the German headquarters. They want to use them to blow up railroad tracks. These tracks will carry German war machinery. But things go wrong when they get there. A phone rings, and they trip, setting off an alarm. German soldiers come to investigate. The boys have to run.
Everything happens very fast. Everyone runs, and dogs are sent to find them. Otto steals a rifle and a sub-machine gun. He helps Gunnar and Luffe fill Gunnar's backpack with hidden bombs. They take the bombs back for the club. A German attack dog chases Lars. He gets scared and shoots the dog with the Luger. The gun shot makes the Germans think they are being attacked. They start shooting. The boys have to shoot back. Many German soldiers are affected.
As they leave, a young German soldier is on the ground. He is unarmed and pleads for his life. The boys consider harming him. But Lars tells them not to. He says it would make them like the Germans. As they leave, Otto gets shot in the arm.
They take Otto to Dr. Halling for help. But the doctor refuses at first. He suspects the boys are the saboteurs. Gunnar then forces him to help. He tells the doctor he has already faced many Germans that night. The doctor finally agrees. He treats Otto's arm. As they leave, Gunnar warns him not to tell anyone. The boys ride their bikes to a brewery. They sit and listen to sirens from the German airfield. They had caused these sirens hours before. Luffe's words are already slurred. They congratulate each other and head home.
The next day at school, the boys are called to line up. German soldiers are waiting there. The young German soldier they had spared is with them. This makes Lars and Gunnar very nervous. The soldiers walk the young boy down the line. He looks at each boy's face. The boy catches Lars's eye. He gives him a knowing look, as if they are on the same side. Lars fidgets nervously. The men get closer. The young boy passes Lars without a second glance. He does the same for Gunnar, Luffe, and Soren. He pretends he has never seen them.
Winter 1942: The Final Act
Lars and Gunnar go to the church. They are putting new candles in the pews. They see Sevend, also called Suckerfish. Gunnar stands in front of Sevend. Sevend asks him many questions. He asks if Gunnar is a man of his country. He also asks if Gunnar feels Danish. The Nazi German does not scare Gunnar or Lars. Sevend threatens them. He also hints that he knows what the boys are doing.
The St. Petri Group is afraid of what they are about to do. The boys plan to sneak away from a school play. They will run to the railroad tracks. A large train with important military machinery will arrive there. The boys are placed strategically around the tracks. They have set a bomb to explode when the train is near. Axel is at the top of the hill. He has a bright flashlight. He will signal when the train appears. The boys wait anxiously for this signal.
Finally, they see the signal. They are about to set off the bomb. But their hiding place is discovered. German soldiers suddenly surround them. They immediately start shooting. Luffe is terrified and cannot run. Gunnar and Lars grab him. They pull him away from the chaos. Lars then sees that Otto is not with them. He turns and sees Otto running towards the tracks. Otto wants to set off the bomb by hand. Lars yells at him to forget it. But Otto does not listen. He insists on setting off the bomb. He runs faster for the tracks. Lars then sees Otto reach the tracks. The train is about to reach the area with the bombs. Then there is a large explosion. The train falls off the tracks.
The boys then run in different directions. Gunnar goes to the cafe in the woods. Axel goes home. Otto runs towards the brickyard. Lars runs to the school.
When Lars arrives at the school, he finds Irene. He wants to tell her how he truly feels. When he finds her, they sit on a bench. He tells her that he loves her. Just as Lars tells Irene he will never leave her, Sevend walks into the room. He calls to Lars. He pulls him away from Irene. He tells Lars he is under arrest. Lars is placed in a cell. The next day, he is reunited with the other group members. They are marched across the camp to a black armed car. Sevend walks over to them. Gunnar asks him how he knew it was them. Sevend replies that he found Gunnar's pipe at one of the crime scenes. He assumed they had done all the other things too. Sevend walks away. The boys are forced into the car with other police officers. The doors are locked. The car starts to move, driving them away from their home. Otto rings a bell. This signals that he has not been captured. He is free and safe.
Images for kids
-
First edition (Danish)
