War Games
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4.7 • 3 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
An instant #1 New York Times bestseller!
A USA Today bestseller
A Publishers Weekly bestseller
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Refugee and Heroes comes this heart-pounding, high-stakes take on the 1936 Berlin Olympics, also known as the "Nazi Olympics."
In 1936 Berlin, nothing is what it seems...
Evie Harris can't believe her luck: She's competing in the Olympics, along with fellow American athletes like Jesse Owens. True, there's something creepy about Germany's leader, Adolf Hitler, who watches over the games with his Nazi henchmen. But Evie's just here to win a gold medal in gymnastics.
Until she discovers a horrible secret.
Behind all the Olympic fanfare, the Nazis have Berlin in an iron grip of terror and violence--and war is brewing. When Evie becomes embroiled in a mysterious plot to help steal Nazi gold, she must navigate the city's darkest corners and hidden passageways, never knowing who she can trust.
With lives on the line and her family's future at stake, Evie has to choose between following her Olympic dreams and standing up to evil... before it's too late.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz is back and better than ever with this heart-racing, plot-twisting story about the roots of World War II and the sacrifices we make for what matters most.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In a smartly plotted page-turner by Gratz (Resist: A Story of D-Day), young athletes competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics literally go for the gold upon becoming embroiled in a plot to rob the German national bank. Oklahoma gymnast Evie dreams of winning Olympic gold and pulling her family out of financial precarity. When she falls short of passing a qualifying round, she's approached by unscrupulous, apparently British journalist Solomon, who proposes that Evie—alongside German weightlifter Karl and French diver Ursula—help him steal Nazi gold. Though their athletic capabilities seemingly guarantee they can overcome the Reichsbank's security measures, the trio must first locate a secret tunnel beneath the Olympic stadium to facilitate the break-in, a task made harder by the watchful presence of Evie's designated Youth Services Host Heinz, whom she believes is a Hitler Youth spy. Well-researched historical facts add tooth to this cinematic novel's shocking twists and turns. Layered depictions of Nazi discrimination against Jewish, Black, and queer individuals—and how it impacts the story lines of Karl, who is gay, and biracial Ursula, who is Black and white—are a standout feature of this riveting adventure. An author's note contextualizes included figures and events. Ages 9–12.
