Summer of My German Soldier

Minutes before the train pulled into the station in Jenkinsville, Arkansas, Patty Bergen knew something exciting was going to happen. But she never could have imagined that her summer would be so memorable. German prisoners of war have arrived to make their new home in the prison camp in Jenkinsville. To the rest of her town, these prisoners are only Nazis. But to Patty, a young Jewish girl with a turbulent home life, one boy in particular becomes an unlikely friend. Anton relates to Patty in ways that her mother and father never can. But when their forbidden relationship is discovered, will Patty risk her family and town for the understanding and love of one boy?

From the book jacket: From the minutes before the train pulled in to the station, Patty Bergen knew something exciting was going to happen. German prisoners of war have arrived to make the prison camp in Jenkinsville, Arkansas, their new home. To the rest of her town, these prisoners are Nazis. But to patty, a young Jewish girl with a turbulent home life, one boy in particular becomes a friend. Anton relates to Patty in ways that her family never can.

My reactions
I didn’t include all the information from the back cover, which makes this sound like a teen romance; that is very misleading. What it is is a novel about compassion, loyalty, self-realization, courage, faith and self-preservation.

Twelve-year-old Patty is obviously not the show more child her parents hoped to have. She is at best an average student, making mostly C’s in school. Her mother is constantly berating her for her unruly hair, and her lack of interest in fashion. Her father insists on strict obedience and cannot tolerate her constant questioning. In contrast her little sister is the apple of her parents’ eyes – blonde, cute, always ready with a song or dance. It seems that the only person who shows any love to Patty is their African-American housekeeper, Ruth.

Summers are particularly lonely for Patty because the few friends she has from school go away to Bible camp which she cannot attend as a Jew. Her grandparents in Memphis would love to have her visit, but her father won’t allow it. So when a handful of prisoners are brought to her parents’ store to buy hats Patty is intrigued by one polite young man who wants only pencils and a pencil sharpener. Anton treats her with respect and she begins to fantasize about a relationship with him. The way he treats Patty makes her feel, for the first time, that she is a worthwhile person, a person who deserves to be loved.

This book just about broke my heart. Patty is such a wonderful character – intelligent, thoughtful, compassionate, and courageous. But she is also a child and her immaturity shows in her impetuous actions and telling of tales. Still, the way she is treated by her parents (and many of the other adults in the novel) made want to just throttle them. Even at the end she is still feeling misunderstood and alone, yet also strong enough to possibly make it on her own one day. Patty imagines herself treading water, still far out to sea, but in sight of land, and deciding that she’ll try to swim for it.

I know there is a sequel to this book … set some six years after the end of this one. But I’m not sure I’ll read it. I kind of like the ending image of this novel. show less

We never read Summer of My German Soldier in class (honestly, what did we read?), nor have I seen the movie, so this Open Road edition from Netgalley was brand new to me. I hadn't realized the main character and narrator of the story, Patty, was so young (12); my first assumption was that she was old enough for this to be a more common sort of love story.

It's not what I was anticipating, but despite her youth, it is a love story, of a sort, or of several sorts. It involves Patty's love for her sister, against all odds: it would have been less surprising to me if she had loathed Sharon for being the apple of their parents' eyes by simply existing. (What were the first five years of Patty's life, pre-Sharon, like, I wonder?) Patty's love show more for - or desire to love - her parents, against even greater odds. The housekeeper/nanny Ruth's genuine affection for Patty, and her staunch position on Patty's side no matter what. Anton Reiker, the German Soldier, is part of that facet; his point of view is not only as a grateful recipient of her help but as someone who sees what the rest of her life is doing to her. His and Ruth's interaction with Patty reminded me of Aibilene from The Help, constantly telling the browbeaten little girl "You is kind, you is smart, you is good..." - trying desperately to counteract the inevitable result of the horrible combination of intentional and unintentional abuse by the parents. Trying to provide a life raft in a sea of self-hatred.

There is, to be honest, a lot not to like about Patty, at first glance - which is what makes her a compelling character. She - a Jewish girl - decides to aid an escaped German POW purely based on the fact that he was friendly to her, was attractive, and spoke excellent English, and that she was instantly infatuated with him (without really knowing how to express that, even to herself); for all she knew, actually knew, he could have been the deepest-dyed Nazi there ever was. A sheltered and affection-starved twelve-year old isn't exactly the judge of character I'd want to rely on in this situation. In fact, from the little bit I know about Nazi espionage techniques, Reiker is the sort of man most prized by the SS: able to speak unaccented English, plausible and friendly-seeming... My hair stood on end a bit thinking about it. She could have caused unspeakable damage with one thoughtless act.

Also, of course, her constant lies are off-putting, and a little alarming, but in the context of her pitiable desperation to do something, anything to finally reach her parents' hearts they make sense. It seems to be an almost instinctual response to almost any situation – one which, hopefully, she can outgrow.

The introduction - exclusive to the Open Road edition, I think - talks about Bette Greene's parents' reaction to the book. "Couldn't you at least have waited till we were dead?" She apparently either evaded the question or denied outright that she and Patty were one and the same; however, her parents evidently recognized enough of themselves in the narrative to be defensive and outraged. They weren't brought to shame about their behavior, but were instead - as always - put out with their daughter that she had not had more consideration for them. I've encountered Eeeevil Parents in a couple of books lately, and sighed over them, wanting more depth to make them realistic … in Patty's parents the lack of depth is partly down to the story being told by a twelve-year-old. She had no way of knowing any kind of motivation for how they treated her, no way to fathom the psychology. She doesn't look for excuses for them - she simply shoulders the responsibility for it (she's not a good person) and tries to make amends. It's horrifying.

Looking over what I've written I see variations on the word "desperate" popping up. And for a brief book written in a fairly light tone, centered around the suburban life of a twelve-year-old merchant's daughter in 20th century Alabama, there is a wrenching amount of desperation running all through it. Reiker does not escape because he wants to meet up with saboteurs (we hope), but because the confinement was pressing upon him, and he needed freedom. Ruth is, on surface, what the Scots call sonsy; she is the mammy archetype of the middle-aged black servant who actually looks after the white folks' children - but at least one of these white folks' children is in a bad way, and she has a son of her own who is at hazard. Hers is, too, the constant worry of her race and position in her time and place. Patty sees her mother as the consummate salesperson, able to sell ice to an Eskimo, but the little scene we are shown (of a poor farmer's wife being cozened into buying not only the dress she was looking at but an ugly hat as well) is almost heartbreaking in its sordidness: the mother's eagerness to wring another dollar out of someone who can't afford it but who is almost as thirsty for praise as Patty; the false praise being heaped on this stranger when Patty would, literally, do anything for a kind word.

Love and desperation. It packs a punch that surprised me, this little book. show less

Summer of My German Soldier is a poignant coming-of-age story about a young Jewish girl from a small town in Arkansas who helps an escaped German POW, an act which changes her life forever. This short young adult novel is packed with philosophical lessons on human nature that make it very difficult for me to describe, but suffice it to say that it is an amazing little book. I almost wish it had been longer, to give me more time to ponder its depths, but at the same time, it was nearly perfect at its current length. The ending, while not happy, did contain a grain of hope for Patty's future, and I couldn't help but think that it was ripe for a sequel. Imagine my delight, when I discovered that there is indeed one, Morning Is a Long Time show more Coming, which continues Patty's search for love and meaning in her life. In fact, I probably wouldn't have been able to give this book quite as high of a rating if it had simply ended where it did. That would have been almost cruel.

Patty is very sympathetic as the heroine and first-person narrator of the story. Simply being part of the only Jewish family in town makes her unusual, but she is also a girl with an adventurous spirit and a wild imagination for making up stories. Sometimes I didn't like the way she lied or embellished the truth, but as the story progresses, it becomes quite clear that she is absolutely starving for love and attention from parents who not only criticize and ignore her, but her father is also physically abusive. Sometimes her imagination takes her to admirable places such as dreaming about what it would be like to have her father say he loves and respects her and apologize for all the terrible things he's done to her which was heartbreaking. I thoroughly enjoyed Patty's love of books and words and how she teaches herself a new word from the dictionary every day. At first I thought it rather naïve of Patty to be helping an escaped POW whom she had only met once, but I think that she simply had an open-mindedness and an intuitive sense about the character of the people around her. In this and other ways, she often seemed much older than her mere twelve years, but some occasional careless mistakes and comments (usually brought about by that insatiable need for affection) belied her callow youth. Overall, I thought Patty was very brave to risk literally everything, possibly even her own life, to help a fellow human being in need, and most of all, she was an incredibly strong girl to survive all the hardships that were placed upon her young shoulders.

The two characters who care the most about Patty and have the most influence on her life are Anton, the POW she helps, and her family's housekeeper, Ruth. Anton is a very polite, gentle young man with a very reflective, perhaps even philosophical bent. He truly seems to care about others and had planned on becoming a doctor before the war started. No details on how he ended up in the SS army are given, and I found myself wondering if he was perhaps coerced as he definitely was not a true Nazi. Anton showed his kindness and understanding of Patty when he gave her the most precious gift of all, that of self-worth. In some ways, I wish that the reader was able to get to know Anton more, but it probably would have made later events in the story all the more harder to take. The only other person who truly understands Patty is her African-American housekeeper. Ruth is such a sweet, gentle lady who is nothing but kind and good to Patty. She is a healthy role model and a beacon of light in what would otherwise be a pretty dark world for her.

More than 35 years after its initial publication, Summer of My German Soldier can still be found in the top 100 titles on the American Library Association's list of most banned/challenged books of the past decade. The book does contain a number of mature themes: profanities are used, both a handful of mild ones as well as Patty's father taking the Lord's name in vain several times, but it does fit with his character being an extremely unhappy, violent man; Patty's father brutally abuses her on more than one occasion, but it isn't rendered in a particularly graphic way; on two occasions, Patty's father makes the incorrect assumption that she had sexual contact with a man, but again it is presented in a subtle rather than overt way; there are a number of racial slurs against blacks and Asians which would have been consistent with the time period and setting; Patty briefly wonders when her body will mature and prays to get her “womanly curves”; there are a couple of characters who smoke and the family enjoys some wine with a special dinner, which includes Patty receiving one glass of her own. While I can see how these things might be of concern to some people, I didn't feel that anything was over the top or would be wholly inappropriate for teenagers. I might have some concerns about children younger than middle-school age reading it, although not so much because of the content, but more so because there are many complex elements that might be difficult for them to comprehend. However, with a parent or educator guiding them through the reading they may be OK depending on their maturity level. In general though, I think it is a wonderful book, and it would be a shame to take it out of our youth's hands.

No matter the age of the reader, there are many positive things to be gleaned from this book's pages. There are some solid lessons in tolerance, open-mindedness, and showing care and concern for others who may be in need either physically or emotionally. There was also a wonderful message about how our differences truly don't matter when it comes to love and friendship. Summer of My German Soldier has a strong historical element. In doing some research on the author, I discovered that the story is partially autobiographical as Bette Green's life in many ways mirrored Patty's. I even learned a couple of things I didn't know about POWs being housed on U.S. soil and German U-Boats actually reaching our shores during the war. It was interesting as well how the attitudes of some people were not that much different than those of today, a sure sign that while some things may change others stay the same. Summer of My German Soldier started off a little slow, but it didn't take long for me to be hooked and wondering what would happen next. Overall, I thought it was a great little story. It's not the type that will leave the reader with warm fuzzy feelings, but it is one that can impart some deep food for thought to readers of all ages. I know I'm going to be thinking about it for a while to come. It's a definite keeper for me, and I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the sequel to see if Patty finally finds all that she's been searching for. show less

This book tells the story of one eventful summer in the life of 12-year-old Patty Bergen, a young Jewish girl living in a podunk town in Arkansas where the United States government has decided to set up a Nazi POW camp. Patty spends most of her days avoiding physical abuse from her father and verbal abuse from her mother; the only person she shows a close connection with is the family's housekeeper Ruth. But all that changes when Anton, a prisoner in the nearby camp, barrels into her life by way of a successful escape. Not only does this story show the transformation of Patty from a reckless girl with low self-esteem into a thoughtful girl with confidence, but the story also sheds light on the issues of prejudice during the 1940's in show more America.

I remember really enjoying reading this book as an adolescent, but couldn't remember how the book ended. After reading it again as an adult, I can see why my younger self might have forgotten this story; there are a lot of gaps. As the reader, we never quite understand why Patty's mom and dad take such umbrage at her mere existence; is she an illegitimate child? Has she done something in the past to warrant this anger? Why is Sharon (her younger sister) so doted over? Also, what was up with that ending? In an attempt not to spoil the book, let's leave it at the fact that the ending is not what I was expecting. While I realize that there's a sequel, my understanding is that most people read just this book and never make it to the second part. A large part of me wishes that Bette Greene had ended the book before Patty leaves Arkansas, that way the two books could stand on their own. Overall, though, I did enjoy this book. While I feel like there are better options for introducing students to the ideas of self-esteem, prejudice, and family, this book might be suitable for a student that you know may be having their own forms of family trouble at home; they might be able to relate to Patty the way some other students might not. Definitely a book worth having in a teacher's repertoire. show less

Patty Bergen was 12 years old in 1941 growing up in small-town Jenkinsville, Arkansas. She was the oldest daughter of the well-to-do owner of the town's department store and a beautiful, but vain mother. Patty's younger sister, Sharon, was the apple of her parents' eyes as she was pretty and talented every bit as much as the famous Shirley Temple. Patty knew her parents didn't love her as she was constantly criticized for her appearance and suffered many a whipping from her father. The Bergens were the only Jewish family in town which served to isolate Patty even more from school friends who spent fun-filled summers at Bible camp.

Jenkinsville was chosen as a site for a prison camp to hold German POWs and Patty is enthralled when she show more sees the young German boys step off the local train. They do not look like evil monsters but just like any other young men she has seen. One afternoon the POWs are brought to Bergen's store to purchase necessities and Patty strikes up a conversation with a handsome young man who speaks perfect English and serves as the interpreter for the group. His name is Anton and he seems to Patty to be just a lonely young man far away from his home and family. When Anton escapes the prison camp several months later Patty finds him and hides him in the attic of the Bergen garage. The two young people spend many afternoons together in long discussions and Patty feels the first stirrings of love. Anton knows that he must leave before he is discovered and Patty is held accountable for harboring a Nazi. As Anton leaves the garage and his true friend Patty they both vow to meet again in the future when the war is over but both of their lives are about to change in unexpected ways.

This was such a good YA book and I truly liked Patty's character and absolutely loathed her parents. I loved that Patty's black nanny, Ruth, knew that Anton was hiding in the garage and her tolerance and wisdom spoke volumes about her love for this neglected child. I am looking forward to reading the sequel sometime in the future. show less

Patty Bergen is a twelve-year-old Jewish girl growing up in Jenkinsville, Arkansas during World War 2, the summer that German POWs are imprisoned right outside of town. She's a lonely girl who tries to be good so her parents will love her, but nothing she does seems to turn out right. Then, several POWs come to her father's store, and she begins a friendship with one of them, a young man named Anton Reiker who speaks English and isn't really a Nazi at all.

I'm not really sure what I expected when I picked this book up, but I found the story surprising in many ways. The book was originally published in 1973, and I couldn't help but compare the way race was dealt with in this story versus The Egypt Game, which was published in the 1960s. show more Patty's family is described as not having a lot of money, but Patty and her sister Sharon are looked after by a black woman, Rose, who lives in "Nigger Bottoms." I'm fairly sure that the use of the word "nigger" in this example and others was historically accurate, but I still found it jarring when I came across it. On the other hand, the people Patty loves most are Rose and Anton, a fact that's clearly not socially acceptable in the 1940s when the story is set. I was also surprised by the presence of child abuse, an issue I did not expect to see addressed in a children's book of its era. The age difference between Patty and Anton was a little shocking, and I dearly wanted an "Author's Note" at the end to explain whether or not some of the events could have (or did) happen, but no such luck. When I first started reading, I wasn't exactly taken by the story, but it grew on my as Patty herself, narrating the story started to grow on me too. show less