Do you have a middle grade reader who loves historical fiction? World War II? Or perhaps horses? Today we are sharing a historical fiction middle grade novel set during World War II in occupied France. The main characters are two brave kids from very different backgrounds who work together to do what is right. The book is The Lion's Run by Sara Pennypacker. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
About the Book:
The acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of Pax delivers an historical novel about an orphan during WWII who discovers unexpected courage within himself when he becomes involved with the Resistance.Petit éclair. That’s what the other boys at the orphanage call Lucas DuBois. Lucas is tired of his cowardly reputation, just as he’s tired of the war and the Nazi occupation of his French village. He longs to show how brave he can be.
He gets the chance when he saves a litter of kittens from cruel boys and brings them to an abandoned stable to care for them. There he comes upon a stranger who is none too happy to see him: Alice, the daughter of a horse trainer, who is hiding her filly from German soldiers.
Soon Lucas begins to realize they are not the only ones in the village with secrets. The housekeeper at the German maternity home and a priest at the orphanage pass coded messages; a young mother at the home makes dangerous plans to keep her baby from forced adoption; and a neighbor in town may be harboring a Jewish family.
Emboldened by the unlikely heroes all around him, Lucas is forced to decide how much he is willing to risk to make the most courageous rescue of all.
Perfect for fans of Alan Gratz, Ruta Sepetys, and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, this accessible novel, told in short chapters, illuminates a little-known aspect of World War II history.
From Me:
Lucas is the orphan that the other boys tease for being a coward. He tries to walk away from conflict. However, he has a strong sense of right and wrong. He gets courageous enough to try to stop the bigger boys from killing innocent kittens. He eventually saves the kittens and hides them in a barn where he meets Alice. Alice is hiding her horse from the Germans in the barn. She has a plan to get the horse to America where he can race and have proper training. The two have issues with each other but work together to care for the kittens. They slowly become friends. Lucas has a job delivering groceries and he deliveries them to the Lebensborn, a maternity house for mothers who are having German soldiers' babies that the Nazi's will take to be adopted in Germany. He ends up joining the resistance and begins to find himself and give his life purpose trying to fight the Nazis in ways that he can.
This book is an interesting read. It definitely pulled me in, and I wanted to know what happened next. The historical references throughout the book are interesting. I did not know about the Lebensborns the Germans had throughout their territories. The took these babies to raise them to be future soldiers. The mothers did not see their children after they were taken. Sara does a great job of explaining them in the book. She also shares at the end of the book what is historical facts and what is fiction.
The characters are well developed. I loved reading about the growth in Lucas as he truly found himself and how Alice and he developed their friendship. The story is full of drama and has many surprises along the way. I see kids loving this story as well as learning a bit more about World War II. I can see this book being read by kids who are interested in history, World War II or love horses. I can also see it being read in classes for similar lessons but also about finding one's own courage and purpose.
