For young readers, one could easily play the near-miss attempts to kill Hitler as a straightforward thriller. The plots involve deception, gut-wrenching timing and concealed explosives: a bomb in a gift package, a rigged docent conducting a tour of captured Russian weaponry and an explosive briefcase spirited into the heart of Hitler's fortress…But Hendrix makes the bold and surprising decision to tell it as a tale of faith…What will catch the reader's eye immediately is Hendrix's striking three-color art. The book is not a panel-by-panel graphic novel, but rather an inventive combination of text blocks and illustration. Each spread has its own ingenious design, shuttling between the literal and the allegorical…

07/16/2018
Hendrix (Miracle Man) captures the powerful and purposeful life of the pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whose faith and philosophy eventually led him to take a stand against Hitler when few others in Germany would. Using a variety of art styles, the book highlights Bonhoeffer’s intellectual, spiritual, and personal development alongside the cultural and political shifts behind Hitler’s rise to power. It also shows Bonhoeffer’s struggle to question his country’s leader and his work to become more than mere witness to history—his writings, his work as “chief pastor to the conspiracy”—before his eventual capture and hanging. Hendrix details Bonhoeffer’s life in accessible prose, offering appropriate, meaningful context and in places using Bonhoeffer’s own words. Provocative background imagery enhances the comic’s mood and atmosphere: a noose wrapped around a church shows religious strangulation in Hitler’s Germany; prose shown on the moonlit wall of Bonhoeffer’s prison cell conveys imprisonment’s isolation. These visuals powerfully communicate the dread, despair, and violence inherent in living—and fighting against—Hitler’s Germany. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 10–14. (Sept.)

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Biographies of key figures from WWII are plentiful in kids books, but Hendrix’s captivating account of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a standout . . . The combination of Hendrix’s sharp, concise words and evocative artwork gives readers a strong sense of historical context, the enormity of the perilous actions undertaken by Bonhoeffer and other resistance fighters, and the revolutionary nature of his theology of action and civil disobedience. A poignant, compellingly presented, and timely account of a brave individual who lived his life with true conviction."

"Passionate and heartbreaking, Bonhoeffer’s choice (and the ultimate price he paid for collusion) will resonate with young people confronting a turbulent political milieu; Hendrix respects readers’ capacity to rise to a moral challenge."

"The book effectively employs a hand-lettered typeface, comic-panel layouts, spot art, vivid two-color illustrations (bright green and more subdued red), the occasional map, symbol, or diagram, and striking editorial illustrations reminiscent of political cartoons . . . The result is that this heavily textual book is also a highly visual one; seemingly disparate design elements blend together seamlessly."

"Hendrix's uncommon style weaves nonstop illustrations with blocks of facts, imagined conversations and direct quotes from a chilling era. He helps readers begin to make sense of the unfathomable . . . The illustrated story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer—pastor, spy and passionate rebel against Hitler's devastating Nazi regime—offers readers great insight into that period of history."

"The Faithful Spy should be required reading in high school classrooms around the nation. One of the best and most original graphic novels of 2018, readers of all ages will be captivated by its exploration of just how extraordinarily brave one pastor must have been to stand up to the Third Reich! A true story of how one pastor reconciled his faith and his courage to topple the very heart of the Nazi regime, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life and death stands as a testament that good does indeed triumph over evil."

**STARRED REVIEW**
"This book’s inclusion of detailed illustrations, ample use of quotes, and the engaging narrative all contribute to a rich telling of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life."

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Biographies of key figures from WWII are plentiful in kids books, but Hendrix’s captivating account of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a standout . . . The combination of Hendrix’s sharp, concise words and evocative artwork gives readers a strong sense of historical context, the enormity of the perilous actions undertaken by Bonhoeffer and other resistance fighters, and the revolutionary nature of his theology of action and civil disobedience. A poignant, compellingly presented, and timely account of a brave individual who lived his life with true conviction."—Booklist

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Striking . . . challenging and complex."—Kirkus Reviews

**STARRED REVIEW**
"The narrative deftly moves between Bonhoeffer’s struggles and Hitler’s ascent. Hendrix’s dynamic images complement the text, using green and red to indicate good and evil. The bold visuals will attract graphic novel fans. An excellent introduction to a great man and his fight for justice."—School Library Journal

**STARRED REVIEW**
"This book’s inclusion of detailed illustrations, ample use of quotes, and the engaging narrative all contribute to a rich telling of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life."—School Library Connection

"Hendrix details Bonhoeffer’s life in accessible prose, offering appropriate, meaningful context and in places using Bonhoeffer’s own words. Provocative background imagery enhances the comic’s mood and atmosphere: a noose wrapped around a church shows religious strangulation in Hitler’s Germany; prose shown on the moonlit wall of Bonhoeffer’s prison cell conveys imprisonment’s isolation. These visuals powerfully communicate the dread, despair, and violence inherent in living—and fighting against—Hitler’s Germany. "—Publishers Weekly

"Hendrix's uncommon style weaves nonstop illustrations with blocks of facts, imagined conversations and direct quotes from a chilling era. He helps readers begin to make sense of the unfathomable . . . The illustrated story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer—pastor, spy and passionate rebel against Hitler's devastating Nazi regime—offers readers great insight into that period of history."—Shelf Awareness

"Few historical works for children will proffer the idea that all German Christians during WWII weren’t dyed-in-the-wool Nazis. In an era when nationalism is on the rise in countries across the globe, it is a great good to teach kids about a time when blind and displaced loyalty to a country led to unspeakable evil. Hendrix doesn’t have to spell out the parallels to the times in which we live. Have faith in the kids. They’re going to be able to get there on their own. The author is just laying the facts out before them. He trusts their intelligence. We, the adults, would be wise to do the same.”—Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production (School Library Journal Blog)

"The Faithful Spy should be required reading in high school classrooms around the nation. One of the best and most original graphic novels of 2018, readers of all ages will be captivated by its exploration of just how extraordinarily brave one pastor must have been to stand up to the Third Reich! A true story of how one pastor reconciled his faith and his courage to topple the very heart of the Nazi regime, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life and death stands as a testament that good does indeed triumph over evil."—Katie Monnin, Director of Education, Pop Culture Classrooom

"Passionate and heartbreaking, Bonhoeffer’s choice (and the ultimate price he paid for collusion) will resonate with young people confronting a turbulent political milieu; Hendrix respects readers’ capacity to rise to a moral challenge."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The book effectively employs a hand-lettered typeface, comic-panel layouts, spot art, vivid two-color illustrations (bright green and more subdued red), the occasional map, symbol, or diagram, and striking editorial illustrations reminiscent of political cartoons . . . The result is that this heavily textual book is also a highly visual one; seemingly disparate design elements blend together seamlessly."—Horn Book Magazine

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Biographies of key figures from WWII are plentiful in kids books, but Hendrix’s captivating account of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a standout . . . The combination of Hendrix’s sharp, concise words and evocative artwork gives readers a strong sense of historical context, the enormity of the perilous actions undertaken by Bonhoeffer and other resistance fighters, and the revolutionary nature of his theology of action and civil disobedience. A poignant, compellingly presented, and timely account of a brave individual who lived his life with true conviction."

07/01/2018
Gr 7 Up—Combining drawings and text, Hendrix presents a contemplative look at German martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Readers learn of Bonhoeffer's lifelong interest in theology and his search for God. As Hitler and Nazism came to power, he asked whether it is moral to assassinate a tyrant. Ultimately, his decision to plot with other conspirators to kill Hitler cost him his life. The author provides a fascinating examination of the man and his commitment to his Christian faith. The narrative deftly moves between Bonhoeffer's struggles and Hitler's ascent. Hendrix's dynamic images complement the text, using green and red to indicate good and evil. The dense text may turn off some readers, but the illustrations are bound to entice many others. Those seeking a more traditional biography should also look to Patricia McCormick's The Plot To Kill Hitler: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Unlikely Hero. VERDICT The bold visuals will attract graphic novel fans. An excellent introduction to a great man and his fight for justice.—Margaret Nunes, Gwinnett County Public Library, GA

★ 2018-06-25
In this audacious graphic biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Hendrix crafts a portrait of a man of faith grappling with the question of what it means to be an ethical and moral person.Hendrix is clear that this account is not a complete biography, noting his goal is "underlining the essential themes found in Dietrich's life." Pivotal moments from his subject's childhood through his execution are chronicled. Bonhoeffer's worldview is transformed when he goes to New York City in 1930 as a young white seminarian and befriends two classmates—an African-American and a white Frenchman—who help awaken him to systemic racial injustice, pacifism, and the necessity of keeping the church independent from the state. From his year in America, "Bonhoeffer's theology [is] transformed from thought into action, the creation of something he called ‘civil courage.' " This prompts Bonhoeffer to speak out publicly against Hitler, found the breakaway Confessing Church, spy for the German Resistance, and join the plot to assassinate Hitler that ultimately costs him his life. Interwoven with Bonhoeffer's story is extensive historical information. Hendrix's striking artwork—done in a limited palette of black, turquoise, and red—relies heavily on typography and visual metaphor. Some of the most striking illustrations depict Nazism as a ferocious, demonic wolf. Another portrays Bonhoeffer as the biblical David with a sling facing a Goliath who holds a bloodied spear and swastika-emblazoned shield. Hendrix's challenging and complex content demonstrates the trust he has in the intelligence of his audience. (bibliography, source notes) (Nonfiction. 10-18)