White Rose

by Kip Wilson

Overview

“In a searing indictment of silent complicity, White Rose shines a light on one remarkable young woman’s insistence on the power of truth, no matter the cost. A timely call to resistance.” – Joy McCullough, author of Blood Water Paint

“White Rose is a resonant testament to courage. In a time of horrific brutality, young people found a nonviolent way to resist. Told in the form of poetry, the story of their hopes is honored and brought back to life, still relevant today, when regimes that spread hatred are once again thriving, and words are our most powerful defensive weapon.”  – Margarita Engle, author of Newbery Honoree The Surrender Tree and 2017-2019 Young People's Poet Laureate.

"Both heart-wrenching and inspiring, Sophie Scholl's story, as retold by Kip Wilson in White Rose, is a stunning reminder to stand against evil, even when you stand alone. This is the kind of book that sticks in your heart long after you've finished. An incredible story of heroism incredibly told." – Mackenzi Lee, author of New York Times Bestseller The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue

"White Rose is a deftly plotted, absorbing read. A bold tribute to a brave hero of the German resistance during World War II. Wilson’s debut is a triumph!"
—Melanie Crowder, author of National Jewish Book Award finalist Audacity

“A graceful, moving portrait of a heroic young woman’s defiant refusal to remain complicit with Nazi oppression.” – Julie Berry, Printz Honor author of The Passion of Dolssa
 A gorgeous and timely novel based on the incredible story of Sophie Scholl, a young German college student who challenged the Nazi regime during World War II as part of The White Rose, a non-violent resistance group.

Disillusioned by the propaganda of Nazi Germany, Sophie Scholl, her brother, and his fellow soldiers formed the White Rose, a group that wrote and distributed anonymous letters criticizing the Nazi regime and calling for action from their fellow German citizens. The following year, Sophie and her brother were arrested for treason and interrogated for information about their collaborators. This debut novel recounts the lives of Sophie and her friends and highlights their brave stand against fascism in Nazi Germany.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358376699
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/12/2021
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	66,967
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Kip Wilson is the author of White Rose, which won the Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children’s Literature, and the Poetry Editor of the Young Adult Review Network. She has a Ph.D. in German Literature. She is also the winner of the PEN/New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award and her work has appeared in several children's literary magazines. She lives in Boston, MA. Find her online at www.kipwilsonwrites.com, on Twitter @kiperoo, and on Instagram @kipwilsonwrites.

Read an Excerpt

FEBRUARY 18, 1943

Gestapo Headquarters

The cars screech to a
halt, officers pull
us out by the arms, haul
us inside and off to
          separate
rooms, my heartbeat
pounding
all the while,
boom-boom,
boom-boom.

They swing
the door shut, unlock
my handcuffs, order
me to sit, rush about with
coats, hats, cases, papers
as I try not
to give in to the
overwhelming,
          sickening
knowledge spreading through me:
the two of us are trapped
in this net because
of me.
Boom-boom,
boom-boom.

I take
a deep breath and prepare
to fight
for our lives.

INTERROGATION

I carefully blend
a cupful of lies
into the bucket of truth
spread out in front of me
as Herr Mohr shoots
question after question,
trying to catch me off-guard.

                                                  Fräulein Scholl, why were you carrying
                                                  an empty suitcase with you to the university?

So I could pick up clean laundry
from home.

                                                  And why were you at the university
                                                  if you were planning to head to Ulm?

So I could let my friend Gisela know
I couldn’t meet her for lunch after all.

                                                  Why were you and your brother
                                                  in the corridor upstairs?

So I could show him the Psychological Institute
where I take classes.

His eyes narrow,
his voice icy,
Herr Mohr is good at this,
but he doesn’t know
that I’m good, too.
Boom-boom,
boom-boom.

My voice sounds
so calm telling these lies,
I barely recognize
the words as my own.

Editorial Reviews

? "Real events made deeply personal in an intense, bone-chilling reading experience." —Kirkus, STARRED review ? "[T]imely and relevant....This tale based on the real life of a young activist, supported by extensive back matter, belongs in all collections serving young teens." —School Library Journal, STARRED review ? "[M]oving and inspiring....this is a model of well-researched and riveting historical fiction." —Booklist, STARRED review "[C]andid and absorbing present-tense free verse....[a] strong addition to the canon of WWII fiction." —Publishers Weekly "Wilson does an exceptional job revealing Sophie’s inner thoughts and feelings....simultaneously uplifting and heartbreaking."—The Horn Book "The verses pack an emotional punch....This will be a highly accessible pathway into conversations about the role of women in war and resistance and... an insightful addition to any curriculum about resistance in World War II." –The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books “In a searing indictment of silent complicity, White Rose shines a light on one remarkable young woman’s insistence on the power of truth, no matter the cost. A timely call to resistance.” – Joy McCullough, author of Blood Water Paint “White Rose is a resonant testament to courage. In a time of horrific brutality, young people found a nonviolent way to resist. Told in the form of poetry, the story of their hopes is honored and brought back to life, still relevant today, when regimes that spread hatred are once again thriving, and words are our most powerful defensive weapon.”  – Margarita Engle, author of Newbery Honoree The Surrender Tree and 2017-2019 Young People's Poet Laureate. "Both heart-wrenching and inspiring, Sophie Scholl's story, as retold by Kip Wilson in White Rose, is a stunning reminder to stand against evil, even when you stand alone. This is the kind of book that sticks in your heart long after you've finished. An incredible story of heroism incredibly told." – Mackenzi Lee, author of New York Times Bestseller The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue "White Rose is a deftly plotted, absorbing read. A bold tribute to a brave hero of the German resistance during World War II. Wilson’s debut is a triumph!" – Melanie Crowder, author of National Jewish Book Award finalist Audacity “A graceful, moving portrait of a heroic young woman’s defiant refusal to remain complicit with Nazi oppression.” – Julie Berry, Printz Honor author of The Passion of Dolssa “This deeply thought-provoking debut is an important addition to the canon of Holocaust Literature for young people; it is sure to inspire discussion and leave a long-standing impact on its readers.”  – Padma Venkatraman, award-winning author of A Time to Dance —

From the Publisher

01/31/2019

Based on historical participants in the nonviolent White Rose resistance movement against Hitler, the events in Wilson’s debut unfold in Germany between 1935 and 1943. Sophie Scholl, a non-Jewish German who is 14 in 1935, narrates in candid and absorbing present-tense free verse. One of five siblings, Sophie enjoys a carefree life with family and friends until Hitler begins imposing labor service decrees and arresting teenagers—including her beloved older brother, Hans—for disloyalty to the government. As Hitler’s attacks on the Jewish population and military actions abroad snowball, Sophie is also forced into labor service and grows desperate to act against the injustice. Wilson traces the growing rage and rebellion that drive her into collaboration with Hans and university students to publish and distribute leaflets of resistance to the German public—an offense punishable by death. Occasional entries by a Gestapo investigator pursuing the group create mounting tension, even though the book’s opening scene reveals the outcome of his mission: Sophie’s capture and subsequent trial. Illuminating back matter on the real-life Sophie and the White Rose movement adds additional context to this strong addition to the canon of WWII fiction for young readers. Ages 12–up. Agent: Roseanne Wells, Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 03/01/2019

Gr 7 Up—Sophie Scholl was a teen living in Germany as Hitler rose to power; this historical novel in verse is based on her life. As is expected of many young Germans at the time, Sophie joins Nazi youth groups. Over time, as she pays more attention to what is happening around her and learns of the slaughter of the Jewish population, she grows to despise the regime. She realizes being angry isn't enough and being silent makes her complicit. Fully understanding the risks, Sophie turns her outrage into activism. She joins the White Rose resistance, helping to create and distribute leaflets calling out the horrors of the regime. She and other members of the White Rose are caught, interrogated, tried, and, eventually, executed. This difficult, inspiring story is told effectively in verse; the language is spare but powerful. Many pieces of this narrative—demonizing a population, standing silently as people are mistreated, fighting against harmful policies—are timely and relevant. The back matter includes information about key players, a glossary, a list of primary and secondary sources in both English and German, and a helpful author's note giving more context to Sophie's story. VERDICT This tale based on the real life of a young activist, supported by extensive back matter, belongs in all collections serving young teens.—Carla Riemer, Claremont Middle School, Oakland, CA

School Library Journal

Narrator Nicola Barber's youthful timbre and determined tone are well matched to the character of Sophie Scholl, whose heavily researched story is written in verse. Wilson recounts the true story of a student-led resistance movement in WWII Germany. Blending somber reflection and impassioned urgency, Barber transports listeners back and forth in time through the war and its aftermath. Listeners hear the ominous beginnings of the fascist dictatorship, the students' courageous creation and distribution of pamphlets opposing the Nazi regime, and their chilling arrest by the Gestapo. Barber maintains the high stakes and strong characterizations in Wilson's narrative. The afterword provides context that may inspire listeners to learn more about the history of the White Rose. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

APRIL 2021 - AudioFile

Narrator Nicola Barber's youthful timbre and determined tone are well matched to the character of Sophie Scholl, whose heavily researched story is written in verse. Wilson recounts the true story of a student-led resistance movement in WWII Germany. Blending somber reflection and impassioned urgency, Barber transports listeners back and forth in time through the war and its aftermath. Listeners hear the ominous beginnings of the fascist dictatorship, the students' courageous creation and distribution of pamphlets opposing the Nazi regime, and their chilling arrest by the Gestapo. Barber maintains the high stakes and strong characterizations in Wilson's narrative. The afterword provides context that may inspire listeners to learn more about the history of the White Rose. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

APRIL 2021 - AudioFile

★ 2019-01-08

Sophie Scholl was a young German student who wanted to see the end of Hitler and the Nazi regime. She gave her life for that cause.

As children, Sophie and her brother Hans were enthusiastic members of Hitler Youth organizations. But as the Nazis' chokehold increased and the roundups and arrests of dissenters and Jews escalated, they became determined to resist. After conscription into the National Labor Service, Hans, Sophie, and trusted university friends formed the secret White Rose resistance group. Hans began to compose treasonable leaflets, promoting an uprising against Hitler. Sophie helped get the leaflets out to influential people as well as to other university students. Their work attracted the attention of Nazi sympathizers, who informed the Gestapo of suspicious activities—and they were ultimately caught by a university custodian. Intensive interrogation and imprisonment, followed by a sham trial led by a fanatical judge, led to the sentence of death by guillotine. Organized in repeated sections that move forward and backward in time, readers hear Sophie's thoughts in brief, pointed, free-verse poems in direct, compelling language. Other poems give voice to individuals such as her boyfriend, Fritz, who served in the German army, and the Gestapo interrogator, adding to readers' understanding of the inevitability of the outcome and the tragic futility of their sacrifice.

Real events made deeply personal in an intense, bone-chilling reading experience. (dramatis personae, glossary, author's note, sources) (Verse historical fiction. 12-adult)

Kirkus Reviews