This companion novel to Skrypuch's Making Bombs for Hitler follows a boy who joins the underground Ukrainian resistance in the fight against Hitler.
The Nazis took Luka from his home in Ukraine and forced him into a labor camp. Now, Luka has smuggled himself out - even though he left behind his dearest friend, Lida. Someday, he vows, he'll find her again.
But first, he must survive.
Racing through the woods and mountains, Luka evades capture by both Nazis and Soviet agents. Though he finds some allies, he never knows who to trust. As Luka makes difficult choices in order to survive, desperate rescues and guerilla raids put him in the line of fire. Can he persevere long enough to find Lida again or make it back home where his father must be waiting for him?
Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch delivers another action-packed story, inspired by true events, of daring quests and the crucial decisions we make in the face of war.
MARSHA FORCHUK SKRYPUCH is a Ukrainian Canadian author acclaimed for her nonfiction and historical fiction, including Making Bombs for Hitler (Faire des bombes pour Hitler), The War Below (Soldat clandestin), Stolen Child (Enfant volee, et), and Don't Tell the Enemy (Ne dis rien a l'ennemi). Marsha lives in Brantford, Ontario, and you can visit her online at www.calla.com.
.Praise for The War Below:
"The subject matter is powerful and grows occasionally quite intense. A page-turning window into a complex piece of World War II history." -- Kirkus Reviews
"In this compelling work of historical ficition . . . [t]he youthful innocence of Luka's narration, despite the numerous atrocities, losses, and betrayals he experiences, underscores the inherent risks of choosing trust and hope. This story, full of numerous acts of compassion and valor, sheds welcome light on a less familiar battleground of World War II." -- Publisher's Weekly