In Defiance of Hitler

September 1, 2008
Gr 6 Up-Fry was a young American journalist working in pre-World War II Germany when he witnessed an anti-Semitic uprising led by storm troopers, and he was inspired, over 13 months of espionage and clandestine efforts during the war, to save people from impending annihilation. Back in New York City and following the French-German armistice in 1940 that provided Germany control over France, he realized that numerous renowned artists, writers, and scientists, both Jews and non-Jews, would be trapped under the Vichy government. Fry joined the newly formed Emergency Rescue Committee and volunteered to lead an escape mission for as many of these refugees as possible. His work began as a one-man operation in Marseilles and quickly grew to a fully staffed unit posing as a refugee center. Fry not only helped the famous and talented, but also many ordinary Jews to escape France through Spain and Portugal and then to ports beyond. McClafferty describes an exciting if not daring and altruistic episode in this righteous gentile's life. Numerous black-and-white photographs of the period and individuals who worked closely with Fry augment the readable and well-documented text. This is an intriguing look at how life completely changed for so many and how ingenuity and daring used by a few outwitted the enemy and saved lives."Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 1, 2008
Rescue stories bring hope to the Holocaust darkness, and this stirring account ofa young New York City journalist who secretly helped more than 2,000 refugees escape Nazi-occupied France blends exciting adventure with the grim history. Before the U.S. entered the war, Fry, 32, spent a year in Marseilles, using hisrelief organization as a cover for a hidden rescue operation which savedwell-known artists, politicians, and scientists, including Marc Chagall and Heinrich Mann. In fact, part of thestory is howFry chose the few to save from all the desperate who lined up at his office. Along with the suspense of police raids and the grippingparticulars about the brave rescuers on Frys teamcomes the knowledge thatvictims faced with extermination were not welcome in the U.S. The author begins with a brief overview of Hitlers rise and the threat to the Jews, and then draws heavily on Frys autobiography and his letters home, which detail his increasing stress. Some readers will skip the details, but many will want all the amazinginformation about the unassuming hero who saved so many. Photos are scattered throughout, andsource notes andbibliography are appended.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2009
American journalist Varian Fry witnessed first-hand Nazi Germany's atrocities against the Jews. As a volunteer for the Emergency Rescue Committee, Fry risked his own life to save thousands of Jewish refugees. A thoughtful, well-researched text and black-and-white photographs celebrate Fry's selfless acts of compassion and courage. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)