Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Teacher Who Became a Spy

Title: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Teacher Who Became a Spy
Author: Molly Frye Wilmington
Series: Here I Am! biography series
Major Themes: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Germany, Hitler, Spies, Codes, Picture Book Biography
Synopsis: Beautiful pictures and a secret code tell the story of a man who helped to fight Hitler and the Nazis.

As you know if you have read very many of my reviews, I really like picture book biographies. Esther, my daughter who runs this site, noticed Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Teacher Who Became a Spy on a site from which we get a lot of our review books, and told me about it in case I would like to read it. While I have conflicting feelings about Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s actions, I think it is important for our children to know about famous people in history and what they did, so I requested this book and, when I got it, read it to my children for our history class one morning.

The children’s attention was immediately focused on the book when, on the first page, we were told that there is a secret code in the book! Their eyes remained focused on each page as we read. They were delighted to crack the code and find the secret message.

The story is narrated by Shep the Sheepdog, who compares Dietrich to a sheepdog who followed the best shepherd, Jesus. Not much of Dietrich’s early life is shown; this book describes his life and actions during the time when Hitler was in power in Germany. Dietrich worked as a spy against the Nazis, both while he was free and after he was imprisoned by them. He felt that this was the best way he could love his fellow men.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Teacher Who Became a Spy is illustrated with beautiful pictures. This book is a great introduction to this famous man for children. I still don’t approve of the way Dietrich worked against the Nazi regime, because I don’t believe it is right to lie, but I can see why he did what he did. Children who like stories about spies, or secret codes, will enjoy this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

WARNING: As mentioned in the review.

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Bonhoeffer Student Edition Rescue and Redeem Dietrich Bonhoeffer: In the Midst of Wickedness The Watchmaker’s Daughter: Corrie Ten Boom