Soldier Boys

Rating:
Summary: Interesting look at both sides of the story
Review: Spencer Morgan is just sixteen when he convinces his father to sign his induction papers so he can fight in World War II. He wants to be a paratrooper, the toughest soldiers in the world, to prove to his family and all of Brigham City, Utah, that he can amount to something. Of course, he would also like to impress LuAnn Crowther, the girl he has a crush on even though she doesn't think about him as anything more than as a friend.
Dieter Hedrick is a member of the Hitler Youth movement. He has met and been praised by the Fûhrer himself. He wants to make it to the front lines and defend his country's honor.
Both boys get their wishes when they end up in the Battle of the Bulge.A realistic story that looks at the feelings of soldiers on both sides of the conflict. This would be a good book to read together as a family and then discuss the feelings of patriotism, honor, and duty to country.

Rating:
Summary: Soldier Boys
Review: The book I read called Soldier Boys, is written by Dean Hughes. The main characters in this book are 16 year old Spencer Morgan and 15 year old Dieter Hedrick. Spencer, a high school student in Utah, drops out to enter training as a paratrooper. While Dieter is apart of the Hitler Youth, he gets promoted to the German army. Although living with completely different beliefs, both young boys enter the war for the same reason, to prove themselves. Although, they never thought about death until they face danger in the face. All the boys thought about was flashing thier medals after the war. When they go into battle, they relaize they have made a terrible mistake, and that the most important thing is to survive.Both go through grueling weather and unbeaarable pain. The story takes place in the 1940's during World War 2. During the book Spencer and Dieter fight battles in many parts of Germany.I believe the theme of Soldier Boys is that things may not always turn out the way you suspected, and you should just be able to accept it. Another thing I think it's trying to state is that you should be thankful for what you have and not take it for granted. I loved every page of the book, and I recommend it to everyone. Soldier Boys is full of tragic and heart warming moments. Every page makes you feel like you are in the story and will leave you in tears.

Rating:
Summary: Soldier boys book review- really good!
Review: This book is about Spencer Morgan and Dieter Hedrick. Spencer a 16 years old American boy when his brother is sent off into WW2. He wants to join the army and become a paratrooper to prove that he can do something with his life. He also likes this girl named LuAnn. He wants to prove to her that he can do something really good for himself and the country so he would like him. She, of course, just wants to be friends. Dieter Hedrick is part of an origination called the Hitler Youth. He helps build trenches and will someday be sent off to fight in the war. He is so proud of what Hitler is doing for his country. He has a lot of pride in his fatherland. He wants to be a part of the action and help fight in the war. How will this affect him as he sees what war is really like? These are both young boys, fighting for the same thing. To prove they are something more than just boys, to honor themselves and their countries, to do what is right for themselves. This book was awesome! I can't explain how much it kept me reading, page after page, filled with tons of knowledge and reality of what war was like. This is an awesome book telling about two boys that are out to prove themselves and serve their country. I would defiantly recommend this book to people who like WWII books. This was defiantly one of my favorite books.

Rating:
Summary: Great Review for a high school class!!!
Review: This books setting is in the World War II time period. It is about two teenage boys that don't understand the hard work and dedication that it takes to become a soldier. Spencer Morgan is a sixteen year old boy from Brigham City, Utah. Dieter Hedrick is a fifteen year old boy from Germany. Although these boys are from total different countries they still have a few things in common.
Spence's Brother had been fighting in the War with the "Japs". Spence really thinks that he owes it to himself, his family, and his country to go and fight for his nation. He is also trying to impress a high school crush, LuAnn, who isn't even interested in him. Spence's parents won't allow for him to go to War and they refuse to sign his papers but Spence will not give up until he is fighting in Germany. Finally Spence takes a final stand and drops out of school to show his parents that he is serious about going to War. Everyone has warned him about how devastating War is but he doesn't care and he certainly will not show any signs of fear. When he turns seventeen his dad finally signs his papers and sends him off to the Army. He signs up to be a "Paratrooper," the toughest soldier that you can be in the Army. While in the Army Spence realizes that it was much harder than he had expected but he somehow survives and completes his training.
Dieter is a 15 year old German boy. His whole life he has been taught to have a lot of patriotism to his country. As a young boy he joins a group called "Hitlers Youth," which trains young men to become soldiers and teaches them about how bad the Americans are. His whole life he has known that he would be a Soldier and all he has ever been taught is to hate the Americans. When the War comes up he is really excited to go to war, but he will later see how "exciting" war actually is.
Both of these boys grew up thinking that War was a very glamourous thing and they wanted to be part of the fame. They both dreamt of being soldiers and having a really good time in war but they are both in for a very rude awakening. When they complete their training, they get sent to war. This is when they find out that war is not what it is made out to be. Both of them, being young, just want to crawl into a corner and hide until the war is over but their pride and patriotism won't allow them to do so. They continue to fight honor until Dieter is wounded and starts screaming for his life. Spence hears the cries of a boy his age and goes to help him. He doesn't care if he is German or American but he realizes that noone deserves to die that young. When he is running over to help Dieter he is shot and killed. Dieter feels very bad and he realizes that maybe Americans do have feelings. He realized that war is definitely not what it is made out to be.
This book helped me to learn a lot about the worse points of the war. Some people make war seem like a good thing in some ways. I learned that war is never good and there is no positive outcome of war, it doesn't matter if you win or lose the war you will still come out as a loser in a sense. I think that this book was trying to teach me a lesson that things aren't what they are made out to be. I can't even come close to imagining how Spence and Dieter felt but I thought of one example that has given me a really small taste of what they went through. Have you ever wanted something really bad for Christmas and you keep on begging your parents for it and they keep telling you no? Then finally one year you get it and you aren't even happy and the present isn't very good? Well I have felt that before and I really hated it. Spence and Dieter felt that emptiness but in a much more dramatic way.

Rating:
Summary: Soldier Boys
Review: This was a great book.It really brought out what war is really about.A lot of philosophy was also thrown in.Completely action packed.Only part i didnt completely agree with was the end,but i wont give away the ending to you people out there who haven't read this book yet.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely awesome book!
Review: When I first read that book, I just freaked out, in good way. It's is just great publishing of a paper. I cried and took it in deep in my heart. I'm really interested in WW2, so I loved it. I really think everyone should read this!