Awards

• Winner of Society of Illustrators' Annual Exhibition - Gold Medal 2018 (United States)
• Winner of Society of Illustrators’ Annual Exhibition - Gold Medal 2018 (United States)

Overview

The Faithful Spy is the dramatic true story of German pastor and Nazi resister Dietrich Bonhoeffer come to life in this award-winning graphic novel from John Hendrix. “Intertwines two stories: the insidious rise of Hitler with his creed of hatred and Bonhoeffer’s development as an ethical thinker who believed that radical action was necessary, but that killing was a sin.” —New York Times Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party is gaining strength and becoming more menacing every day. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor upset by the complacency of the German church toward the suffering around it, forms a breakaway church to speak out against the established political and religious authorities. When the Nazis outlaw the church, he escapes as a fugitive. Struggling to reconcile his faith and the teachings of the Bible with the Nazi Party’s evil agenda, Bonhoeffer decides that Hitler must be stopped by any means possible! Young readers will be thrilled by the near-miss attempts to kill Hitler. The plots involve deception, gut-wrenching timing, and concealed explosives: a bomb in a gift package, a rigged docent conducting a tour of captured weaponry, and an explosive briefcase snuck into the heart of Hitler’s fortress. But Hendrix makes the bold and surprising decision to tell it as a tale of faith. It makes this book unique, one as much about morality as it is about the attempted murder of one of history’s most heinous leaders.

Full Product Details

9781419728389

Table of Contents

Reviews

Few historical works for children will proffer the idea that all German Christians during WWII weren't dyed-in-the-wool Nazis. In an era when nationalism is on the rise in countries across the globe, it is a great good to teach kids about a time when blind and displaced loyalty to a country led to unspeakable evil. Hendrix doesn't have to spell out the parallels to the times in which we live. Have faith in the kids. They're going to be able to get there on their own. The author is just laying the facts out before them. He trusts their intelligence. We, the adults, would be wise to do the same. --School and Library Journal's Fuse 8 **STARRED REVIEW** Striking . . . challenging and complex. --Kirkus Reviews **STARRED REVIEW** Biographies of key figures from WWII are plentiful in kids books, but Hendrix's captivating account of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a standout . . . The combination of Hendrix's sharp, concise words and evocative artwork gives readers a strong sense of historical context, the enormity of the perilous actions undertaken by Bonhoeffer and other resistance fighters, and the revolutionary nature of his theology of action and civil disobedience. A poignant, compellingly presented, and timely account of a brave individual who lived his life with true conviction. --Booklist The Faithful Spy should be required reading in high school classrooms around the nation. One of the best and most original graphic novels of 2018, readers of all ages will be captivated by its exploration of just how extraordinarily brave one pastor must have been to stand up to the Third Reich! A true story of how one pastor reconciled his faith and his courage to topple the very heart of the Nazi regime, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life and death stands as a testament that good does indeed triumph over evil. --Katie Monnin, Director of Education at Pop Culture Classroom Pop Culture Classroom

Few historical works for children will proffer the idea that all German Christians during WWII weren't dyed-in-the-wool Nazis. In an era when nationalism is on the rise in countries across the globe, it is a great good to teach kids about a time when blind and displaced loyalty to a country led to unspeakable evil. Hendrix doesn't have to spell out the parallels to the times in which we live. Have faith in the kids. They're going to be able to get there on their own. The author is just laying the facts out before them. He trusts their intelligence. We, the adults, would be wise to do the same. --School and Library Journal's Fuse 8 The Faithful Spy should be required reading in high school classrooms around the nation. One of the best and most original graphic novels of 2018, readers of all ages will be captivated by its exploration of just how extraordinarily brave one pastor must have been to stand up to the Third Reich! A true story of how one pastor reconciled his faith and his courage to topple the very heart of the Nazi regime, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life and death stands as a testament that good does indeed triumph over evil. --Katie Monnin, Director of Education at Pop Culture Classroom Pop Culture Classroom

The Faithful Spy should be required reading in high school classrooms around the nation. One of the best and most original graphic novels of 2018, readers of all ages will be captivated by its exploration of just how extraordinarily brave one pastor must have been to stand up to the Third Reich! A true story of how one pastor reconciled his faith and his courage to topple the very heart of the Nazi regime, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life and death stands as a testament that good does indeed triumph over evil. --Katie Monnin, Director of Education at Pop Culture Classroom Pop Culture Classroom

Author Information

John Hendrix is the illustrator of Nurse, Soldier, Spy and author/illustrator of Shooting at the Stars, among others. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

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