Perilous Days (Brave Hearts)

By: Kathryn Griffin Swegart

Narrated by: Ben Stanton

The dreaded day had finally come. World War II raged throughout Europe. A Nazi soldier knocks on the door of a farmhouse where Felix Culpa Schmidt lives with his family, including his brother, Willy, who has Down Syndrome. Felix becomes an unwilling soldier in the German army, forced to serve Adolph Hitler, a man who plans to kill thousands of "useless eaters" - citizens who are disabled or elderly - citizens like his brother Willy.

The quiet life of this peaceful Catholic family is thrown into turmoil. Felix and his loyal dog join with a mysterious soldier who reveals shocking secrets. Here begins an unforgettable adventure of faith and courage. For ages 10 and up.

©2018 Kathryn Griffin Swegart (P)2019 Kathryn Griffin Swegart

Wonderful, exciting read for adults and young

I bought this for my 11 and 9 year old, but I was totally sucked into the story myself. My 7 and 5 year old ended up sitting and listening to it too when they heard the rest of us listening. Our whole family ended up sitting around mesmerized! We loved the historical context, the fact that it was based off of Geroen Goldmann's story and weaves the faith in such a beautiful way.

Strong Religious Overtones, Fascinating History

This book starts a little slow, focusing on a boy's spiritual crisis at the beginning of World War II. Once he enters the war and becomes involved in the historical Nazi Catholic underground, things heat up. Throughout, my favorite characterization was that of the boy's endearing, intrepid war dog.
Narration was solid.