Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

Man, I have fallen behind on updating my reviews! I read Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow because a great teacher friend had it and loaned it to me. I was preparing to teach All the Light We Cannot See to my Senior English classes, and I had read an article about Hitler Youth, so when my friend and I were talking, she loaned me the book.
Anyway, the book was great. Written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, it tells the rise and fall of the Hitler Youth organization. Bartoletti starts the book telling the story of one of the Hitler Youth who was killed by a communist gang for being a member of the Hitler Youth, and she moves on to tell the various stories of different members of the group. Included in the stories are girls and boys of all ages who were members of the Hitler Youth. A few remained faithful to the group until the end of World War II while some saw through the organization's promises and purposes and joined resistance groups. The White Rose organization and the story of the group is in the book, and I was actually shocked that their executions didn't deter people away from Hitler Youth, but rather helped strengthen the resolve of the Hitler Youth to support Hitler and his cause.
Overall, I enjoyed the book immensely, and I feel that Bartoletti did a great job of sharing both sides of the story. Quality nonfiction for young adults is not always easy to find, but this is a genre that I feel is on the rise. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow is a title that I recommend for history lovers who want to see both sides of a group who isn't discussed as often as they should be.