A Way Through the Sea

I highly recommend A Way Through the Sea, not just for "young" readers, but for all of you. It is a fascinating novel based on the history of how Sweden rescued hundreds, no thousands of Danish Jews during World War II. I also wondered how Sweden didn't come under Nazi rule and found that they and Finland, declared themselves "neutral" - I'm sure I don't understand what all that involves, but it's beautiful to read how so many Swedes cared enough for their Danish neighbors to risk their lives, some of them even giving their lives, to rescue so many.

Taken from Wikipedia: In 1943, Sweden received nearly all of Denmark's 8,000 Jews. With the dissolution of the Danish government in the summer of 1943, the German authorities had decided to deport the Danish Jewish population to concentration camps. However, the Danes successfully transported all but 450 of the Jews to Sweden in an unprecedented rescue effort. There, they were granted asylum, and taken in by Swedes. Many stayed in Sweden after the war. Sweden also received refugees from Finland and Norway, including some of Norway's Jews who were able to escape. This, as well as the protection of Sweden's own Jewish population, was made possible due to Sweden's neutrality. During the war Sweden aided and saved more Jews than any other country.

I love reading this kind of history!