Time for Courage
The Ingelse family lives on a farm outside Utrecht in the Netherlands—an ideal base for their Dutch Resistance operations. It is 1944, and the Nazis occupy the region, determined to hunt down every last Jewish child in hiding. Thirteen-year-old Dirk Ingelse knows the network of streets and canals by heart, skillfully avoiding soldiers and danger as he delivers precious food ration cards to starving orphans on his tireless bicycle, outfitted with a special cargo case.
With their father frequently away on secret missions he refuses to explain until the war is over, Dirk’s older sister is left in charge. Dirk, meanwhile, bears the primary responsibility for his younger sister, Anna. At this late stage of the war, trust is scarce. Tensions run high, starvation is widespread, and many Dutch citizens are too frightened or desperate to help the Resistance or persecuted Jews.
Rob Currie tells a riveting story filled with well-crafted villains, short chapters, and a steady stream of twists and turns that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages. His deep knowledge of the time period and setting shines through vivid, detailed descriptions. Lesser-known true stories are skillfully woven into the narrative, giving Time for Courage a strong sense of authenticity and originality that will resonate with children ages 8-12.
