Flowers in the Gutter: The True Story of The Teenagers Who Resisted the Nazis follows three teens in their fight against evil. The debut work of author K. R. Gaddy, this fascinating nonfiction includes lots of photographs, memos, and newspaper articles from the time period. Gaddy provides a cache of well-researched information about this little-known resistance group. Mucki, Jean, and Fritz — the three interviewed for the book –have riveting and inspiring experiences. Each of the seven parts of the book feature a summary of what was happening in Germany to provide adequate context. A multitude of people are mentioned throughout these pages and Gaddy tries to make things less confusing by including a ‘Persons of Interest’ list of names. Flowers in the Gutter provides readers with an in-depth look at youth resistance during World War II and shows just how brave teenagers can be.
Review of an Advance Reading Copy
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Dutton
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 1 religious exclamation; 1 mild obscenity; 1 religious profanity; 5 derogatory names; 16 scatological words; 4 anatomical terms; 1 F-word derivative.
Violence/Gore: Several implied occurrences of violence include seeing swollen, bruised faces and other signs of torture on bodies. Multiple verbal threats are made by the Nazis, as well as threatening song lyrics are sung. Frequent second hand reports of violence occur including bombings, attempted bombings and injuries from bombings, a shoot-out with the Nazis, armed clashes and street fights, attempted escape where captive is killed, recall seeing Jewish and other political prisoners and civilians beaten and murdered for their beliefs, reports from concentration and forced labor camps, reports of sabotage, torture and hangings. An incident of non-life-threatening injuries during a street clash; frequent brief incidents of violence involving beatings, whippings, kicking, hitting and punching of teenagers by the Gestapo and Hitler Youth, as well as smashing heads into walls. There are several incidents of destruction of property by the Nazis and by bombings. Report of human skin being used for a lampshade. A few non-detailed scenes of violent death include a Nazi shot while riding a bicycle and bombings. A brief detail of blood and gore, including a black and white photograph of a blood-stained bed is included in the book. A few brief incidents of intense violence include hangings, detailed torture and the physical outcomes during interrogations; as well as mangled bodies in the street and being loaded onto a truck. An extended scene (more than a page) includes details of intense violence during a public hanging.
Sex/Nudity: An incident of kissing; prisoners are made to remove their clothes during a brief incident of non-sexual depiction of nudity; a brief incident of seeing two people touching each other in areas normally covered by a bathing suit; teen girls have a mature discussion regarding sex.
Mature Subject Matter:
World War II, death of family members and friends, interrogations, sabotage including destruction of property and distributing anti-war fliers, Nazis, Hitler Youth, Kristallnacht, bombings, round-up and arrests, POWs, concentration camps, forced labor camps, Communism, Socialism, diseases including typhoid fever and lice, stealing, propaganda, pranks, anti-Jewish songs, black market, jail break, assassination attempt on Hitler’s life, reports of suicide and thoughts of suicide, fleeing home, army draft, orphanage, mention of homosexuality, puberty and periods, stereotypes of Native Americans.
Photographs are included in this book that show people about to be hanged and bloody bedspreads.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
A scene takes place in a bar; people drink beer, including one scene where people drink from a keg at a party.
