Bjorn's Gift — Sandy Brehl

BJORN'S GIFT is a sequel to ODIN'S PROMISE, winner of the 2014 Midwest Book Award for Children's Fiction. Set in Norway during World War II, BJORN'S GIFT continues the exciting adventures of Mari, the young Norwegian girl who faces growing hardships and dangers in her small village in a western fjord. German occupation troops and local Nazi supporters move closer to her family's daily life, and her classmate Leif becomes active in the Norwegian Nazi youth party. Mari struggles to live up to her brother Bjorn's faith in her, as she becomes more involved in risky resistance activities, trusting only her family and a few close friends. Across Norway, oppressive laws are imposed in the months from late 1941 to early 1943, with dire local consequences. Still, difficult decisions force Mari to admit that many things in life are not easily sorted into good or bad, and she begins to wonder if Hitler will ever be defeated and whether the occupation of Norway will ever end. Praise for ODIN'S PROMISE: "Readers will cheer for Mari as she discovers her inner strength - and the courage to help celebrate Norway's spirit of resistance." -Kathleen Ernst, author of the Caroline Abbott series from American Girl. "A seldom-seen slice of daily life during WWII...." - ALA Booklist. Author Sandy Brehl is a teacher and an active member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. She lives in Muskego, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee.