"Soldier Boys" by Dean Hughes tells the story of two boys, one American and one German, whose lives intertwine during World War II. Rick, an eager American teenager, dreams of joining the fight against the Axis powers, while his friend Karl faces the harsh realities of a Germany at war, grappling with loyalty and duty. As they navigate the challenges of war, both boys experience loss, fear, and the complexities of growing up in a tumultuous time. The narrative explores themes of friendship, courage, and the moral dilemmas faced by soldiers on both sides of the conflict. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].

This book is the winner of numerous awards

This book has been graded for interest at 12-17 years.

There are 240 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2015 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers .