The Boys Who Challenged Hitler
June 28, 2026
by Phillip Hoose
If you like stories about real people who refused to back down, this one is worth checking out.
This book tells the true story of Knud Pedersen, a Danish teenager who, along with a small group of friends, decided they couldn’t just sit and watch when Nazi Germany occupied Denmark during WWII. While most adults around them felt powerless, these teens secretly formed the Churchill Club, one of the earliest resistance groups in Europe.
They started small – stealing signs, cutting phone wires, sabotaging vehicles, but their actions inspired others across Denmark to fight back. They were brave, reckless, and sometimes in way over their heads, but they changed the course of their country’s resistance movement.
It’s fast‑paced, full of real photos and interviews, and shows how much impact a handful of determined teens can have, even in the middle of a world war.
Perfect for anyone interested in WWII, resistance movements, or stories where young people take the lead.
This book tells the true story of Knud Pedersen, a Danish teenager who, along with a small group of friends, decided they couldn’t just sit and watch when Nazi Germany occupied Denmark during WWII.
