I learned about the Holocaust in middle school, but I sure wish this book had been around then because the powerful story has stuck in my mind far longer than the details I learned in my social studies textbook. The story of Lida, a young Ukrainian girl separated from her family and forced into a labor camp, will draw you in from the first page. At times it will feel like you are right there with her. It will be a welcome reprieve from tragedy when you get to set the book down, knowing that many people who lived through this tumultuous time did not have that luxury. An important read for young and old. ( )

A well done exploration of the life of a child slave laborer in the latter half of World War II. I don't normally read this genre (I get that the Nazis were despicable, and don't enjoy messing with my emotions), but was intrigued by the idea of tampering with the Nazi bombs. This turned out to be a very minor part of the book though. I appreciated that the author portrayed a realistic account of the horrors of being a Nazi prisoner, but didn't go over the top either. There were times where a sentence or two would communicate everything it needed to, and if you managed to miss that you could move on. For example, if I tracked the time correctly, I think the majority of 1944 was spent as a prisoner in worse than the labor camp. But very little page time was given to it. I also appreciated that it gave a (though necessarily much abbreviated) conclusion over a few months and then suddenly years as a refugee before neatly wrapping up. The post-Allied-arrival period is not a period I normally hear about.

I'm going to disagree with a few tags and reviews. This isn't a book about the Holocaust. There is a Jewish character, but she keeps that identity hidden. There are various types of prisoners for various reasons, but it's not because they're Jews. This isn't a concentration camp. It's a work camp. They're here to be useful and forcibly help the Nazi war effort. I appreciated this. The concentration camp story has been well told. But the plight of Ukrainian children being traumatized both by the Soviets and then the Nazis and then again by the Soviets (there's a late plot about whether it's safe to go home to Ukraine or not) is a less told tale. ( )

A solid and fast paced WWII book, focusing on the plight of Ukrainians who were captured by the Nazis and enslaved in work camps. Appealing for historical detail and engaging characters. I sometimes felt as if Lida was a little too generous and unselfish, but I can also see the joy that generosity gave her and how her kindness to others was a form of empowerment. ( )

The Book “Making Bombs for Hitler” by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch was published in 2017. “Making Bombs for Hitler” is about a young girl named Lida, who was taken away from her grandmother along with her younger sister, Larissa, who is then also taken away from Lida, Lida then promises to find Larissa quickly but instead gets taken to a concentration camp where she has to earn her living by using her very precise hands to sew and earn the respect of the guards, then when Lida is recognized for her precise and delicate hands she is promoted to making bombs for the Germans, Lida and some of her friends try to sabotage a bomb, but end up blowing up the concentration camp. By the end of the book, Lida doesn’t get back with her sister. In my humble opinion, this book is great for people who are not independent or don’t know how to take care of themselves, after Lida is taken to the concentration camp she is forced to socialize with the kids already there and to get food and shelter the best way she can, to do this Lida wasn’t afraid of lying about her age to get the shelter and food she needed since the kids that didn’t answer their age truthfully would get shot, Lida also thought about the consequences of telling the truth and telling a lie, and determined which outweighed the other which showed she was capable of taking decisions herself without the help of an adult.

If I had to give a rating to this book, I would give it five stars. ( )

Making Bombs for Hitler is my favorite Holocaust book. Lida has a younger sister and her mother was shot by the Nazi’s for hiding a Jew. Lida was taken from her grandmother's house to a concentration camp. There, Lida worked with a needle and thread. Then, a group of girls was taken to make bombs. There, she fills and helped the other girls there. Lida finds her sister, and they escape.

Opinion:
I love this time in history. I loved how they showed me what life was really like in a camp. Lida showed me how easy it was to enjoy little things in dark times. I love stories that show how hard it was to reunite with your family. Lida is my favorite character because there is not really a lot of characters in this book that's one of my favorite kind of books. I don’t understand why the author didn’t give a little back story. This is my favorite history book. ( )

This book is about a girl named Lida. She was forced to make bombs for Hitler during world war 2. Lida was separated from her family. They realize she is a smart young girl and the military starts watching her closely. Lida does find a companion through this difficult time that helps her.

Great book used to teach history through the lens of fiction. This novel is meant to teach young readers the reality of World War II and the anxiety and horror that victims went through. ( )

A great read for late-elementary students interested in learning about different perspectives during WWII. This is one of many about the topic, but I haven't heard of another from this perspective of a Ukrainian during Hitler's Nazi Germany. The vivid descriptions used throughout the novel make it seem as though it is written by a survivor of the slave camps. The cruelty in which she endures doesn't change who she is as a person and she doesn't give up looking for her sister. She finds ways to sabotage the Nazi soldiers who watch over her as she is forced to build bombs for her enemy. Shocking scenarios throughout the story and a great read in the genre of historical fiction. I would almost believe it to be nonfiction. Highly recommend! ( )

An excellent book. I read it with my eleven year old son (alternating pages). My son loves history and thought this was one of the best books he has ever read. The protagonist being a girl was fine with him as the story was not a "girl" story. It had plenty of bombs and historical references in the setting details for him and brought him into the story because he was reading about a child his own age. For me, I loved the story as an adult. Historical fiction is one of my favorite and although this is a children's story, I found it very engaging. I was also surprised to learn so many details about the WWII. Only after reading the book, I read the author's notes that explained these "slaves of Hitler" were not known to the world until the 1990s (after I had finished most of my education). ( )

The book "Making Bomb for Hitler" it's about a girl named Lida who is about to turn nine years old but was captured to go to a concentration camp with her little sister, Larissa. Sadly, in the book her mother and father were killed. Her mother was killed because she got caught trying to hide their neighbors, and shot by the Natzis when caught. her father was killed by the soviets. During the book, Lida was separated by Larissa, this worried her a lot through out the book because she wasn't sure she was okay or even alive. Another thing is, since Lida is just turning nine, she lookes very young compared to other workers, therefore this worried her because the solders might think she is not capable of working and they could just kill her because she would be useless to them. But fortunately she got the job for laundry, lucky she was warm and clean. But over time she was moved to "Making Bombs for Hitler". Then on it talks about her story and how she tries to find hope that on day she would reunite with her sister.
I like this book because it based on World War Two, and I happen to enjoy reading about Wold War Two. I also like this book because its very inspirational a way, because of her having faith that her and her sister will meat again. The reasons why I dislike this book on a level is because, it's very sad and tragic, like the unbearable things Lina and Larissa have to face on there journey do surviving World War Two and the concentration camp they were taken to, almost making me want to cry. I also dislike this book because it got a little confusing along the way. But over all I would recommend this book to someone who likes reading or hearing about World War Two. ( )

Good juvenile fiction for World War II. ( )

Lida is Ukrainian, not Jewish, but the Nazis captured them too, and used them as slave labor. As long as one was useful, one could (barley) live. As soon as one ceased to be useful, one was killed.
This book is told in the familiar format of so many young adult novels... in first person, told by a young girl. The subject matter is grim and pretty realistic. (She does point out a couple of times that as bad as the slave children from the Ukraine have it, the Jews had it even worse.) But it is unusual in that Jews really are not a part of this Holocaust tale.
Excellent.

(Note: the cover of my edition is not appropriate. It is clever, with a young girl sanding amidst an array of bombs, in an open space shaped like a swastika. But the girl in the picture is older than Lida, is clean, which Lida rarely was, and has long combed hair, and Lida's hair was shaved to keep away lice, and was, again, rarely clean.) ( )

This story takes place during World War II. In the story, the main character Lida, is taken from her home in the Ukraine and sent to Germany in a cattle car to become a slave worker for the Nazis. She finally arrives at the workers camp and realizes that she has arrived on her 10th birthday, March 14, 1943, two years before the war would end in September of 1945. The novel shows how Lida struggles and triumphs in her new surroundings. She is brave, selfless, and caring of others. Lida's goal is to survive the slave camp until the war is over, so that she can later find her sister, the only person left alive from her family.

This book explores the lesser known stories of Ukrainian children during World War 2. These children were considered valuable to the Nazi's and were placed in work camps. They were force to build bombs. Lida the main character creates a movement to sabotage the bombs the are making. This was something that frequently occurred and is not always talked about. Lida is courageous and inspiring. The story is listed for 8-12 year old, the reading level seems appropriate however it is an intense book. This cold be frightening to readers unfamiliar with the subject matter.

Critique of Genre- Historical Fiction ( )

Goodreads summary, 24th October 2015 :In this companion book to the award-winning Stolen Child, a young girl is forced into slave labour in a munitions factory in Nazi Germany.

In Stolen Child, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch introduced readers to Larissa, a victim of Hitler’s largely unknown Lebensborn program. In this companion novel, readers will learn the fate of Lida, her sister, who was also kidnapped by the Germans and forced into slave labour — an Osterbeiter.

In addition to her other tasks, Lida's small hands make her the perfect candidate to handle delicate munitions work, so she is sent to a factory that makes bombs. The gruelling work and conditions leave her severely malnourished and emotionally traumatized, but overriding all of this is her concern and determination to find out what happened to her vulnerable younger sister.

With rumours of the Allies turning the tide in the war, Lida and her friends conspire to sabotage the bombs to help block the Nazis’ war effort. When her work camp is finally liberated, she is able to begin her search to learn the fate of her sister.

In this exceptional novel Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch delivers a powerful story of hope and courage in the face of incredible odds.

My input: Awesome companion novel to Stolen Child, I read this straight after! When the Americans liberated Lida from the basement where she had been making munitions, I was so caught up in the story that I openly wept. That is how powerful this novel is, in fact, I would say that it is better than Stolen Child in that you have so much more empathy for the main character and the other children she meets and loses along the way. So engrossing that I read this in one sitting and I believe anyone who finishes this will suddenly realise how lucky they are and fortunate not to be in poor Lida's position. Truly inspiring and moving - a tale that must be told so that it never happens again. ( )

Awesome book my name is in it!!!(Natalia) ( )

This is a heartbreaking story that takes place during World War II when the Germans invade Russia, stealing the children and forcing them into labour camps. Lida and her little sister Larissa are separated, but despite the hardships she endures, Lida never gives up hope of finding Larissa someday. Larissa, who has a talent for sewing and needlework, is first placed to work in the camp laundry where she must mend the linens and uniforms of the camp officers. Unfortunately she is eventually sent to work in the factory making bombs for the Nazis. Along the way Lida makes friends with some of the other prisoners, including Luka. She also loses many of these friends to the cruelties of the Nazis. I highly recommend this book, An insight into the Nazi labour camps from a child's point of view. ( )

This book tells the story of Lida, a fictional young Ukranian girl, who is captured by the Nazis to be used for slave labor shortly before her ninth birthday. Lida's father was killed by the Soviets, and her mother was shot by the Nazis for attempting to hide their Jewish neighbors. After that, Lida and her beloved younger sister, Larissa, went to live with their grandmother, where they were captured by the Nazis. The girls were separated, with Lida being sent to a work camp. Lida is devastated, as she doesn't know what happened to her sister, her only remaining family, and she fears she might have been harmed or killed because she is too young to work.

The conditions at the work camp are awful. Lida lies about her age, hoping she will be seen as more useful, and thus, be kept alive. There is never enough food and everyone is cold and hungry. Lida is lucky, because she is given a good position working in the laundry, which is clean and warm. However, after a few months, she is forced to go to work in a factory, making bombs for the Nazis. Lida hates having to help the Nazi war effort, because if they win, she will never be free again. However, she is able to find comfort from memories of her family, from her friendship with other children living at the camp, and from keeping alive her hope that one day she will find her sister again.

Before reading Making Bombs for Hitler, I didn't know that so many children and young adults from Eastern Europe had been used as slave labor by the Nazis during World War II. I wouldn't necessarily say I enjoyed reading this book, because it's a very sad and tragic story about the suffering of children in war. However, I think it is a very important story to tell, and the author tells it well. Lida was a very couragous character who survived living and working in conditions that were nearly unbearable, all the while keeping alive the hope that she would someday be reunited with her sister. This book is a companion novel to another book by the author, Stolen Child, which was about Lida's sister, Larissa. Making Bombs for Hitler can be read as a standalone, but you will want to read Stolen Child too, to find out how Larissa survived the war. I recommend this book to young readers studying World War II as well as to adults with an interest in the subject. ( )