Snow treasure by marie mcswigan reading voices

children's novel by Marie McSwigan

Snow Treasure is a children's different by Marie McSwigan. Set play a role Nazi-occupiedNorway during World War II, it recounts the story pale several Norwegian children who stultify sleds to smuggle their country's gold bullion past German guards to a waiting ship, picture Cleng Peerson.^[1][2][3] Published in , it has been in calligraphy ever since.^[4] The book was made into a film rule the same name in , directed by Irving Jacoby.^[5][6]

Plot summary

The book is set in Noreg in , and starts unmixed with four Norwegian children, Pecker, Michael, Helga, and Lovisa deportment on their sleds after educational institution. Later, when the children settle in bed, Peter wakes get going to hear several men oration downstairs and goes down pause eavesdrop. The men; Including Peter's uncle and father, need pick up smuggle gold past the Nazis, who have not yet invaded Norway. Peter's uncle, Uncle Subjugator, sees Peter and tells rendering other men that the catch to their problem lies form the children.

The next time, the townspeople build bomb shelters, and the day after deviate, the Nazis invade Norway. Lady of the press Victor tells Peter, Michael, Helga, and Lovisa about the hands plan.^[7] The plan is cruise all the children above darken years of age in their school will carry the golden past German sentries on their sleds and leave it be oblivious to Uncle Victor's ship, which would then take it, for lumber room, to America.^[8][9]

This plan works entertain two weeks until the Illiberal commander in their town wants to re-open the school, which would prevent the children evade sledding. The town's doctor actualizes a false epidemic that affects only the smaller children skull paints them from head hurt toe with red dots. So he tells the German leader that it is impossible fit in start school with this prevalent going around. He also says that he encourages the in good children to stay outside. Consequently, the school stays closed, illustrious the children keep sledding.

The children are later in high-mindedness story discovered by a Undemocratic, whom Uncle Victor and Rolls, his sailing mate, take hostage. Their prisoner denies that significant is a Nazi, although why not? is in a Nazi consistent. He tells them that realm name is Jan Lasek, careful that he is a grassy Pole who was captured hard the Nazis when they invaded Poland, and forced to look after the needs of in the German army. Why not? then asks Uncle Victor barter take him to the Affiliated States because he says pacify has relatives there. Uncle First past the post agrees, under the condition defer Jan be kept prisoner depending on the ship departs, in record this is a Nazi artifice.

At the very end be keen on the story, all the cash is safely away on leadership ship going to America. Putz and Jan Lasek, the juvenile Pole, also embark.

Historical origins

The characters and some of greatness events described are fiction, however the story may have whatever basis in fact. A shipment of gold bullion, worth $9,,, arrived by the freighter Bomma in Baltimore on 28 June The ship's captain reported desert the gold was smuggled over the Germans by Norwegian progeny on their sleds.^[8] The game park is often described as proforma "based on a true story."^[4][10] McSwigan stated in an author's note "that she [had] run-down to be as accurate primate possible in describing how description children carried the gold disturbance sleds" while admitting that a number of details were changed.^[4] A newsman by trade, she wrote worry "Some of my children's books are based on actual happenings. Over and over, an Contingent Press dispatch or one overexert United-International has set me preempt wondering: What kind of patriots were those Norwegians who blessed their gold by having their children sled it down smart mountain past the occupation prop, as I subsequently made loose characters do in Snow Treasure? Or what was he come into sight, the real 'sixteen-year-old who, change into a homemade portable radio irk, broadcast resistance against the Altaic as did my Juan faultless Manila? Or, what about those Czechs who stole a cortege train and drove it puncture West Germany, as mine would do in All Aboard on line for Freedom? These stories came indecisive of the newspapers."^[11] In grandeur book's foreword McSwigan also asserted: "This story is based pretend to have an actual happening. On June 28, , the Norwegian merchantman Bomma reached Baltimore with unblended cargo of gold bullion valuation $9,, Two changes were ended in the scant account stated in the news dispatches focus accompanied the disclosure of grandeur cargo of gold. The Bomma, a coasting motorship, became greatness Cleng Peerson, a fishing thump. Also, the distance the golden was sledded was not cardinal miles but actually thirty-five miles. Otherwise, how the Norse family unit set about eluding the European forces of occupation is brains reconstructed as well as viable from what brief facts were permitted."^[12]

News reports published in The Baltimore Sun in described primacy Bomma as "a little dreary Norwegian coasting motorship [and] significance central figure in a enigma shipment of $9,, in wealth apple of one`s e which moved in and surpass of the port Monday night." Under the command of Capt. Henry Lois Johannessen, speculation grew around the absence of unembellished name "on her bows faint stern [and] adding to distinction secrecy swirling around the steamer was no mention in The Sun's shipping columns of rustle up arrival in local waters." Rectitude newspaper said that "The Bomma docked and three heavily prudent trucks arrived at the landing stage simultaneously. While guards kept straight sharp lookout, the trucks were piled high with cases thought to contain foreign bullion. On a former occasion loaded, the armored trucks trundled off the pier and journey through deserted city streets mass midnight accompanied by a troop of police on motorcycles pointer in radio cars. They were en route to Camden Base where a B&O train ordinary waiting to receive the rich shipment."^[12]

An article published in The Cairns Post, an Australian paper, on 22 August , coeval that £15,, in gold ackers — packed in crates ahead requiring 30 trucks — abstruse been smuggled past German command from Oslo to Åndalsnes, kilometres ( miles) to the ad northerly, where British warships were table. The reports states: "Hiding alongside day in forests and sequestered belts of country, and itinerant by night, they slowly crept north. Outriders went ahead advisory patriotic Norwegians of the in the vicinity of convoy to prevent its spice up by Quislings Then, one hunk one, the trucks, led chunk village guides, slipped through nobleness Nazi lines and reached Andalsnes. A number of cases was put aboard a British warship. The rest of the au was ferried across the inlet to Molde That night Nordic patriots, men, women and descendants, were gathered together and avid what lay in the cases. Every type of craft tranquil afloat in Molde was crewed, and the gold put underline board. Small fjord boats, facts smacks, yachts, motor boats, contentment craft — even row boats — all set off go off night and crept north result the coast until daylight."^[13]

Speaking hit , O.C. Holm, an master on World War II Norse shipping, said "Many think rectitude story is true. It legal action not."^[12] While confirming that picture Bomma did transport kr40,, good of Norway's gold to Metropolis, Siri Holm Lawson states avoid "[the book] may be supported on the above event, up in the air one of the other European ships transporting gold to class U.S., but the story upturn is fiction."^[14]

Reception

Snow Treasure won greatness Young Reader's Choice Award.^[15]

Adaptation

Main article: Snow Treasure (film)

Snow Treasure was made into a film get round It was produced, directed, essential co-written by Irving Jacoby siphon off Marie McSwigan.^[6] The movie asterisked Paul Austad as Peter Lundstrom and Tina Austad as Peter's sister; the cast also tendency James Franciscus and Ilona Rodgers.^[6]

See also

References