Dirk lives in a small Dutch village when German soldiers arrive during World War II. His family struggles to find enough food as rationing tightens and winter approaches. The boy watches his neighbors disappear one by one, some fleeing to safer places, others taken away by the occupying forces. Dirk's father works secretly with the resistance while his mother tries to maintain normalcy for her children. When Dirk discovers a Jewish family hiding in their barn, he must choose between his own safety and helping strangers. The war tests every relationship in the village as people reveal who they truly are under pressure. Dirk learns that courage often means making difficult choices when no good options exist.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, war, world-war-ii
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, moral-dilemma
Setting: Dutch Village, Netherlands
Period: World War II
Content warnings: war