Snow Treasure is partly fiction because so little of the story could be told at the time (if leaked to the Germans, participants or their relatives could have been killed). The children in this story are fictional but it is almost certain that Norwegian children helped smuggle millions of dollars of gold bullion out of Norway on a seaworthy vessel like a fishing vessel. The gold came to the U.S. for protection because if the Germans had confiscated it, they would have used it to fuel their war machine and kill more Norwegians.

I had forgotten the last chapter of this book which ties together the brave Norwegians and the protective U.S. in a way that is poignant and spirited and beautiful.

Yes, it is a children’s book. I read it in about three hours. But when I was homeschooling Joey, I often said you could exclusively shop just the children’s section of Barnes and Noble and still be a well-rounded person. This is one of those rich, timeless children’s books that is absolutely a classic.