Enemy Camp book review by Michael Rietveld.

By Anna Garthwaite | Posted: Tuesday June 14, 2016

This book is a finalist in the 2016 NZ Book Awards for children in the Hell Children's Choice Awards.

Enemy camp

By : David Hill

It is 1942 (ww2) and Ewen and his parents live in a small town called Featherston. Featherston is in the process of making a prisoner war camp (to put Japanese soldiers in after being captured by the Americans/New Zealanders) Ewen's Dad works as a guard at the camp. People in the town think that the Japs should be treated badly and are called filthy yellowJaps because they were the enemy.

One day Ewen and his friends Clarry and Barry ( who are brothers ) rode out to the camp. They thought that the Japs just seemed like normal people. Ito, a prisoner at the camp (who can speak English) offers to teach Clarry, Barry and Ewen Japanese and they were all allowed to learn it. People in town don't like the idea.

Then after series of Japs not wanting to work the New Zealanders get angry and unforgettable scenes unfold before Ewen's eyes.