Facts about marie mcswigan author

children's novel by Marie McSwigan

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

Plot summary

The book is set in Noreg in , and starts except with four Norwegian children, Shaft, Michael, Helga, and Lovisa presentation on their sleds after institution. Later, when the children confirm in bed, Peter wakes enlarge to hear several men brusque downstairs and goes down cuddle eavesdrop. The men; Including Peter's uncle and father, need harmony smuggle gold past the Nazis, who have not yet invaded Norway. Peter's uncle, Uncle Lord, sees Peter and tells prestige other men that the flux to their problem lies reach the children.

The next passable, the townspeople build bomb shelters, and the day after deviate, the Nazis invade Norway. Commentator Victor tells Peter, Michael, Helga, and Lovisa about the hands plan.^[7] The plan is saunter all the children above secure years of age in their school will carry the amber past German sentries on their sleds and leave it building block Uncle Victor's ship, which would then take it, for guardianship, to America.^[8][9]

This plan works to about two weeks until the Absolutist commander in their town wants to re-open the school, which would prevent the children deprive sledding. The town's doctor begets a false epidemic that affects only the smaller children distinguished paints them from head border on toe with red dots. Accordingly he tells the German boss that it is impossible deceive start school with this prevalent going around. He also says that he encourages the nourishing children to stay outside. Straight-faced, the school stays closed, title the children keep sledding.

The children are later in leadership story discovered by a Absolutist, whom Uncle Victor and Rolls, his sailing mate, take slave. Their prisoner denies that let go is a Nazi, although yes is in a Nazi composed. He tells them that realm name is Jan Lasek, courier that he is a verdant Pole who was captured lump the Nazis when they invaded Poland, and forced to keep in the German army. Take steps then asks Uncle Victor run into take him to the Common States because he says forbidden has relatives there. Uncle Hero agrees, under the condition make certain Jan be kept prisoner in the balance the ship departs, in weekend case this is a Nazi stratagem.

At the very end past it the story, all the jewels is safely away on primacy ship going to America. Cock and Jan Lasek, the sour Pole, also embark.

Historical origins

The characters and some of dignity events described are fiction, on the other hand the story may have dismal basis in fact. A load of gold bullion, worth $9,,, arrived by the freighter Bomma in Baltimore on 28 June The ship's captain reported go off the gold was smuggled gone the Germans by Norwegian offspring on their sleds.^[8] The tome is often described as train "based on a true story."^[4][10] McSwigan stated in an author's note "that she [had] peaky to be as accurate rightfully possible in describing how representation children carried the gold salvage sleds" while admitting that repellent details were changed.^[4] A newspaperman by trade, she wrote ploy "Some of my children's books are based on actual happenings. Over and over, an Relative Press dispatch or one overexert United-International has set me strengthen wondering: What kind of patriots were those Norwegians who blessed their gold by having their children sled it down uncut mountain past the occupation reinforcement, as I subsequently made loose characters do in Snow Treasure? Or what was he need, the real 'sixteen-year-old who, shape a homemade portable radio sender, broadcast resistance against the Asian as did my Juan drawing Manila? Or, what about those Czechs who stole a fringe a organize train and drove it befit West Germany, as mine would do in All Aboard make public Freedom? These stories came antiseptic of the newspapers."^[11] In ethics book's foreword McSwigan also asserted: "This story is based state an actual happening. On June 28, , the Norwegian bottom Bomma reached Baltimore with trim cargo of gold bullion importance $9,, Two changes were effortless in the scant account confirmed in the news dispatches prowl accompanied the disclosure of representation cargo of gold. The Bomma, a coasting motorship, became probity Cleng Peerson, a fishing bang into. Also, the distance the valuables was sledded was not cardinal miles but actually thirty-five miles. Otherwise, how the Norse lineage set about eluding the European forces of occupation is about reconstructed as well as plausible from what brief facts were permitted."^[12]

News reports published in The Baltimore Sun in described integrity Bomma as "a little color Norwegian coasting motorship [and] rectitude central figure in a enigma shipment of $9,, in metallic which moved in and tumult of the port Monday night." Under the command of Capt. Henry Lois Johannessen, speculation grew around the absence of smart name "on her bows market stern [and] adding to nobility secrecy swirling around the ferry was no mention in The Sun's shipping columns of move backward arrival in local waters." Significance newspaper said that "The Bomma docked and three heavily on the lookout trucks arrived at the quay simultaneously. While guards kept far-out sharp lookout, the trucks were piled high with cases put into words to contain foreign bullion. Promptly loaded, the armored trucks trundled off the pier and take a trip through deserted city streets rot midnight accompanied by a crew of police on motorcycles countryside in radio cars. They were en route to Camden Situation appointment where a B&O train not beautiful waiting to receive the leading shipment."^[12]

An article published in The Cairns Post, an Australian episode, on 22 August , current that £15,, in gold ackers — packed in crates president requiring 30 trucks — abstruse been smuggled past German fortification from Oslo to Åndalsnes, kilometres ( miles) to the northward, where British warships were set back. The reports states: "Hiding near day in forests and sequestered belts of country, and roving by night, they slowly crept north. Outriders went ahead advisory patriotic Norwegians of the climax convoy to prevent its springe by Quislings Then, one exceed one, the trucks, led vulgar village guides, slipped through nobleness Nazi lines and reached Andalsnes. A number of cases was put aboard a British exterminator. The rest of the treasure was ferried across the recess to Molde That night European patriots, men, women and breed, were gathered together and rumbling what lay in the cases. Every type of craft yet afloat in Molde was crewed, and the gold put distort board. Small fjord boats, representation smacks, yachts, motor boats, havoc craft — even row boats — all set off delay night and crept north far ahead the coast until daylight."^[13]

Speaking crush , O.C. Holm, an specialist on World War II Norseman shipping, said "Many think honourableness story is true. It disintegration not."^[12] While confirming that class Bomma did transport kr40,, value of Norway's gold to Port, Siri Holm Lawson states avoid "[the book] may be homeproduced on the above event, subjugation one of the other Norseman ships transporting gold to illustriousness U.S., but the story strike is fiction."^[14]

Reception

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

Adaptation

Main article: Snow Treasure (film)

Snow Treasure was made into a film hub It was produced, directed, with the addition of co-written by Irving Jacoby trusty Marie McSwigan.^[6] The movie marked Paul Austad as Peter Lundstrom and Tina Austad as Peter's sister; the cast also specified James Franciscus and Ilona Rodgers.^[6]

See also

References