Book Review: Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan

Snow Treasure

by Marie McSwigan (jPB McSwigan)

 

In WWII, the Norwegian government managed to transport and evacuate its entire store of gold just before, and during, the Nazi invasion of Norway. The Nazis knew the gold was being moved and very nearly captured it. The gold was smuggled out in hundreds of crates and barrels on trains, local trucks, and private fishing vessels frequently while under attack. The treasure ended up in Britain, then was transported across the Atlantic. The entire amount, with only the loss of a few gold coins, arrived safely in the US and Canada. With the funds safely secured, Norway was able to maintain its government in exile and participate in the allied war effort.

 

The value was approximately more than $54 million in 1940 (equivalent to $1.8 billion in 2015). Imagine how the tide of the war could have turned if the Nazis had been able to get their hands on that amount of funding.

 

Snow Treasure is a fictional account of that evacuation, and involves the children of the town assisting their parents in moving the gold by hiding it on their sleds as they played. It had a Disneyesque feel to the story, and even with the improbable idea of letting children participate in this dangerous mission, I still enjoyed the characters and the tension in the story as they successfully smuggled out the gold.

 

An easy afternoon read of a fantastic story.

 

( Wikipedia page for Snow Treasure )

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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