A winning blend of inspiring history, page-turning action, and awesome comics!

– Steve Sheinkin, author of Bomb

Absolutely amazing! A brilliant, beautifully-written tale of hope and heroism that must be read. To never forget means to tell stories afresh which remind all future generations of the power of courage, kindness, and resolute determination - especially in the face of evil. Hour of Need is an outright triumph!

– Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Rising Tiger

80 years have passed since the action against the Jews in Denmark and we are now at a crossroads where it is becoming even more important to hear and preserve the testimonies and remember what happened. Ralph Shayne has turned his mother's experiences into a well told graphic novel (aided by the beautiful artwork of Tatiana Goldberg) that opens the story up for a younger audience and helps us all to remember, in a nuanced way. Hour of Need is recommended reading.

– The Danish Jewish Museum

Rather than focusing exclusively on their rescuers, Shayne depicts Jews in a way that gives them agency. Hour of Need is a story about how the Danish people enabled the survival of Jews like Mette. It is also about a family who nearly lost their Jewish identity-but didn't.

– Jewish Book Council

This graphic historical fiction of the Nazi Resistance in Denmark during World War II begins in present-day as Mette visits Denmark with her grandchildren, and alternates with the daring story of the Danish people who saved the lives of its Jewish community through heroic resistance. Included is the story of King Christian and the apocryphal tale of him riding on horseback with a star of David to show solidarity; the story of "Svend Otto Nielsen," pseudonymously known as John, who fearlessly sabotaged the German attempts to deport Danish Jews to concentration camps; and the stories of everyday Danes who, without reservation, aided in evacuating most of the Danish Jews into Sweden. The book also introduces readers to Jewish culture in ­Denmark. ­Danish culture is also covered, specifically the Hans Christian Anderson fairy-tale ­version of the mighty warrior ­Holger ­Danske, who became a symbol of the ­Danish resistance to the Nazis. The full-color artwork is dramatic, with dark shadows portraying their harrowing escape and realistic drawings showing landmarks in ­Denmark. Recommended purchase for ­libraries ­looking for stories of heroic acts by everyday citizens, ­less-than-well-known stories of resistance to Nazi Germany, and the saving of a majority of the Danish Jewish ­population.

– School Library Journal