the assignment book real story

THE ASSIGNMENT

by Liza Wiemer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 25, 2020

An important plot-driven story about two teens who stand up for what’s right in the face of adversity.

High school seniors and best friends Logan and Cade are asked to defend the indefensible as part of a history assignment; they refuse.

Logan and Cade are not Jewish, but when their history teacher, Mr. Bartley, gives them an assignment in which they are to take on the role of Nazis and reenact the Wannsee Conference of 1942, each taking a side of the “debate” about the Final Solution, they protest. This is not a debate at all but a dehumanizing discussion about the extermination of the Jewish people. Narrated from the perspectives of several different characters, the novel tells a fictionalized story based on the actions of two New York state teens who stood against their teacher, principal, and, eventually, their school district with the help of their families and community. Despite abrupt, sometimes confusing point-of-view switches and somewhat wordy prose, this fast-paced novel will keep readers thoroughly engaged and eager to learn the resolution, rooting for Logan and Cade the whole way. The book contains a small element of romance as well as some references to sexual assault and physical abuse. The book also depicts anti-Semitic actions and related hate crimes. Main characters are assumed to be cisgender, white, and straight. There is diversity among the secondary characters, including one queer character.

Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2020

ISBN: 978-0-593-12316-4

Page Count: 336

Publisher: Delacorte

Review Posted Online: May 31, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SCHOOL & FRIENDSHIP

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BOOK REVIEW

by Liza Wiemer ; illustrated by Margeaux Lucas

IF HE HAD BEEN WITH ME

by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2013

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.

The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.

Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.

Pub Date: April 1, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES

More by Laura Nowlin

by Laura Nowlin

More About This Book

SEEN & HEARD

IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER

by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.

In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me , three characters tell their sides of the story.

Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.

Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024

ISBN: 9781728276229

Page Count: 416

Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE

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Q&A With Liza Wiemer, The Assignment

August 25, 2020 by We Need Diverse Books

By Alaina Leary

Today we’re pleased to welcome Liza Wiemer to the WNDB blog to discuss her YA novel The Assignment , out August 25, 2020!

What did you learn from the research you did about racist and antisemitic school assignments? 

School assignments exploring important, complicated issues are a crucial part of education. They foster critical thinking and discussion. However, damaging, misguided, and thoughtless assignments dealing with those tough issues can be presented in racist or antisemitic ways and are much more common than people would think. Once news got out that I was writing this novel, people messaged me or told me directly about similar harmful assignments—some successfully challenged, some that were not. Those who remained silent did so for several reasons: fear of confrontation, retaliation, or being ostracized. They didn’t want to cause trouble or get a teacher in trouble. Students didn’t want to be seen as tattletales or complainers. But no one should ever have to defend the indefensible. No one should have to justify the unjustifiable. Speaking up is hard. I heard from many who didn’t confront the issue that they regretted staying silent. We need to foster environments where upstanders are respected and feel safe to confront hatred and injustice. That’s why I feel having a novel like this is critical. It promotes discussion. It allows readers to contemplate what they would do if they found themselves in a similar situation and shows that courage comes from within.

Was there anything from your research that didn’t make it into  The Assignment ?

Yes, there was a lot of extensive historical research that didn’t make it into the novel. It would have bogged down the narrative or taken the story in too many different directions. 

One particular area of research I wanted to explore and incorporate in some way was the vile treatment of our American POWs by the Nazis. It’s not an area that’s often explored when learning about the Holocaust. The purpose of the Final Solution was to wipe out Europe’s eleven million Jews, but Nazi brutality extended beyond the Jewish population. 

So while I was reading about American World War II POWs, I came across the shocking story of Anthony Acevedo, a Mexican American combat medic in the United States Army, Infantry. He was one of 350 American soldiers captured during the Battle of the Bulge who were enslaved, starved, and tortured at Berga concentration camp because of ethnicity, skin color, or religion. He managed to keep a secret diary about their horrifying experience. 

Although I didn’t include this particular account, it’s important to know about this history. 

Check out the incredible testimony Mr. Acevedo gave for posterity to United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Oral history interview with Anthony Acevedo. 

For a short interview, check out: “This POW kept a secret diary that showed daily life in a concentration camp.”  

Regrettably, I was unable to incorporate Gerda Weissman Klein’s remarkable and uplifting story that shows the power and resilience of the human spirit. She was a Holocaust survivor, author, and founder of Citizenship Counts. On February 15, 2011, President Barak Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest honor given to a civilian. Check out this deeply touching short video about her liberation by American solider, Kurt Klein, the man who eventually became her husband.

Although this book addresses an assignment about the Holocaust, this book is clearly set in the present. How can educators utilize this in their classrooms for Holocaust education?

The Assignment provides teachers and students with a strong foundation of historical information on the Holocaust that will be informative and enlightening to readers. It also shows the impact of antisemitism and all forms of hate have on society. The brave actions of Cade and Logan, the two teens in the novel who speak up against the hateful assignment, will evoke a lot of discussions, comparing the past to what we’re experiencing in today’s society. I do want to note that Logan, who is the first to react, is not Jewish.

Utilizing this book for Holocaust education is only one way it could be effectively used in classrooms. It can also be taught in English or social studies courses that focus on social justice, community, or world issues. It’s about empowering teens, providing many different examples for students to figure out how they would choose to address an injustice. This book lends itself to discussions on antisemitism, racism, anti-LGBTQIAP+, bullying, and what it takes to have the courage to be an upstander. I also wanted to show that seeking support from others within your school and/or your community is important and often not as challenging as one might imagine. There will be people who have your back!

There’s a powerful scene in the novel where community members come out and offer support to Cade’s family after their inn is vandalized. Why was that support pivotal for these teens and what did it mean for the community?

Before this moment, Cade and Logan received very little support from anyone at their school or community. After facing tremendous resistance and hateful acts, they had to draw upon strength from each other and from their families. But when the community came out, they no longer were isolated. This recognition made a statement against intolerance, antisemitism, bigotry, racism, and all forms of hate. Gathering together to protest and to show support is important, but it’s also just one step. During this rally, Cade gives a short speech expressing gratitude, but he also makes it clear that there is more work to be done. Deep-rooted bigoted belief systems need to be acknowledged, examined, and changed. That takes time, commitment, and hard work. We know about the importance of protesting and this novel shows it.

  What impact did writing this novel have on your own Jewish identity?

In “A Note From The Author,” I ask, “Can you be proud of your heritage, your faith, your identity, yet also have a strong need to protect or hide yourself from the outside world?” I love being Jewish and have spent my entire life active within the Jewish community, but in order to protect myself from horrible antisemitic attacks, which I experienced both as a child and an adult, I often chose not to expose this important part of my identity. Writing this book opened the door for me to examine this. Antisemitism has reached a 40-year high in the United States and it continues to rise. This experience made me realize that fear must not win. As Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace winner, Elie Wiesel said, “the world did know and remained silent. And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” 

Share a behind-the-scenes novel secret, something readers wouldn’t know just from picking up this book.

There is a protest scene to stop the debate. Others want it continued. When the protest gets out of hand, a secondary character starts singing “Hallelujah” and the crowd joins in. For me, it’s a goosebump moment. I listened and reviewed the lyrics of at least fifty songs before I found “Hallelujah” and realized how perfect it was for the scene. When the song ends, the girl who started it reveals something impactful about the song. People will have to read it to find out! Whenever I reread that section, it comes to life for me. I could see it happening today. 

  For one of my favorite “Hallelujah” performances, check out this YouTube video performed on Oprah by the Canadian Tenors with a surprise visit from Celine Dion.  

Are you a plotter or a panster? 

A mix, so a plantser. 

Before I start a novel, I have a general outline of the plot and I always begin a chapter thinking it through, talking to my characters, and planning out what I’m going to write. 

The pantser side comes out during bursts of inspiration. It’s usually when I’m so entrenched in the story that I’m nearly oblivious to what’s around me and I’m going with the flow, allowing the story to unfold. I love these moments because the unexpected usually makes the novel so much more interesting and engaging.

What other books do you think  The Assignment  is in conversation with? And do you have any recommendations for published or forthcoming YA novels?

I turn to the review from School Library Journal that said, “ A good choice for fans of Angie Thomas’s  The Hate U Give  and Nic Stone’s  Dear Martin. ” The correlation between The Assignment and these books I deeply admire is that they show the impact of hate, what it takes to be an upstander, and the strength needed to speak out against injustice, intolerance, bigotry, discrimination, racism, and hate. These books show ordinary teens who do something incredibly brave under circumstances they had no control over. They show that even though it’s hard, painful, and frightening to confront these issues, their voices matter, that teens can and must speak up against hatred.

Another book that The Assignment is compared to is The Wave by Todd Strasser, which was also based on a 1969 true incident that occurred in a Palo Alto, California high school history class. That novel shows how easy it is to be swept away into Fascist ideas and the destructive force it has on humanity.

What is one question you wish you were asked more often (and the answer)?

What advice would you give teens who don’t feel like they have a voice or are afraid to use it?

I grew up in a home where my voice was silenced. Even when I was right, I was told that I wrong, and arguing only got me into trouble. It’s a form of abuse when adults misuse their power or authority to try and silence teens. There are going to be people who come into your life or who are already in your life who’ll do everything they can to silence you. Always know that you are important, special, unique, beautiful just as you are. Do not let anyone steal your self-esteem with ugly words or actions. 

We know words have power and that people use them to knock others down. I personally know what this is like. But each one of us has a choice—we can either choose to lift others up or tear them down. Our words, our actions reflect on our most valuable possession and the only thing that we truly own, the only thing that we can truly control in this world is our name. Our name represents the lifetime collection of our words, actions, and deeds. Don’t allow others to tell you what to think or how to feel. Don’t allow others to define you. Listen. Learn. Seek out mentors you respect and who respect you. Read books that inspire you and help you to see yourself more clearly. And most of all, know that your voice matters. There are many ways to speak up. Find yours.  

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The Assignment

• By Liza Wiemer
• Delacorte Press
• Reviewed by Caroline Bock
• October 9, 2020

Would you emulate a Nazi if the teacher told you to? Would your friends?

This is your assignment: Read The Assignment by Liza Wiemer. More importantly, have your teenagers and their teachers read it.

This YA novel was inspired by a real-life high school class in which students were made to roleplay Nazis and others at the 1942 Wannsee Conference, the infamous WWII meeting where the Final Solution was debated and agreed upon. Wiemer takes this jumping-off point and develops it into a gripping tale full of characters who spring to life.

The novel is set at Riviere High School in an upper-middle-class, fictional New York town with few or no Jewish families or people of color. Hockey, the prom, and grades are what matter to these kids, most of whom have been in class together since kindergarten.

Mr. Bartley, a beloved teacher who likes to bring the past alive, assigns students in his History of World Governments class to argue either for the extermination of the Jews or for the implementation of sterilization, ghettos, and work camps. Students assigned to be Nazis must “research and analyze five reasons supporting your position of a Final Solution of the Jewish Question.”

While The Assignment is narrated from multiple points of view, Cade’s voice takes center stage. His grandparents are immigrants from Poland, and he remembers stories of how they witnessed atrocities against the Jews in their hometown, and of how his grandfather hid his Jewish friend, Yankel, on his farm. Not surprisingly, he struggles with the assignment.

Cade and his peers are bright students who know of the Muslim Uighurs in China held in concentration camps and the Charlottesville march by white supremacists. They are aware of Confederate flags and decals displayed on some of their all-American neighbors’ houses and pickup trucks. Yet not all of them balk at the task they’re given.

Still, after one teen jokingly raises his hand in a Nazi salute and calls out “Heil Hitler,” Mr. Bartley admonishes him:

“Let me be clear. I am not asking you to be sympathetic to the Nazis. Quite the opposite. This is a serious examination of a historical event. Let’s learn from this moment and be respectful.”

But Cade and his best friend, Logan, are extremely uncomfortable with the assignment. Will they be able to take a stand against their teacher and peers?

The cinematic scene in which they push back against classroom authority and refuse to participate is one that left this reader cheering. In it, Mr. Bartley insists that, in role-playing Nazis, students are simply like actors in a movie. These lines, which end the short chapter, are from Cade’s point of view and illustrate that he and Logan feel differently:

“Logan’s lips part, but no sounds come out. I press my arm against hers. She’s trembling. I look at Mr. Bartley. ‘Fine,’ I say. ‘I’ll take an F.’ And I follow Logan out the door.”

Some other students also push back, but not all. An alternative assignment is offered, although the original still stands. Word soon gets out, the media becomes involved, and the community’s emotions run high. Swastikas appear. Tempers flare.

And at home, longstanding, closely held family secrets are shared that raise the stakes even higher for Cade. Long-ago revelations expressed by his grandmother add an authentic, heartbreaking element to the story.

But it’s the voices and actions of the students who take a stand for what they believe in that truly make The Assignment a must-read.

Caroline Bock’s debut short-story collection, Carry Her Home , was winner of the 2018 Fiction Award from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House. It is now available on Audible and iTunes. She is also the author of the young-adult novels LIE and Before My Eyes .

Support the Independent by purchasing this title via our affliate links: Amazon.com Or through Bookshop.org

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Review of "The Assignment" and Interview with Author Liza Wiemer

I had been looking forward to reading Liza Wiemer’s The Assignment as soon as I heard a description. Based on a true story, Wiemer’s novel follows two teens who refuse to do an antisemitic assignment given in history class—one in which they’re expected to argue FOR the Nazi Final Solution and the murder of millions of Jewish people. Wiemer deftly handles this tough topic, creating two main characters, Cade and Logan, who are both fun and funny, witty and endearing, and just regular teens with regular teen problems on top of the huge challenge at the center of the novel. You’ll sink into the story as if you’re eavesdropping on their conversations. Wiemer’s dialogue writing is just that good! Standing up for the right thing should be easy, but somehow it never is—and the finely crafted plot brings us unexpected challenges and a surprising, poignant twist. This is an important modern-day story about intolerance and racism that every teen and adult should read and DISCUSS. I am going to be thinking about this book for a long time and take the liberty to quote the question on the cover. “Would YOU speak up for what is right?”

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Senior year. when an assignment given by a favorite teacher instructs a group of students to argue for the final solution, a euphemism used to describe the nazi plan for the genocide of the jewish people, logan march and cade crawford are horrified. their teacher cannot seriously expect anyone to complete an assignment that fuels intolerance and discrimination. logan and cade decide they must take a stand., as the school administration addressed the teens' refusal to participate in the appalling debate, the student body, their parents, and the larger community are forced to face the issue as well. the situation explodes, and acrimony and anger result. what does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail.

Purchase from Boswell Books

Purchase from Amazon

I’m so pleased Liza Wiemer has taken time out of her busy schedule to talk with us today. (Liza previously hung out with us when I reviewed her debut YA novel Hello? --read that post here. )

The Assignmen t is set to release on Monday, August 25. You’ve gotten some excellent reviews in the publishing world. School Library Journal’s review calls The Assignment “An important look at a critical moment in history through a modern lens showcasing the power of student activism.” And Kirkus says it’s “an important plot-driven story about two teens who stand up for what’s right in the face of adversity.” Wow. You have to be so excited!

These online events are open to anyone who registers to attend.

Monday, August 24, 6 pm CDT - Teens Speak Up Against Injustice: The Story Behind “The Assignment”

Online and in school, our students are inundated with situations that force them to make hard decisions and to confront situations that might alienate them from their peers. Join this conversation about real-life events, difficult choices and how ordinary teens can have the power to amaze and inspire us.

Sign up here: https://www.aju.edu/byachad-together/events/Teens-Speak-Up-Against-Injustice-The-Story-Behind-“The-Assignment”-

Tuesday, August 25, 7 pm CDT - Book Launch   at Boswell Book Company (virtual event)

Liza Wiemer, author of THE ASSIGNMENT discusses her latest novel, inspired by a real-life incident, which explores the dangerous impact of discrimination and antisemitism. Kirkus Reviews call The Assignment "an important plot-driven story about two teens who stand up for what's right in the face of adversity." This launch event will feature Wiemer in conversation with Boswell Book Company's Jenny Chou. Cosponsored by the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.

To learn more or sign up:   http://lizawiemer.com/boswell/

Q. I know your novel was inspired by a true story. Can you tell us a little bit about Archer and Jordan and their story?

A. Archer Shurtliff and Jordan April, both 17 at the time they received the assignment that helped to inspire this novel, attended separate upstate New York high schools and met at an education program titled, “Principles of Literary Representation.” They received an assignment that inspired the one I created for my novel. To learn more about the one the received, read this article: “ CNY students upset after being asked to defend Nazis, Holocaust for homework. ” Both students felt that the assignment was reprehensible and promoted hate. When they spoke up against it, they were able to choose an alternative assignment. Afterward, they continued the fight against the assignment. They contacted a reporter and also the Anti-Defamation League—an organization with a mission “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment of all.” The teens extra actions and their deep commitment led to the promise that the assignment would never be given again. Over seventy students received the assignment, but only Jordan and Archer had the courage to speak out against it. One other student refused to do the assignment, choosing the alternative. Without a doubt, Archer and Jordon exemplify what it means to be upstanders instead of bystanders.

Q. Would you let us in on your novel’s journey? How long did it take to write? Did you have any setbacks with the progress? How did it find a home with Delacorte Press? (Phew – that’s a lot of questions!)

A. The journey to write this novel has what I would call a miraculous set of circumstances. More details can be found on my website: The Story Behind THE ASSIGNMENT . After I met Jordan in person at River’s End Bookstore in Oswego, NY, and talking with Archer on April 4, 2017, I ended up writing an article about the assignment and the experience. When I returned home, an author friend, Clara Kensie, declared that I had to write a novel about this, stating, “You were born to do this.”

I began doing extensive research in May 2017, returned to Oswego in July. Originally, I had written this book in third person omniscient so that I could highlight many different perspectives and show many different angles. When three agents told me that I had to write this in first person, I paid attention and started over. In September 2018, I was offered representation from Steven Chudney. After some revisions, he put it out on submission and within a few weeks we had an offer from Beverly Horowitz, Publisher and Senior Vice President of Delacorte Press.

Q. You’ve described being the target of antisemitism throughout your life. How did you feel taking on this tough topic when it is, in part, personal to you? I imagine that some scenes were very difficult to write.

A. Without a doubt, those experiences left a mark and I knew that I would often hide my Jewish identity from the outside world because I was afraid to become a target of hate. Writing this book brought them all to the surface and I had to confront the impact. Fear is powerful and can lead you to silence. But there were also many times where I would speak up. That was never easy, and those moments also left a mark. I drew upon all of those experiences to write this novel.

Q. Now, I’m going to be very careful here to not give anything away because I hate it when there are spoilers, but I’m dying to know if the big twist in the story was something you had in mind all along or if it came to you as you were writing?

A. Great question. It was actually something I had wanted to write about for many years and had considered including in my first young adult novel, Hello?. Actually, it was a part of an early draft. I had to cut it. Still, that storyline was important to me and it was perfect for The Assignment.

Q. You know how much I loved Hello? and now I’m a huge fan of The Assignment, too! Clearly, the world needs more of your writing. Are your next projects likely to be young adult novels or do you think you might ever switch genres. (And if you don’t think it is too impertinent during your launch week to ask . . . are you working on anything new right now?)

A. I actually revised a picture book that I had completed over twenty years ago. It needed updating. I also had to learn more about writing picture books. Revising it was a fun process and I’m really glad I pursed that. I have one idea for a young adult novel that my agent and editor like, but I’ve been struggling with it. Part of the reason is that we live in a different world now. Covid has changed everything and the place I had envisioned was based on a pre-Covid world. I’ll have to see what happens and whether or not I’ll find the inspiration to delve into it.

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A. Thank you so much for having me on your blog and I’m so grateful that SCBWI-Wisconsin has brought us together!

I am so grateful SCBWI-Wisconsin brought us together, too! 

Here’s where you can find Liza online:

Website: http://lizawiemer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liza.wiemer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizamwiemer/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LizaWiemer

Thanks so much, Liza! I know this week is crazy busy for you. Good luck with your launch!

And, to everyone reading this interview, you need to buy Liza’s book today—right now! Everyone needs to read this book!

To learn more about Liza's first book Hello? , click on the book cover below. 

Add new comment

Submitted by Sandy Brehl (not verified) on August 21, 2020 - 11:20am

I've read this book, and love it. The interview with Liza makes me even more eager to Attend her virtual launch party next week, hosted by Boswell Books. Thanks for this excellent spotlight on a book that is bound to become a longtime classic.

Submitted by valeriebiel on August 21, 2020 - 11:56am

Thanks, Sandy!! I agree that it will become classic! -- Val

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About the Author

Valerie Biel’s debut novel Circle of Nine - Beltany  has been honored as a 2015 Kindle Book Award Finalist, a finalist in the Gotham Writers' YA Novel Discovery Contest and the Readers' Favorite Book Award Contest as well as being a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. The final installment in this series - Circle of Nine - Sacred Treasures -  has also received a B.R.A.G. Medallion and was short listed for the Eric Hoffer Book Award grand prize, earning the First Runner-Up distinction in the YA category. 

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Angie Stanton

Sarah J. Carlson

Liza Wiemer

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Karla Manternach

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The Assignment

Interview by alaina leary.

Book description: SENIOR YEAR. When an assignment given by a favorite teacher instructs a group of students to argue for the Final Solution, a euphemism used to describe the Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people, Logan March and Cade Crawford are horrified. Their teacher cannot seriously expect anyone to complete an assignment that fuels intolerance and discrimination. Logan and Cade decide they must take a stand. As the school administration addressed the teens’ refusal to participate in the appalling debate, the student body, their parents, and the larger community are forced to face the issue, as well. The situation explodes, and acrimony and anger result. What does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail?

Instead of a review, we are posting an interview with the author of The Assignment , Liza Wiemer, by Alaina Leary at Diverse Books.org.

What did you learn from the research you did about racist and anti-Semitic school assignments? 

School assignments exploring important, complicated issues are a crucial part of education. They foster critical thinking and discussion. However, damaging, misguided, and thoughtless assignments dealing with those tough issues can be presented in racist or anti-Semitic ways and are much more common than people would think. Once news got out that I was writing this novel, people messaged me or told me directly about similar harmful assignments — some successfully challenged, some that were not. Those who remained silent did so for several reasons: fear of confrontation, retaliation, or being ostracized. They didn’t want to cause trouble or get a teacher in trouble. Students didn’t want to be seen as tattletales or complainers. But no one should ever have to defend the indefensible. No one should have to justify the unjustifiable. Speaking up is  hard. I heard from many who didn’t confront the issue that they regretted staying silent. We need to foster environments where upstanders are respected and feel safe to confront hatred and injustice. That’s why I feel having a novel like this is critical. It promotes discussion. It allows readers to contemplate what they would do if they found themselves in a similar situation and shows that courage comes from within. Continue reading.

Publisher's Synopsis: A SYDNEY TAYLOR NOTABLE BOOK Inspired by a real-life incident, this riveting novel explores discrimination and antisemitism and reveals their dangerous impact. Would you defend the indefensible? That's what seniors Logan March and Cade Crawford are asked to do when a favorite teacher instructs a group of students to argue for the Final Solution — the Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people. Logan and Cade decide they must take a stand, and soon their actions draw the attention of the student body, the administration, and the community at large. But not everyone feels as Logan and Cade do — after all, isn't a school debate just a school debate? It's not long before the situation explodes, and acrimony and anger result. Based on true events, The Assignment asks: What does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail? "An important look at a critical moment in history through a modern lens showcasing the power of student activism." — SLJ

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Upstream News

The assignment is a book every teen should read, regardless of religion.

By Hagar Cohen , Opinions Editor | November 14, 2022

lizawiemer.com

Book Cover, The Assignment by Liza Wiemer

Major Spoiler Warning for The Assignment 

“Would YOU speak up for what is right?” The question stands out, even in small font, on the front cover of The Assignment , written by Liza Wiemer. 

The Assignment is a book that details an assignment that should never be given and encourages people to speak up along the way. Logan March and Cade Crawford navigate antisemitism, activism, and hate in a way no student should ever have to. Their bravery throughout the book is proven time and time again. Even the side characters find their outstanding roles and voices in the story, taking the readers through a rollercoaster of their own. Although the book was published in 2020, the elements detailing Logan and Cade’s story are still relevant to this day, especially following Kanye West’s recent antisemitic speech and actions .

Liza Wiemer wrote The Assignment based on a true story , which took place in Oswego, NY. Wiemer had been visiting New York to promote and talk about her debut, named Hello? —and an assignment very similar to the one in Wiemer’s story was assigned in the small town of Oswego. Wiemer met the two teens who fought against it. The Assignment ended up winning several awards, one of which was the 2021 Sydney Taylor Notable Book award. Wiemer had been in disbelief that an assignment promoting Holocaust denial and antisemitism was allowed that year (2016), yet there are still similar assignments being assigned in 2022. In addition, antisemitism has been increasing recently, with two major celebrities tweeting antisemitic remarks. 

During October, Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) made several antisemitic remarks that cost him his partnership with Adidas, and last week, Kyrie Irving defended his decision to promote an antisemitic movie that cost him playing in games for the Brooklyn Nets and his partnership with Nike. Now more than ever, a book like The Assignment is important and relevant to the conversation of antisemitism and Holocaust denial in the United States.

In The Assignment , the two main characters, Logan and Cade, are assigned a debate in their favorite teacher’s class in which everyone is required to recreate the Wannsee Conference in favor of the Nazis. The premise of the assignment was disappointing, yet not surprising. The Wannsee Conference was the debate in which senior Nazi officials discussed the Final Solution to the Jewish Question, which was the plan for extermination of Jewish people in Germany. Logan and Cade both immediately expressed a negative point of view on the assignment and planned to refuse to participate. This immediately sets up the fast pacing of the novel, introducing the conflict starting from the first page. 

Logan and Cade knew in their hearts that this assignment felt off, yet they hesitated to speak up at first. The hesitation is all too familiar, even when it comes to speaking out about unrelated topics. I felt seen and reflected in both characters, but especially in Cade. He had a connection to Judaism that he didn’t explore further until later in the book, but it was still very easy to draw parallels between his story and mine. Besides Cade, Daniel is a close second for the character whose story is extremely similar to mine. Daniel is a side character who notices the struggles of Logan and Cade and silently joins their protest and outcry. Daniel feels like a special character to me because although he is scared of the repercussions of speaking out, his situation is vastly different from everyone else’s. The parallel drawn between him getting bullied because of his gay identity and Logan and Cade getting bullied for speaking out is the string that sticks out, tying together the story. 

Other than the encouragement to speak out, the representation of Judaism in the book is also extremely important to Jewish teens like me. This book was what 8th-grade me would have loved to see, which is why I loved it so much. As I realized back then that antisemitism can and does happen everywhere, I believe that a story like Logan and Cade’s would have made an extremely strong impact on me and my perspective on antisemitism. 

The teacher that assigned the debate, Mr. Bartley, defends his assignment, saying that it is important to understand the thought process of the Nazis who debated the Final Solution. However, one student takes this literally and he “stands up and snaps his feet together. He lifts his right arm and salutes like a Nazi. ‘Heil Hitler,’ he calls out” (Wiemer 10). This was the first time I had to put the book down. All I could think about were the posts on social media calling students out for performing Nazi salutes in their schools and classrooms, and the students not getting reprimanded for it. The reality in the book is so important to highlight and talk about as the conversation surrounding antisemitism continues. 

Later on in the book, Logan’s locker is vandalized with “pictures and sticky notes filled with blood red swastikas and hateful words” (Wiemer 152). This was another notable moment where I had to put the book down. The shock of the student body, Logan, and Cade upon finding the surprise in Logan’s locker reminded me of a dinner conversation with my family, where I found out that someone drew a swastika in the bathroom of my brother’s elementary school without knowing the implications of their actions. The suspense kept convincing me to pick the book back up, as Logan and Cade always managed to find the most logical solutions to problems that should have never existed.

Logan and Cade’s active outcry against the assignment is repeated and emphasized in every chapter. They talked to Mr. Bartley, took it to the principal, took it to the local newspaper, and eventually, their outcry went viral. Logan and Cade took every possible action to ensure that the antisemitic debate would be canceled. The closest adults in their lives are behind them and support them, with Logan’s father saying, “I will support you and Cade in every way I can” (Wiemer 106) and Cade’s mother saying, “You’re Granite. Steel. Titanium. You don’t allow any of that hate to get through. You understand?” and “What you said to the reporter showed tremendous dignity and respect. Let that be your guide. You and Logan must be together on this, and if you need guidance, you can turn to us” (Wiemer 144-145). Logan and Cade never give up, which I found extremely admirable. I found myself enjoying this rollercoaster of events, and the plan they put into action found its way into occupying my brain. The courage displayed by Cade and Logan and the support of their parents is deliberately written in a way that encourages the reader to find their own courage to stand up to an antisemitic assignment at their school and antisemitism in their communities. 

The writing style of the story really emphasized the intertwining of Logan, Cade, and other side characters’ stories in regard to the assignment given out. In every chapter, the book mainly switched points of view between five characters: Logan, Cade, Mason, Heather, and Daniel. There are also chapters of text conversations, social media comments, and phone conversations, which provide important context to the advancement of the plot. The chapters with Logan and Cade are in first-person, while the rest of the characters’ points of view are in third-person. This makes their stories much more interesting, since sometimes the first-person point of view does not take into consideration certain characteristics of the characters. Mason’s father is the coach of the school’s hockey team, and he is implied to be abusive. The players on the hockey team also bully him, and although he wants to speak out, he is scared of facing repercussions from it. Specifically, the quotes “[The hockey team players] trashed Mason, taunted him, told him he was gay like Daniel Riggs” and “‘Keep the boys focused on the game. That’s it. Besides, this never would’ve happened if you had played better, if you hadn’t missed that goal…’ He went on and on picking Mason apart until Mason wanted to shrink into his chair just like his mother did when the criticism was aimed at her.” stood out to me because they make Mason’s character more real in a way, and give readers who are also scared of the repercussions of speaking out a character to relate to. Heather is similar to Mason in the way that she is also scared of the repercussions of speaking out because of her family life, but in the end, she finds her voice and joins Logan and Cade with full support. 

At the end of the story, a major plot twist occurs. Cade finds out that his grandparents were actually Jewish, but concerned for their safety, they pretended to be Christian. The twist was the most shocking and unexpected part of the book, yet it made his story that much more relatable. 

There were tears streaming down my cheeks and a smile plastered on my face as all of the hard work done by Logan and Cade turned out to accomplish huge strides for themselves and for their community. I laughed, I cried, and I cheered for the characters throughout the entire book.

I had the privilege of attending a book fair presentation where Wiemer and another Jewish author, Samantha A. Vinokor-Meinrath, presented their books and talked about antisemitism to Jewish teens. Some of the topics that were talked about included the connotation of the word Jew vs. the word Jewish, the importance of tone, Jewish and non-Jewish activism against antisemitism, and our own journeys as Jewish people. Liza’s presentation just made the book come to life more, and I saw as the other teens in the room resonated with the journey taken by Logan and Cade. 

After the presentation, the book fair ran out of copies of The Assignment , and the line for the author signing was extremely long. As more people speak out against antisemitism in the United States, it is important to remember that there are many actions that can be considered antisemitic, whether it would be an assignment that defends Nazis or painting swastikas. When faced with the assignment and hatred, the courage of the two teens in The Assignment proves to readers that if they witness antisemitism and other forms of hatred in their lives, they too can gather up the courage and stand up for what they believe in. 

Relating to antisemitism in today’s society, there was rightful massive backlash against the antisemitism of celebrities like Ye and Kyrie Irving. The Tweet that stood out from Ye stated that there were plans to “[go] death con 3 on Jewish people” and that “[he] can’t be antisemitic because black people are actually Jew[ish] also.” Meanwhile, from Irving, the tweet that stood out promoted a movie named Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America , which promoted antisemitic theories. A book like The Assignment is massively important as teens grow up and start noticing that there is a growth of hatred in our society, and start to learn how to cope with it. 

The relevancy of the story, the compelling plot, the relatable characters, and the accurate Jewish representation all tie together to make this book one of the most impactful books I’ve ever read. I give this book 5/5 stars because, while being the most unique book I’ve ever read, it still keeps the reality of what’s going on in the world to make it more digestible to an overwhelmed brain. The book is about 300 pages long, yet it only took me two days to finish reading. It’s an easy yet powerful read. My main motto with books is “if it makes me cry, it’s automatically a good book”, and the amount of times I’ve cried while reading this book means it’s just that extraordinary.

• antisemitism
• book review
• liza wiemer
• the assignment

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The Assignment

“The Assignment” is a canny, tricky thriller that could serve as an illustration of what this week’s similar release, “The Peacemaker,” is not. Both films involve an international hunt for a dangerous terrorist, but “The Peacemaker” is a cartoon and “The Assignment” is intelligent and gripping–and it has a third act! Instead of an action orgy, it has more than enough story to see it through to the end and keep us absorbed the whole way. Yes, it ends with a deadly struggle, but as the setting for another stage of the movie’s web of deceit.

The film is centered on a CIA plot to discredit and kill Carlos, the feared terrorist who operated for years, despite the best efforts of the free world’s security agencies to capture him. Donald Sutherland plays Fields, the CIA agent for whom Carlos has become an obsession, and when he finds a U.S. Navy officer named Ramirez ( Aidan Quinn ) who’s a dead-ringer for the terrorist, he devises a risky scheme: He’ll train Ramirez to impersonate Carlos, then use the double to convince the KGB that their attack dog is disloyal. As a result, Carlos will either be dead or, almost as good, discredited in the eyes of his sponsors.

Fields works with an Israeli named Amos ( Ben Kingsley ) in training Ramirez, after first using psychological tactics to persuade the reluctant Navy man to leave his wife and family and become a counter-terrorist. (The scene where Fields shows Ramirez a dying child in a hospital is a direct echo of “ The Third Man “.) Then the false Carlos, is sent into the field to work the deception, which I will not describe.

“The Assignment” is fascinating because its characters can be believed, because there is at least a tiny nugget of truth in the story, and because from the deceptive opening credits, this is a film that creates the right world for these characters to inhabit. Sutherland’s CIA man is especially well drawn: “I don’t have any family,” he says, “and I don’t have any friends. The only people I’ve ever cared about were the ones I’ve killed.” Quinn plays a dual role, as Ramirez and Carlos, and has some tricky scenes, especially one in which a former lover of Carlos helps train him sexually so that he will be a convincing bedmate for another of the terrorist’s lovers.

The screenplay, by Dan Gordon and Sabi H. Shabtai , has action scenes that grow from the story and are not simply set pieces for their own sake. It’s impressive the way so many different story threads come together all at once near the end.

The director, Christian Duguay , is new to me. What he has is a tactile love of film, of images. He and the cinematographer, David Franco, don’t use locations so much as occupy them; we visit Jerusalem, Paris, Vienna, Washington, Tripoli and Moscow (or sets and effects that look like them) and yet the movie’s not a travelogue but a story hurtling ahead.

I have seen so many lazy thrillers. They share the same characteristics: Most of the scenes involve the overpriced star, the villain is underwritten, and the plot is merely a set-up for the special effects, the chases and the final action climax. “The Assignment” gives us ensemble work by fine actors, it has a villain of great complexity (developed through the process of imitating him), and at the end there is a tantalizing situation for us to unravel as we leave the theater.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

• Claudia Ferri as Maura Ramirez
• Aidan Quinn as Annibal Ramirez/Carlos
• Ben Kingsley as Amos
• Celine Bonnier as Carla

Directed by

• Christian Duguay
• Sabi H. Shabtai

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• THE ASSIGNMENT – Curriculum Guides and Teacher Info
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The Assignment Paperback – August 31, 2021

• Reading age 12 - 17 years
• Print length 336 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 7 - 9
• Lexile measure HL720L
• Dimensions 5.56 x 0.74 x 8.31 inches
• Publisher Ember
• Publication date August 31, 2021
• ISBN-10 0593123190
• ISBN-13 978-0593123195
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Editorial Reviews

About the author, excerpt. © reprinted by permission. all rights reserved..

Are we supposed to pretend we’re Nazis? The second Mr. Bartley turns his back to our class, I lean over to my best friend, Cade, and whisper, “What do you think?” I tap the assignment on my desk. 

He lifts his hands, palms up, mirroring my confusion. “Weird, right?” He says it a little too loudly, drawing Mr. Bartley’s attention. 

I nod, face forward, and refocus on the assignment. I read it one more time, hoping that somehow I’ve misunderstood the instructions. 

TOP-SECRET 

MEMO TO: Senior Members of the Nazi Party 

FROM: SS General Reinhard Heydrich, Chief of the Reich Main Security Office 

SUBJECT: A FINAL SOLUTION OF THE JEWISH QUESTION: Your attendance is required for this critical meeting scheduled for 20 January 1942 at the Wannsee Villa in Berlin, Germany. 

PURPOSE: As members of Hitler’s elite Nazi leadership, our purpose is to debate a Final Solution of the Jewish Question and to share perspectives on how to resolve the storage problem of Europe’s eleven million Jews. 

POSITIONS: 

Pro: Extermination 

Con: Sterilization, ghettos, work camps 

WHAT TO PREPARE FOR THE MEETING: As a Nazi, you must thoroughly research and analyze five reasons supporting your position of a Final Solution of the Jewish Question. 

a. The Nuremberg Laws 

b. Attitudes on religion and race 

c. Our policies on education, including who may attend or teach at primary and secondary schools and universities 

d. Economics, including our perspective on who has the right to own businesses and property 

e. Our leader’s stance on Darwin and survival of the fittest 

f. How to increase our superior Aryan race by exploring key ideas such as emigration expulsion, evacuation, and eradication to be judenrein (Jew-free) 

Note from Mr. Bartley: 

The Wannsee Conference was one of the most pivotal historical moments that had a destructive force on humanity in the twentieth century, one that continues to leave a profound mark on society today. As you complete the research for this assignment, it is important for you to know that the goal is not to garner support or elicit sympathy for the Nazi perspective. It is, however, imperative for you to understand the Nazi mentality, even if it makes you uncomfortable and is diametrically against your moral, ethical, and philosophical beliefs. Researching this historical meeting and your side of the debate allows you to broaden your points of view and develop critical thinking skills.

I flip the page, read through the requirements for our papers and how we’re going to be graded on the debate. My stomach somersaults. Get an A by successfully debating reasons to put Jews in gas chambers versus torture them, starve them, force them to be slave laborers for profit until they’re dead. Either way, Mr. Bartley is asking us to advocate for murder. 

Everything in my body screams, This is so wrong! But do I say it to Mr. Bartley? Looking at the other sixteen seniors in our class, I don’t see anyone other than Cade who seems uncomfortable with this assignment. 

“One more minute,” Mr. Bartley calls out. “Then I’ll answer questions.” 

I have a question. Is this a sick joke? I can’t bring myself to ask it out loud. Mr. Bartley isn’t any teacher. He’s a great teacher, my favorite teacher. 

He must have a reason why he wants us to be pretend we’re Nazis. I reread his note. It makes me more than uncomfortable. For the first time ever, I’m tempted to get out of class by asking to go to the girls’ bathroom or the nurse’s office. I could say I have a pounding headache. Thanks to this assignment, I do. 

Mr. Bartley leans against his desk, and when he notices me staring at him, his warm smile fades. I pick up my pen and trace the blood-red “TOP-SECRET” that’s stamped on top of the memo. I don’t get it. Why would Mr. Bartley want us to keep this a secret? History of World Governments is the fourth class I’ve taken with him, and we’ve never had any assignment like this. 

Soon after Mr. Bartley started teaching at Riviere High School my sophomore year, he became our most popular teacher. He has the kind of smile that makes you know you’ve been seen, that you matter. During lunch and his free periods, his room is always filled with students. I’ve liked him for bringing in guest speakers, for taking us on field trips, showing movies, and letting us decorate his papered walls with quotes, facts, and pictures for every new unit. I love to contribute quotes. He makes history exciting, interesting, and challenging. 

I run my thumbpad over the silver bracelet my cousin Blair gave me for my seventeenth birthday and wonder what she would think of this assignment. I’m tempted to take a photo and text it to her, but I don’t want to get caught with my phone and have it taken away. 

Cade’s bouncing knee catches my attention. He writes in his notebook, then flashes it at me. He’s drawn an X over “Nazi” and written, “No. Freaking. Way!”

The Allies defeated Nazi Germany during World War II. Why would I want to pretend I’m a Nazi? Mr. Bartley wants us to broaden our points of view. Really? How is it possible anyone would think murdering millions of people was okay? It’s simple. Killing is wrong. Debate over. This is ridiculous. 

Despise barely describes how I feel about this class and I have no one to blame but myself. I let Logan rope me into taking it instead of Advanced Web Design so we could spend more time together before we graduate. I look at my best friend and know it’s worth it. She’s worth it.

But this assignment? 

It fills me with dread. My grandparents grew up in Poland and lived through World War II. Grandpa was fifteen at the end of the war. Nana was fourteen. They immigrated to the United States in the late 1960s. The one time I asked Nana about her family, she smiled and said, “I have you right here.” Then she pulled me into her arms and squeezed me tight. 

A memory returns to me. I was twelve. Nana and my parents were at church, and Grandpa and I were in his workshop. The smells of linseed oil and sawdust filled the air. We were elves, making puzzles for Santa to give to children on Christmas. As we sanded the pieces we’d cut from old drawers, I asked Grandpa what his life was like when he was my age. I remember Grandpa said he didn’t like to talk about it, that lots of bad things happened in Poland during the war. His expression grew solemn. His tone was firm. “Promise me you won’t ask Nana about her childhood, either. It will only upset her,” he said. 

We kept working, but then a little while later he said, “Other than your grandma, I haven’t told another soul about my life in Poland. Not even your mom. But you’re old enough to understand, and I’m growing old.” He paused. “The story might frighten you.” 

I said I didn’t care.  

I can’t quite remember. Something about watching his Jewish neighbors being rounded up by Nazis? I buried those stories when we buried Grandpa two months later. 

Mr. Bartley plants himself in front of Logan’s center row. A murmur goes through the room as if Mr. Bartley broke a silencing spell. He holds up a palm like he’s a crossing guard halting traffic, and it’s quiet again. “Questions?” he asks. 

Logan’s hand shoots up, but then she lowers it when Mr. Bartley aims his clicker at the Smart Board and brings up the assignment. 

Kerrianne Nelson gets called on. “I’m confused. The Final Solution of the Jewish Question. Do you mean the Holocaust?” 

Mr. Bartley says, “Exactly. The Final Solution was the plan and implementation of the Holocaust.” 

“Ah, okay. I thought so.” She smiles at her boyfriend, Mason Hayes, but he’s too busy picking at a thread on his hockey jersey to notice. When she sees me looking at her, she frowns. Like most of the people at our school, I’ve known Kerrianne since kindergarten. We always got along, but for some reason when Logan moved to Riviere and joined us in eighth grade, Kerrianne stopped sitting with us at lunch and started hanging out with the hockey players. 

“Question, Spencer?” This is a surprise. Like me, Spencer Davis never raises his hand in class. If Spencer talks, it’s to his hockey teammates or to the girls he deems worthy of his time and attention. He claims to have hooked up with at least a dozen. As if. Thank everything holy Logan isn’t one of them. 

“Can we get extra credit for dressing up for the debate?” 

I turn around to see if he’s serious. Oh yeah. Dead serious. 

Mr. Bartley says, “Although I appreciate your desire for authenticity, Spencer, that does not extend to dress. No uniforms for this debate.” 

Someone whispers, “Damn.” I glance around, but I can’t figure out who it was. 

“Excuse me, Mr. Bartley--” Logan breaks off when Mr. Bartley calls on someone else. 

He answers a question about citing sources, then another on the structure of our papers that are due the same day as the debate. Moving over to his desk, Mr. Bartley grabs a paper bag and shakes it. He says, “Each of you will draw a number--either a one or two. Call it out after you pick. Mason, you start.” 

When it’s my turn, I mumble, “One.” Logan says, “Two.” 

“All the ones will take the pro side. Twos will take con,” Mr. Bartley says. “You may work together to create your platform, but your paper must be your own. Your arguments should be based on the Wannsee Conference held on January 20, 1942. A week from this coming Monday we’ll transform our room into the Wannsee Villa and hold our own top-secret Nazi conference to debate how to handle the biggest threat to the Aryan race--the Jew.” 

The Jew. The way he said it makes my skin crawl. 

Mr. Bartley advances to the next PowerPoint slide. “These were the fifteen Nazi men who came together to address how to handle the storage problem of Europe’s eleven million Jews. Adolf Eichmann is in the center because he was instrumental in implementing the Final Solution. He oversaw the deportation of Jews from their homes to ghettos to death camps. Tomorrow, we’ll watch the movie Conspiracy, which reenacts the meeting with these men.” 

Men? More like monsters, I think. 

“The movie will be a good resource, but I highly recommend you get a jump start tonight on your research to support your arguments.” 

“But they--they’re . . . Nazis,” Logan stammers without raising her hand. 

Mr. Bartley’s stern expression cautions her not to speak out of turn again. “Yes, and your job is to understand their mentality. I know re-creating this debate is a challenge, but history is filled with many horrors and this is an impactful way to learn. Experience is always a great teacher.” Mr. Bartley smiles. “Unless you’d rather memorize dates and facts and take multiple-choice tests like I had to in my boring high school history classes.” 

The room erupts with groans and “No thank yous.” 

Once again, Mr. Bartley raises a hand to quiet us down. “All right then. Back to the Wannsee Conference.” He goes through several more slides. My eyes meet Logan’s, and then hers dart over my shoulder. 

She gasps. I twist in my seat to see why Logan’s freaked out and my mouth drops open.

Jesse Elton stands and snaps his feet together. He lifts his right arm and salutes like a Nazi. “Heil Hitler,” he calls out. 

Several people laugh, and Jesse gives them an appreciative grin. Cade’s stunned expression matches mine. Does everyone else find that funny? I look around. Revulsion flashes across Daniel Riggs’s face, but it disappears so quickly that I question whether it was there to begin with. 

Spencer holds out his fist to Jesse, then mimics the salute and says, “Seig Heil. Hail victory.” 

This can’t be happening here, in my favorite class with my favorite teacher. 

And just as I wonder if Mr. Bartley is going to do something, he walks over to Spencer and Jesse. His tone is sharp as a blade cutting through metal. “Those actions are inappropriate. This isn’t a joke and you are never to make light of the Nazi salute and the hate it represents. I expect you to take this assignment seriously.” 

Jesse drops his gaze, but not his smirk. Spencer shrugs his shoulders and looks at Mason, the RHS varsity hockey team captain and my biggest rival for valedictorian. Jesse and Spencer are his guys, his teammates, and for one second I hold out hope that maybe Mason will be the leader he’s supposed to be, to say something, do something--even a look of disapproval. But he’s not looking at them. He’s not looking at anyone. He’s picking at a stupid thread on his jersey. 

Another teammate, Reginald Ashford, however, shoots daggers from across the room at Spencer and Jesse. The muscle in his jaw tics. He’s pissed. Good. There’s always been a bit of a rivalry between Mason and Reg, and now I can’t help but think Reg should have been team captain instead of the coach’s son. 

And then there’s Spencer. He shrugs his shoulders when he sees me glaring at him. Disgusted, I turn back in my seat. It hardly matters that Mr. Bartley reprimanded them. This assignment is a green light for these guys to act like Nazis. I don’t know if I’m more disappointed with Mr. Bartley or with Spencer and Jesse. Definitely Mr. Bartley. I don’t get why he thinks it’s a good idea to promote fascism by having us do an immoral debate. 

Mr. Bartley says, “Let me be clear. I am not asking you to be sympathetic to the Nazis. Quite the opposite. This is a serious examination of a historical event. Let’s learn from this moment and remember to be respectful.” He looks pointedly at Jesse and Spencer. 

“By examining these perspectives, this assignment gives you the opportunity to discuss and present a topic that will force you out of your comfort zone. Why is this important? It’s important because there will be plenty of times in your life when you’ll be in a situation where people will express ideas existentially and philosophically opposed to your own. It happens every day on the internet. You’ll face it on your college campuses.” Mr. Bartley looks at me. “The point is to understand all sides and be prepared to debate. I promise, after you complete this work, you’ll have a better grasp on how to create and present compelling arguments.” 

“But, Mr. Bartley--” 

He goes all traffic cop on me and I close my mouth. “Let me finish, Logan.”

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ember (August 31, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593123190
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593123195
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 - 17 years
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ HL720L
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 9
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.56 x 0.74 x 8.31 inches
• #74 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Values & Virtues (Books)
• #217 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Prejudice & Racism
• #856 in Teen & Young Adult Social Issues

About the author

Liza m. wiemer.

Liza Wiemer is an award-winning educator. She is the author of two adult non-fiction books and has contributed four short stories to the NYTBS Small Miracles Series. Her debut YA novel, HELLO?, was named a Goodreads Best YA Book of the Month. THE ASSIGNMENT has received 11 honors, including being named a Sydney Taylor Notable Book.

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Customers find the book a great novel on the importance of standing against all types of racism. They also say the premise grabbed them right away and the story is immensely relatable to current times. Readers also say there are many opportunities for an intense discussion about how this situation can be resolved. They say the book is an excellent starting point for a discussion on racism, and a fast-paced plot.

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Customers find the writing style very well written, interesting, and beautifully crafted. They also say it's a must read for every person.

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"I could not put this book down! In addition to being written beautifully , the author, Liza Wiemer, takes the readers on a courageous moral journey...." Read more

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The Wild True Story of  Fight Night : How the $1 Million Heist Actually Went Down amid Muhammad Ali's 1970 Comeback

Peacock's show 'Fight Night' brings to light the armed robbery that left a lasting impact on Atlanta

Parrish Lewis/PEACOCK

Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist , Peacock’s latest drama, has garnered significant attention for its star-studded cast and gripping narrative.

The series, which premiered on Sept. 5, is based on the infamous 1970 armed robbery that took place on the night of Muhammad Ali ’s historic comeback fight. As the trailer cues viewers in, it proclaims, “Based on some s--- that really happened.”

Inspired by the iHeartRadio podcast of the same name, the show explores how the robbery at a lavish post-fight party not only shook the city of Atlanta but also contributed to its transformation into a major hub for Black culture and prosperity.

“This is a high-level Black project with a lot of resources,” showrunner Shaye Ogbonna told the Los Angeles Times in September 2024. “It’s important that the story is told correctly and accurately. You don’t get a lot of opportunities like this.”

The work features an ensemble cast, including Kevin Hart as Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams, Samuel L. Jackson as crime boss Frank Moten and Don Cheadle as J.D. Hudson, one of Atlanta's first Black detectives.

But how much of Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is true? Here’s everything to know about the real-life events that inspired the show.

Is Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist a true story?

Yes, Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is a true story.

In conversation with Georgia Public Broadcasting in August 2024, executive producer Will Packer, who also produced the iHeartRadio podcast, spoke of the almost stranger-than-fiction element of the real 1970 heist that captured his attention.

“Oftentimes you're getting pitched things by writers, and they're just making up things that aren't even as crazy and absurd as what happened in this story,” he said. “So for this to be true, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is an incredible narrative.’ ”

What happened on the night of Muhammad Ali's comeback fight?

The real-life events that inspired Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist took place on Oct. 26, 1970, when Ali made his highly anticipated return to boxing in a match against Jerry Quarry. The fight was both a major sporting event and a cultural moment, drawing celebrities and high-profile individuals from across the country.

After the fight, a private afterparty hosted by Chicken Man would become the site of one of Atlanta's most notorious crimes. According to the Fight Night podcast, Chicken Man wanted the special event to be “just like Vegas,” and the house was set up like a casino, complete with gambling tables and a bar.

The guest list was exclusive but far-reaching, with engraved invitations sent to destinations like New York City. When the festivities began that fall evening, the 200 attendees included prominent figures and well-known Atlanta hustlers like Moten, the so-called "Black Godfather."

The celebration, however, was interrupted by a group of masked men armed with sawed-off shotguns. The partygoers, many of whom were gangsters and high-profile personalities, were forced down into the basement and made to lie on the floor as the robbers systematically cleaned out their pockets.

Even Moten’s bodyguards, who were known to be heavily armed, were left vulnerable when their weapons were taken away. Despite the tension, no shots were fired.

According to the podcast, the robbers had cased the place in the days leading up to the event, making their attack swift. Guests were left empty-handed as they watched the robbers make off with an estimated $1 million in cash, jewelry and other valuables, per The Atlanta Journal-Constitution .

The robbery stunned everyone, and though many suspected Chicken Man's involvement due to his ownership of the house, he maintained he was as much a victim as anyone else.

Who was Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams?

Fernando Decillis/PEACOCK

Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams, portrayed by Hart in the series, was a well-known figure in Atlanta’s underground scene, was a hustler with connections to the city’s criminal network and the legitimate business community.

Following the robbery, Chicken Man was suspected of masterminding the plan. The investigation by Atlanta police that followed put him in the crosshairs of both law enforcement and the criminal underworld. Despite the suspicion, Chicken Man maintained his innocence.

What happened to the suspects after the heist?

Eli Joshua Ade/PEACOCK

Investigating the case was J.D. Hudson, one of the first Black detectives on Atlanta’s desegregated police force.

Ultimately, two men, McKinley Rogers Jr. and James Henry Hall, were indicted on armed robbery charges. However, their real names were James H. Jackson and James Ebo, respectively. But before they could stand trial, both men were shot in the Bronx in May 1971, just months after the heist.

The New York Times reported that they were gunned down in their stolen Cadillac, with loaded guns, fake IDs and cash found in the vehicle.

Despite the deaths of the primary suspects, the mystery surrounding Chicken Man’s involvement persisted. While it was believed that Chicken Man had been killed shortly after the heist in what was thought to be a contract hit, later revelations suggested otherwise.

In an interview for the Fight Night podcast, Hudson revealed that Chicken Man had actually survived and built a new life as a pastor.

How accurate is Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist ?

getty; Eli Joshua Ade/PEACOCK)

The key events of the show — the lavish afterparty, robbery, investigation and transformation of Atlanta — were heavily influenced by real-life events. However, when talking to Georgia Public Broadcasting, Packer noted that telling the story in an eight-part series afforded them “room to stretch the narrative.”

Still, showrunner Ogbonna explained to the outlet that the essence of the narrative was crucial to get right in terms of Atlanta’s emergence as a hub for Black culture.

“This was Atlanta's coming out party,” she said. “It gave us the opportunity to tell this amazing story about this amazing city from this uniquely African-American perspective.”

Packer also shared that one of the most significant moments during production was when Chicken Man’s family visited the set.

“One of the biggest compliments that we got throughout this process was when we had the family of Chicken Man come to set and see everything that we created and get immersed in the environment and tell us, ‘You guys got this right,’ ” he recalled. “That's the biggest compliment that you can have. That was huge.”

Actor Jackson also played a critical role in ensuring the accuracy of the period depicted in the show. 

“Sam has an Atlanta connection,” Ogbonna told the Los Angeles Times . “Having him around was like having a historian on set. He got married in the church around the corner from where Chicken Man’s party was.”

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The True Story Behind the Bombing of Tokyo in 'Pachinko'

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Apple TV+’s Pachinko revels in its historical setting , using real historical events to provide a fertile backdrop for its characters to embark on their journeys. Back for Season 2 , the Korean-Japanese multilingual historical drama , helmed by The Outlaws ’ Soo Hugh , will continue the saga of Sunja ( Kim Min-Ha / Youn Yuh-jung ) and her family through a turbulent time in history. So far, the series has already incorporated major historical events, such as the occupation of Korea by Japan and the Great Kantō earthquake of 1923 , into its storyline. With Pachinko Season 2’s premiere episode taking the audience back to Japan during World War II , the Apple TV+ series is preparing its audience for another historic and shocking event that has often been ignored by the mainstream — the 1945 Tokyo firebombing.

'Pachinko' Looks at a Forgotten Chapter of World War II History

Episode 1 of Season 2 picks up Sunja’s (Kim Min-ha) story from the same market where she was seen selling Kimchi to provide sustenance for her family. A few minutes later, leaflets are dropped by American planes asking Japanese citizens to request their government to end the war. Later scenes also capture Sunja and her family members being trained through military drills to fight against American invaders. The episode witnesses Sunja escaping jail time by a narrow margin after Hansu ( Lee Min-ho ) intervenes using his connections. After coming across Hansu for the first time since her departure from her hometown of Yeongdo in Busan, Sunja is warned by Hansu about the bombing of the entire city — something that Sunja and others living in Japan have been hearing about for a long time. However, Hansu confirms that this time the Americans will actually carpet-bomb the entire city, leaving everything in its way to burn. After Hansu helps Sunja's husband Isak ( Steve Sang-Hyun Noh ) get out of jail, Isak dies right as the bombings begin in Episode 3 of Season 2, setting the stage for the single most destructive bombing raid in human history to unfold.

What Is Operation Meetinghouse?

Codenamed Operation Meetinghouse, the bombing raids launched by the United States Army Air Forces on Tokyo on the night of 9th and 10th March 1945 were the deadliest bombing raid in history . According to CNN , an estimated 100,000 lives were lost , and another million (mostly civilians) were injured as a result of the firebombing raid on Tokyo. The massacre was carried out by long-range B-29 Superfortress bombers with advanced capabilities. The bombers deployed incendiary bombs with flammable substances which proved to be especially devastating to wooden Japanese infrastructure. The bombings were part of a series of planned attacks , which initially targeted clustered industrial centers but eventually included cities with significant civilian populations.

Before the night of 9th March 1945, Americans had made previous attempts to attack Tokyo via air raids. The raids on Tokyo first began with the Doolittle Raid, which came in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, according to U.S. Department of Defense archives. As per reports by PBS , the Doolittle raid caused limited damage to Japan although it helped strengthen the spirit of the United States after the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor . Naturally, the capital city, Tokyo, was on the radar of the United States, but the long distances that the bombers had to embark upon were an issue. The acquisition of the islands near Japan and the introduction of the B-29 bombers eventually made the US plans to attack Tokyo a reality . According to CNN , the B-29 bombers were originally put into action to attack Germany from the continental US if Britain were to fall to Hitler’s forces.

The Bombings Were Meticulously Planned To Destroy Tokyo

The first bombing raids on Tokyo using B-29 bombers started in November 1944. Initially targeting industrial factories assisting Tokyo, the early B-29 missions were failures (via CNN). The failures led to the entry of Major General Curtis LeMay , who then went on to design the Tokyo firebombing on 9th and 10th March 1945. Soon, the Twentieth Air Force, under the command of LeMay, adopted the strategy of area bombing, shifting from its earlier strategy of precision bombing that had largely failed to yield results. On February 25, 1945, over 172 B-29 bombers raided Tokyo, destroying more than 28,000 buildings. According to “The Pacific: Matterhorn to Nagasaki,” LeMay had proved that large-scale firebombing could hurt Japan in the way he wanted.

With the effectiveness of precision bombing in question and area bombing yielding significantly better results, the plan for the bombing on 9th and 10th March was materialized by LeMay. As per CNN , new tactics were adopted for this particular raid . The bombers were to fly lower than their usual altitudes of 30,000 feet, and the Twentieth Air Force were asked to ditch their regular formations. The dry weather conditions only assisted the plans put forth by LeMay and XXI Bomber Command of the United States Army Air Forces (via The National World War II Museum ). Finally, on the evening of March 9, 1945, the deadly B-29 bombers set course for Tokyo .

'Pachinko' Season 2 Isn't Focusing Enough on What Makes It Great

'Pachinko' has always been far more interesting when exploring the past.

The Tokyo Bombings of 1945 Dwarfs Hiroshima and Nagasaki

CNN reports that the B-29s unloaded 500,000 M-69 bombs over Tokyo between 1:30 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. on March 10. The Japanese air defenses were found helpless against the attack of the B-29s wreaking havoc on Tokyo. “For a child who did not know the true meaning of death or fear, March 10 was my first experience of that,” recalled then 12-year-old Katsumoto Saotome to The New York Times . Another survivor, Haruyo Nihei , remembered, “Babies were burning on the backs of parents.” The widespread fire went quickly beyond the control of the firemen. According to Business Insider , the death toll exceeded the numbers massacred by the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings later that year. An area of 15.8 square miles was turned to ash by Operation Meetinghouse. The raids continued throughout Tokyo in April and May. Nagoya, Osaka, and Kobe were firebombed, resulting in thousands of casualties and making the B-29 base at North Field on the island of Tinian the busiest airport in the world.

With over 100,000 dead and a million injured and displaced, the Tokyo firebombing yielded one of the most deadly outcomes of World War II . For years, the former director at the Center of the Tokyo Raid and War Damages, Saotome, has been trying to raise concerns about the lack of awareness around the deadly bombings while calling out the Japanese government’s own role in enabling the tragedy (via New York Times ). Pachinko has done justice to this part of World War II history in its second season. Although the bombing in itself is only an inciting incident in the book, the Apple TV+ series has been committed to highlighting the ruthless nature of historical injustice that existed and continues to exist in various forms.

New episodes of Pachinko Season 2 are available to stream every Friday on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

Based on the New York Times bestseller, this sweeping saga chronicles the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant family across four generations as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive and thrive.

Watch on Apple TV+

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