Disguised by Rita De Clercq Zubli

Disguised - A War Time Memoir by Rita De Clercq Zubli

Growing up during any kind of war can be very difficult, but Rita’s family made the most of it even though they were living in the Dutch West Indies during World War II. Their family was very close which is always good and even when they were separated, the hope they hung onto until their next meeting was amazing. For fear of what the Japanese soldiers would do to a young girl for ‘fun’, Rita’s father guided her in cutting her hair and becoming a boy for the rest of the war. She transformed herself into Rick. Though at the time, that was difficult for her, the experiences and trials following were even more taxing. She was able to overcome many dangers, but she also felt all the blows of war. Will her deception put her in a position no other girl could have in the presence of Japanese officials? But, is that what she wants, to serve her enemies?

All books have reasons for being written, some of which are to entertain, to share historical knowledge, to scare you out of your nerves, and to inspire you. Rita’s true story has a little bit of all those things. All teens and pre-teens struggle with at least one problem they think can’t be fixed and many authors write to directly address those issues. This book, wasn’t written for those specific reasons, but covered them. Rita’s strength and bravery to fight for what she wanted, what was right, and what was best for her family really helped me out with some things I have been dealing with and I think they will help and inspire others as well.