THE LITTLE RIDERS

The mechanical horseback riders on the church clock, who met and passed each other every hour, fascinated Johanna, a young American who had lived in the small Holland village with her grandparents for four years. During WW II, when German soldiers invaded the town, Johanna is forced to give up her attic room to one of them. The attempt of Johanna to hide the little riders (which are valuable antiques), from the Nazis, leads to her silent friendship with the German boarder. The unusual relationship is realistically established in the brief, well plotted story which has more depth than many published for this age group.