sydney taylor awardwinning novel berlin boxing club is loosely inspired by the true story of boxer max schmelings experiences following kristallnachtkarl stern has never thought of himself as a jew but the bullies at his school in naziera berlin dont care that karl has never been in a synagogue or that his family doesnt practice religion demoralized by attacks on a heritage he doesnt accept as his own karl longs to prove his worthso when max schmeling champion boxer and german national hero makes a deal with karls father to give karl boxing lessons a skilled cartoonist karl has never had an interest in boxing but now it seems like the perfect chance to reinvent himselfbut when nazi violence against jews escalates karl must take on a new role protector of his family and as maxs fame forces him to associate with hitler and other nazi elites karl begins to wonder where his heros sympathies truly lie can karl balance his dream of boxing greatness with his obligation to keep his family out of harms wayincludes an authors note and sources page detailing the factual inspirations behind the novelsupports the common core state standards