Viroqua Library Book Talk: Squirrel Is Alive – A Teenager in the Belgian Resistance and French Underground

April 1, 2025

The McIntosh Memorial Library is proud to host a special book talk on Squirrel Is Alive, the memoir of Mary Rostad, a courageous young Belgian resistance fighter during World War II. At just sixteen, Mary joined the fight against the Nazis, serving as a courier in Belgium and France, transporting vital documents and supplies while evading capture. Her story is one of immense bravery and resilience, providing a powerful reflection on the impact of resistance in the face of tyranny.

Mary Rostad will be joined by Darryle Clott, a retired educator and founder of the Midwest Holocaust Education Consortium, and David Nelson, a dedicated language arts teacher at Westby Area High School, to discuss the memoir and its historical significance.

Mary, who operated under the code name “Squirrel,” also worked in counterintelligence at General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Frankfurt headquarters. She is the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for her extraordinary contributions.