FIRE IN THE HILLS

A powerful sequel to the superb Stones in Water (1997), this continues the story of Roberto, trying to get back home to Venice after wretched experiences at the hands of the Nazis. Now 14, he has made it back to Italy, only to find his homeland split in two: the republic aligned with the Allies, and the Fascist dictatorship headed by Mussolini and aligned with the Nazis. And as the people become more desperate, more and more join the partigiani. At first, his single-minded quest was to go home, but in a satisfying growth of character, he joins the partisans, and through his involvement, readers will see the horrors of war and the valiant sacrifices made by ordinary citizens. Though there is a bit much of retelling the first novel, thus breaking the spell of this entry, it’s a strong, action-packed ode to the Italian resistance movement and, as such, a side of WWII that will fascinate readers. A good match with Barbara Harrison’s Theo (1999). (Historical fiction. 12-15)