It is 17th-century Spain, the time of the Inquisition, and 11-year-old Manuel Nuñez has just learned a shocking secret from his parents: They are Jews. Having fled Portugal, the family, nominally “New Christians,” live in terrible fear that their true religious convictions, practiced in tightly guarded secrecy, will be discovered. The novel, translated from the original Hebrew, does a good job of capturing the time and the dread, though a lot of explanation slows the pace. Jews caught practicing their faith were subject to severe punishment or death by fire. Complicating matters is Manuel’s growing bond with the mysterious girl next door; his Christian tutor’s almost-love affair with Manuel’s sister; and Manuel’s feeling compelled to join a local gang to hide his identity. The story moves along and ends happily with the Nuñez family escaping by sea to more tolerant Holland. Readers will feel the injustice of Manuel’s and the other Jews’ plight, but characterization isn’t skillfully handled—some actors in the drama seem mere types—and dialogue and Manuel’s first-person narration are clipped and often seem unrealistic. (Fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-58013-253-4
Page Count: 200
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2007
The Touro Synagogue of Newport, Rhode Island, is the oldest Jewish house of worship in the US; Fisher traces its history and details the design and construction of the beautiful two-story Georgian-style building, describing “the quietness of the building’s exterior, its gentleness” which “belied the tormented history of its congregants, resolute in their beliefs.” Constructed from 1759—1763, the synagogue was the focus of President George Washington’s comments in 1790 that “the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.” This well-documented history will remind readers that the US was settled by people of many faiths who were united in their “search for freedom and peace of mind.” (photos and reproductions, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: Feb. 15, 1999
ISBN: 0-8234-1401-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1999
It’s hard for most US readers to imagine what it is like to grow up amid ongoing violence, but that is what Liam’s life has been in Belfast. However, this 11-year-old’s family life, school, and dreams will be known to children everywhere. After providing an overview of “the Troubles,” McMahon movingly describes the conditions of Liam’s existence: a Catholic, he has never known a Protestant—“peace walls” separate the Catholic and Protestant sections of Belfast. On his way to school, Liam passes buildings with large messages painted on them: “Brits Out,” or “No Surrender.” Family and school conversations often include passing references to a bomb going off. O’Connor’s full-color photographs show all the aspects of Liam’s life, including his training for a boxing match; the boy loses, but rather than believe that the judges ruled against him because of where he’s from, he quotes a rule he has learned—“We win, or we lose. Then we go on.” This book provides a realistic glimpse of a place where peace has taken a fragile hold, and offers a reminder that the dreams of children can flourish amid misery. (map) (Nonfiction. 7-12)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-395-68620-2
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
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