THE ASSIGNMENT

High school seniors and best friends Logan and Cade are asked to defend the indefensible as part of a history assignment; they refuse.

Logan and Cade are not Jewish, but when their history teacher, Mr. Bartley, gives them an assignment in which they are to take on the role of Nazis and reenact the Wannsee Conference of 1942, each taking a side of the “debate” about the Final Solution, they protest. This is not a debate at all but a dehumanizing discussion about the extermination of the Jewish people. Narrated from the perspectives of several different characters, the novel tells a fictionalized story based on the actions of two New York state teens who stood against their teacher, principal, and, eventually, their school district with the help of their families and community. Despite abrupt, sometimes confusing point-of-view switches and somewhat wordy prose, this fast-paced novel will keep readers thoroughly engaged and eager to learn the resolution, rooting for Logan and Cade the whole way. The book contains a small element of romance as well as some references to sexual assault and physical abuse. The book also depicts anti-Semitic actions and related hate crimes. Main characters are assumed to be cisgender, white, and straight. There is diversity among the secondary characters, including one queer character.

An important plot-driven story about two teens who stand up for what’s right in the face of adversity.