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THE BARN BURNER

Name: THE BARN BURNER
Author: Patricia Willis
ISBN: 0-395-98409-2

by Patricia Willis ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 17, 2000

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In this compelling, well-written historical novel, peopled with beautifully realized characters, Willis (Danger Along the Ohio, 1997, etc.) explores the themes of finding oneself, of friendship, and of the true meaning of family and home. Set in Ohio in 1933, it tells of 14-year-old Ross Cooper, who has seemingly been banished from home after a violent confrontation with his abusive father. Awakening one morning in a burning barn, Ross is seen running from the blaze by two men and is naturally assumed to be the perpetrator. Worse still, he believes he will thus be suspected in a series of mysterious barn burnings that have recently beset the region. On the road once again, he meets a kind family, the Warfields. After helping them push their heavily laden cart out of a muddy rut, he is invited to stay with them. At first Ross demurs, but he soon realizes the offer provides a welcome way for him to experience family life again and to hide while he attempts to root out the real criminal. The novel thus seamlessly takes on the elements of a mystery. With the help of newfound friends and his new family, who believe in his innocence and have grown to love him, Ross eventually—albeit unwittingly at first—uncovers the identity of the true arsonist. This is a terrifying scene as he and the younger Warfield children almost perish in yet another fire set by the man. Readers will long remember this scene as well as the heart-wrenching decision that Ross makes at the conclusion of the novel. Worthy. (Fiction. 10-14)

Pub Date: April 17, 2000

ISBN: 0-395-98409-2

Page Count: 208

Publisher: Clarion Books

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2000

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HISTORICAL FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
DANGER ALONG THE OHIO
by Patricia Willis

- BOOK REVIEW
OUT OF THE STORM
by Patricia Willis

- BOOK REVIEW
A PLACE TO CLAIM AS HOME
by Patricia Willis

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THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE

by Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 8, 2024

A rich, enthralling historical mystery that engages and educates.

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Siblings decode familial and wartime secrets in 1940 England.

Headstrong 14-year-old Lizzie Novis refuses to believe that her mother, a U.S. embassy clerk who was working in Poland, is dead. After fleeing from her grandmother—who’s attempting to bring her back to America—Lizzie locates her 19-year-old brother, Jakob, a Cambridge mathematician who’s stationed at the clandestine British intelligence site called Bletchley Park. Hiding from her grandmother’s estate steward, Lizzie becomes a messenger at Bletchley Park, ferrying letters across the grounds while Jakob attempts to both break the ciphers generated by the German Enigma machines and help his sister face the reality of their mother’s likely fate. With a suspicious MI5 agent inquiring about Mum and clues and codes piling up, the siblings, whose late father was “Polish Jewish British,” eventually decipher the truth. Shared narrative duties between the siblings effectively juxtapose the measured Jakob with the spirited Lizzie. Lizzie’s directness is repeatedly attributed to her being “half American,” which proves tiresome, but Jakob’s development from reserved to risk-tolerant provides welcome nuance. The authors introduce and carefully explain a variety of decoding methodologies, inspiring readers to attempt their own. A thoughtful and entertaining historical note identifies the key figures who appear in the book, such as Alan Turing, as well as the real-life bases for the fictional characters. Interspersed photos and images of ephemera help situate the narrative’s time period.

A rich, enthralling historical mystery that engages and educates. (Historical mystery. 10-14)