A fine story of war, friendship, and taking a stand against injustice.
The Nazis have occupied France, and Marcel Christophe’s world is suddenly full of mysteries.
It’s 1942, and 12-year-old Marcel and his parents hate the German Occupation and the changes it has brought to their little town of Aucoin—the presence of soldiers, rationing, and shortages of food and gas. Now, since the Nazis have invaded the Free Zone, the streets have even more soldiers, and as it turns out, Marcel’s new friend, Delphine Gilette, and her family are in danger when it’s discovered that they are Jewish. Marcel makes frequent bread deliveries from his parents’ bakery on his bicycle, and when he discovers a note hidden in a loaf, he begins to realize that his parents are part of the Resistance. Their undercover work now must include helping Delphine and her family. “Why is your family doing all this?” she asks Marcel. “Because we have to. It’s the right thing to do. We can’t just give in to…them. We can’t,” he replies. McDonough’s third-person narrative tells Marcel’s story in simple, straightforward prose, seamlessly incorporating historical detail, including information about Marcel’s passion, the Tour de France.
A fine story of war, friendship, and taking a stand against injustice. (historical notes, glossary, further reading) (Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-85095-7
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
A suspenseful fantasy quest driven by social themes.
In this follow-up to 2022’s Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston, aspiring knight Callie grapples with right and wrong as their kingdom prepares for war.
After Callie defeated Chancellor Peran, they thought Helston would become a more welcoming kingdom. Under the queen’s new decrees, anyone can train for knighthood or study magic regardless of gender. The rules may have changed, but people still fear magic. Even without Peran’s influence, the council pressures Queen Ewella to make Crown Prince Willow conform to their standards of masculinity—they are determined to push Helston backward. Meanwhile, a war with the evil dragons and witches of Dumoor looms on the horizon. All Callie wants is to protect their people, but when tragedy strikes, fear and prejudice turn the entire city, including the queen, against Callie and their family. Forced to flee to protect their friends, Callie joins forces with an unexpected ally and begins to question everything they know about dragons and good and evil. This fast-paced sequel confronts complex topics, including abuse, trauma, and unlearning bias. Although the messaging in Callie’s ruminations lacks subtlety at times, the story encourages critical thinking. Gender identity and self-expression remain significant themes as well. Exciting plot twists and a cliffhanger ending heighten anticipation for the next entry. Most central characters read white; the wider world around them includes racial diversity.
A suspenseful fantasy quest driven by social themes. (author’s note, map) (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9780593485811
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Labyrinth Road
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Readers will find a powerful window into the past and, unfortunately, a way-too-accurate mirror of the present.
A quiet but stirring historical novel about the awkward, thrilling, and often painful moments that make middle school a pivotal time.
It’s 1971, and best friends Jamila, Josie, and Francesca are excited to start seventh grade. But when their school district decides to bus the students in their northern Queens neighborhood to a middle school in predominantly black southern Queens in an attempt to desegregate New York City schools, their trio threatens to fall apart. Though their multicultural identities in a predominantly white neighborhood have united them in the past—Jamila is white and Bajan, Josie is Latinx and Jamaican, Francesca is black and white—their families’ and community’s divisions over the new policy chip away at their camaraderie. Along with all of the usual adolescent milestones, including first love, juggling old friendships and new, and moments of burgeoning independence from parents, Budhos deftly explores the tensions that pulled at the seams of the fraught and divided city during this time. Jamila’s narration is thoughtful, capturing the growing pains of seventh grade and the injustices, big and small, that young adolescents face. She portrays with nuance the ways multiracial identities, socio-economic status, microaggressions, and interracial relationships can impact and shape identity.
Readers will find a powerful window into the past and, unfortunately, a way-too-accurate mirror of the present. (Historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-553-53422-1
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Wendy Lamb/Random
Review Posted Online: May 25, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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