BORDERLANDS AND THE MEXICAN AMERICAN STORY (Race to the Truth), by David Dorado Romo, Crown Books for Young Readers, Aug. 20, 2024, Paperback, $8.99 (ages 10 and up)

Learn the story of our country from the Mexican American perspective in Borderlands and the Mexican American Story, by David Dorado Romo.

The Mexican American story is usually carefully presented as a story of immigrants: migrants crossing borders, drawn to the promise of a better life. In reality, Mexicans were on this land long before any borders existed. Their culture and practices shaped the Southwestern part of this country, in spite of relentless attempts by white colonizers and settlers to erase them.

From missions and the Alamo to muralists, revolutionaries, and teen activists, this is the true story of the Mexican American experience. —Synopsis provided by Crown Books for Young Readers

More often than not, American history is told through a “white” lens. The problem is, America is not just a white country. It’s a blend of peoples and cultures of diverse skin tones, and by ignoring the past, it’s hard to understand the struggles of today.

Borderlands and the Mexican Story is part of Crown Books for Young Readers’ excellent Race to the Truth series. The series “Tells the true history of America from the perspective of different communities. Each book tells the story of our country from its very beginning to present. These books correct common falsehoods and achievements. They encourage readers to ask questions and approach new information thoughtfully.” Other books in the series include Exclusion and the Chinese American Story;  Colonization and the Wampanoag Story; and Slavery and the African American Story.

Author David Dorado Romo grew up and lived on the border between the US and Mexico. This provided him with a first-hand perspective when writing Borderlands and the Mexican Story. The book begins with native migrations before there were borders and moves through Spanish colonization in the Southwest and the Mexican American War. Romo focuses on the Mexican Revolution and the ethnic cleansing of brown America. Following WWII came the rise of the Chicano movement and the Hispanic decade before more recent issues surrounding the border.

Borderlands and the Mexican Story is expertly researched. Romo’s writing is clear and accessible. And black-and white images as well as information boxes help break up the text. This book would make an excellent supplement for public or homeschool classes.

About the author:

David Dorado Romo is a writer, translator, musician, and historian from the American southwest. He is a “fronterizo,” a person who grew up and lived on the border between the United States and Mexico. Steeped in the fronterizo spirit that strongly defines the attitudes of the U.S.-Mexico border region, Romo conducted a four-year search to document the important history of the area. The book that resulted from his work, Ringside Seat to a Revolution: An Underground Cultural History of ElPaso and Juarez, 1893-1923, “is a vital historical work for the Southwest,” commented Sergio Troncoso in the El Paso Times.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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PEARL: A Graphic Novel, by Sherri L. Smith and Christine Norrie, Graphix, Aug. 20, 2024, Paperback $11.99 (ages 10 and up)

A Japanese-American girl must survive years of uncertainty and questions of loyalty in Hiroshima during World War II in Pearl, a graphic novel by Sherri L. Smith and Christine Norrie.

Amy is a 13-year-old Japanese-American girl who lives in Hawaii. When her great-grandmother falls ill, Amy travels to visit family in Hiroshima for the first time. But this is 1941.

When the Japanese navy attacks Pearl Harbor, it becomes impossible for Amy to return to Hawaii. Conscripted into translating English radio transmissions for the Japanese army, Amy struggles with questions of loyalty and fears about her family amidst rumors of internment camps in America — even as she makes a new best friend and, over the years, Japan starts to feel something like home.

 Torn between two countries at war, Amy must figure out where her loyalties lie and, in the face of unthinkable tragedy, find hope in the rubble of a changed world. —Synopsis provided by Graphix

I received an advanced copy of Pearl earlier this summer, and my daughter took it with her on a weeklong camping trip. She had five books with her, but she read and reread Pearl at least 16 times (that’s what she says!).

Why did she read it so many times?

“Because it had a good story,” my daughter told me. “I like how the character improves over each year in Japan. And… I like that she almost explodes.”

She has two favorite parts. The end where it says “Life is a treasure… thrive.”  She also liked how Amy is known as many things — a monitor for the Japanese Imperial Army; an atomic bomb survivor; a daughter; a sister; a cousin; a friend.

Pearl “shows the struggles of real people and war conflict,” she explained. “The illustrations are really good. The artist is really creative. I like how she put many different pictures into one panel.”

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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CODE NAME KINGFISHER, by Liz Kessler, Aladdin, May 7, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 8-12)

A teen learns about her grandmother’s life in Nazi-occupied holland while doing research for a school project in Code Name Kingfisher, by Liz Kessler.

Thirteen-year-old Liv’s beloved ninety-two-year-old grandmother, Oma, is moving into a home where she can be cared for as her dementia worsens. As Liv helps her father empty Oma’s house, she finds an old chest which opens up a whole world that Liv never knew about: the hidden world of Oma’s childhood.

Through the letters and other mementos, Liv learns that Oma, given name Mila, had a sister, Eva, that no one in Liv’s family ever knew about. In 1942, Mila and Eva are sent away from their parents to a non-Jewish family so they will survive the war. Twelve-year-old Mila believes that they will soon be reunited with their parents and go back to their normal lives, but fourteen-year-old Eva knows better, and soon gets involved in the Resistance. Eva takes on more and more dangerous assignments until a betrayal forces her to decide between running away with her sister or fully committing to mission. Tragedy strikes, and Mila goes to England on her own to restart her life from scratch, vowing never to talk about her childhood again.

In the present day, Liv reads how Mila builds something new from the shattered pieces of her childhood while giving beloved Oma all the support she can. Both Liv and Mila grapple with loyalty, family, and love as they discover what it means to be brave and go above and beyond to offer someone else a life of dignity, happiness, and freedom. —Synopsis provided by Aladdin

Code Name Kingfisher is the story of family and the bonds that reach through generations. The story unfolds through alternating time periods/points of view. While Liv’s story is interesting, it’s Mila and Eva’s stories that are the most compelling. But all address themes of bullying and learning to trust.

Author Liz Kessler’s writing is comfortable and accessible. Her work is thoughtful and well researched. And her characters are fully formed and feel authentic.

Code Name Kingfisher is a fast-moving historical fiction novel that would make an excellent classroom or personal read.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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THE NIGHT WAR, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Dial Books, April 9, 2024, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 9-12)

A Jewish girl finds herself hiding in a French Catholic boarding school during WWII in The Night War, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

“We don’t choose how we feel, but we choose how we act.”

It’s 1942. German Nazis occupy much of France. And twelve-year-old Miriam, who is Jewish, is not safe. With help and quick thinking, Miri is saved from the roundup that takes her entire Jewish neighborhood. She escapes Paris, landing in a small French village, where the spires of the famous Chateau de Chenonceau rise high into the sky, its bridge across the River Cher like a promise, a fairy tale.

But Miri’s life is no fairy tale. Her parents are gone—maybe alive, maybe not. Taken in at the boarding school near the chateau, pretending to be Catholic to escape Nazi capture, Miri is called upon one night to undertake a deadly task, one that spans the castle grounds, its bridge, and the very border to freedom. Here is her chance to escape—hopefully to find her parents. But will she take it? One thing is certain: The person Miri meets that night will save her life. And the person Miri becomes that night could save the lives of many more. —Synopsis provided by Dial Books

The Night War is not the first time that author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley has explored WWII experiences. Both The War that Saved My Life (Newberry Honor) and The War I Finally Won are also set in the early 1940s. But The Night War is different in that it includes a mystical twist.

While many readers expect historical books to be straight history, there is a precedence of adding magical elements, and in the case of The Night War, young readers will enjoy the added twist, which also builds on history but from a different time.

The story explores a little-known piece of World War II history. At the center of the story is Miri, a Jewish girl who was first forced from her home in Germany and then again in France. Separated from her parents, Miri must do all she can to keep those she loves safe. Miri is a driven character that young readers will easily empathize with.

The Night War is a fast-moving historical novel that’s well written. Bradley’s writing is clean and comfortable, and her use of shorter chapters interspersed throughout provides a nice break for readers.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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EXCLUSION AND THE CHINESE AMERICAN STORY (Race to the Truth), by Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn, Crown Books for Young Readers, March 26, 2024, Paperback $8.99 (ages 10 and up)

Go beyond the building of the Transcontinental Railroad in Exclusion and the Chinese American Story, by Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn.

If you’ve learned about the history of Chinese people in America, it was probably about their work on the railroads in the 1800s. But more likely, you may not have learned about it at all. This may make it feel like Chinese immigration is a newer part of this country, but some scholars believe the first immigrant arrived from China 499 CE — one thousand years before Columbus did!

When immigration picked up in the mid-1800s, efforts to ban immigrants from China began swiftly. But hope, strength, and community allowed the Chinese population in America to flourish. From the gold rush and railroads to entrepreneurs, animators, and movie stars, this is the true story of the Chinese American experience. —Synopsis provided by Crown Books for Young Readers

Exclusion and the Chinese American Story is part of Crown Books for Young Readers’ Race to the Truth series. The series “Tells the true history of America from the perspective of different communities. Each book tells the story of our country from its very beginning to present. These books correct common falsehoods and achievements. They encourage readers to ask questions and approach new information thoughtfully.” Other books in the series include Borderlands and the Mexican American Story; Colonization and the Wampanoag Story; and Slavery and the African American Story.

In the case of Exclusion and the Chinese American Story, author Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn is from a mixed-race Malaysian Chinese and white American family. In her note to readers at the beginning of the book, Blackburn explains how the lack of representation in school lessons made her feel invisible. Though it’s impossible to cover every piece of Chinese American history, Blackburn has focused on “some of the important stories, the lesser-known stories, and the stories that will inspire you to want to learn more.”

And Blackburn has done just that. As readers delve into Exclusion and the Chinese American Story, they’ll gain a greater understanding of the racism and hardships Chinese Americans have faced and continue to encounter.

Blackburn’s writing is clear and conversational. She moves from topic to topic with ease, making it a good choice for older middle readers, ages 10 and up, as well as teens and adults. With lots of black-and-white photographs and an extensive bibliography, Exclusion and the Chinese American Story would make an excellent supplement for public or homeschool classes.

About the author:

Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn is an educator, speaker, and professional learning facilitator. She was born in Bangkok, Thailand, to a mixed-race Malaysian Chinese and white American family. A classic “third culture kid,” she grew up moving between various East and Southeast Asian countries and the Washington, DC, area. Her experiences first as a classroom teacher and then as a teacher educator inform her beliefs about the role that education can and must play in the realization of social justice. She has an MA in social justice and education from University College London’s Institute of Education. Her doctoral research at Johns Hopkins University explored strategies for retaining rural educators, and her EdD specialization was Instructional Design in Online Teaching and Learning. She is based out of Oxford, Mississippi. Learn more at sarahsoonling.com.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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SPYING ON SPIES: HOW ELIZEBETH SMITH FRIEDMAN BROKE THE NAZIS’ SECRET CODES, by Marissa Moss, Harry N. Abrams, March 12, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (ages 10 and up)

Learn about America’s first female cryptanalyst, Elizebeth Smith Friedman, who busted Nazi spy rings in Spying on Spies, by Marissa Moss.

One of the founders of US cryptology who would eventually become one of the world’s greatest code breakers, Elizebeth Smith Friedman (1892–1980) was a brilliant mind behind many important battles throughout the 20th century, saving many lives through her intelligence and heroism.

Whip-smart and determined, Elizebeth displayed a remarkable aptitude for language and recognizing patterns from a young age. After getting her start by looking for linguistic clues to the true authorship of Shakespeare’s writings, she and her husband, William Friedman, were tasked with heading up the first government code-breaking unit in America, training teams and building their own sophisticated code systems during the lead-up to World War I.

Elizebeth’s solo career was even more impressive. She became the Treasury Department’s and Coast Guard’s first female codebreaker and created her own top-notch codebreaking unit, where she trained and led many male colleagues. During Prohibition in the 1920s, her work solving and intercepting coded messages from mobsters and criminal gangs lead to hundreds of high-profile criminal prosecutions, including members of Al Capone’s gang. Her crowning achievement came during World War II, when Elizebeth uncovered an intricate network of Nazi spies operating in South America, a feat that neither law enforcement nor intelligence agencies had been able to accomplish.

Despite her unparalleled accomplishments, Elizebeth was largely written out of history books and overshadowed by her husband. Only in very recent years has her name begun to receive the attention it deserves, including the US Coast Guard naming a ship in her honor and the US Senate passing a 2019 resolution to honor her life and legacy. —Synopsis provided by Harry N. Abrams

Spying on Spies is another one of those books that kids will instinctively be drawn to just because of its title.

Each chapter begins with graphic novel-style panels that set the stage. Those panels are followed by short chapters that are comfortable to read. Author Marissa Moss’ writing is bright and accessible. Her almost conversational tone and strong pacing and a text that’s about 200 pages (with an author’s note and extensive timeline) make Spying on Spies a good option for more reluctant readers. A number of black-and-white photographs are also included.

Spying on Spies is a compelling story of an amazing woman who helped change the course of America’s history.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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FORCE OF NATURE: A NOVEL OF RACHEL CARSON, by Ann E. Burg and  Sophie Blackall, Scholastic Press, March 5, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (ages 8-12)

Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson, by Ann E. Burg and Sophie Blackall, is the story of how a young naturalist grows up to change the world.

Rachel was a girl who loved
science and the sea,
books and writing
and all the creatures of the world.
Rachel was quiet,
a listener by nature.
But when she saw problems,
she could not remain silent.
Some people thought girls
shouldn’t be scientists.
They thought girls
shouldn’t use their voices
to question or challenge,
even to protect
all the creatures of the world.
Luckily Rachel didn’t listen
to them. —Synopsis provided by Scholastic Press

Rachel Carson (1907-1964) was a biologist, writer and environmental activist whose writing spurred marine conservation and the environmental movement.

In Force of Nature, author Ann E. Burg introduces a new generation to the woman behind Under the Sea-Wind, The Sea Around Us, The Edge of the Sea and Silent Spring.

A novel-in-verse, Force of Nature is both restrained and expansive. Burg’s lyrical prose brings you in and invites you to stay. Burg’s short sentences and chapters are graceful and accessible, making it a good choice for both classroom or individual reading.

Burg captures Carson’s love for nature and her family with a warm touch, giving readers a true sense of Carson’s drive and personality. Accompanying art by Sophie Blackall gives the feel of a journal or field notebook. It’s a lovely read.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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UPRISING, by Jennifer A. Nielsen, Scholastic Press, March 5, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 8-12)

Uprising, by Jennifer A. Nielsen, follows a young Polish girl as she participates in the Warsaw city uprising during WWII.

Twelve-year-old Lidia is outside her grandfather’s house when planes fly overhead, bearing the Nazi cross on each wing. Before the bombs hit the ground, Lidia realizes her life is about to change forever. Poland has fallen under German occupation, and her father makes the brave decision to join the Polish army to fight against the Nazis. Lidia wants to follow him into war, but she’s far too young, and she’s needed by her mother and brother.

After her family returns to Warsaw, where life has changed irrevocably, Lidia continues to play the piano, finding comfort in Chopin, Bach, and Beethoven. But she also wants to aid the Jewish people held captive in the Warsaw Ghetto. With the help of a friend, Lidia begins to smuggle wheat and food into the ghetto. Still, she feels like she could be doing so much more. She wants to fight. After her brother joins the resistance, Lidia wants only to follow in his footsteps. Soon, she begins to work as a courier, smuggling weapons and messages for the resistance throughout the city.

When the Warsaw city uprising begins―one year after the more well-known Warsaw Ghetto uprising by Polish Jews―with gunfire and bombs echoing throughout the streets, Lidia joins the Polish nationalists’ fight, too, and she and her peers fight with everything they’ve got. Life will continue to surprise Lidia, as she and the resistance fighters do their best to defeat the German soldiers. No matter the consequences, they’re willing to defend their freedom and their homes from the Nazi invaders―even with their lives. —Synopsis provided by Scholastic Press

Jennifer A. Nielsen has become a mainstay in middle-grade literature, crafting captivating historical fiction and page-turning series.

Uprising, which was inspired by the real-life story of Polish teenager Lidia Zakrzewski, is an excellent addition to her canon. The story follows Polish resistance fighters who fought against the Nazis.

The story follows Lidia over a period of five years. During which, readers get a first-person account of the horrors Polish citizens faced. Lidia is smart and determined and someone you very much want to root for.

Nielsen adeptly captures the traumas of occupation and war while providing moments of light and hope throughout. Her pacing is smooth and her prose inviting.

While Nielsen did adapt the timeline for her story, much of Uprising is taken from her journals, other writings and stories she told to friends. A few of the characters are also partially fictionalized for purposes of the narration. Also included are photographs of Lidia and her family.

Uprising is a fast-moving historical drama that will appeal to fans of Alan Gratz.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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THE PARTITION PROJECT,

A girl learns about her grandmother’s experience of the Partition of India and Pakistan in The Partition Project, by Saadia Faruqi

When her grandmother comes off the airplane in Houston from Pakistan, Mahnoor knows that having Dadi move in is going to disrupt everything about her life. She doesn’t have time to be Dadi’s unofficial babysitter—her journalism teacher has announced that their big assignment will be to film a documentary, which feels more like storytelling than what Maha would call “journalism.”

As Dadi starts to settle into life in Houston and Maha scrambles for a subject for her documentary, the two of them start talking. About Dadi’s childhood in northern India—and about the Partition that forced her to leave her home and relocate to the newly created Pakistan.

As details of Dadi’s life are revealed, Dadi’s personal story feels a lot more like the breaking news that Maha loves so much. And before she knows it, she has the subject of her documentary. —Synopsis provided by Quill Tree Books

The Partition Project is one of those books that seems simple at first but is packed with themes of family, heritage, childhood trauma, friendship, and personal growth and change. And author Saadia Faruqi weaves them perfectly together into an engaging and moving novel that would be a perfect classroom read.

The story unfolds through two voices — Maha’s and Dadi’s as she recounts her past.

Maha is a driven character who will not stop until she makes her mark. Unfortunately, she sometimes does this to the detriment of school and her friends. But Maha’s heart is in the right place, and it’s hard not to like her.

Dadi is harder to read. She’ll never be completely free of trauma from partition. It shaped the person she grew up to be. Through her interviews, you get a sense of the 12-year-old she once was, and through her interactions with Maha, she becomes a multilayered heroine.

Faruqi does an excellent job exploring two different time periods, providing a juxtaposition that makes it easier for readers to look beyond themselves. Her mentions to both The Night Diary, by Veera Hiranandani, and Inside Out & Back Again, by Thanhha Lai, provide further reading possibilities that tie into similar subjects.

The Partition Project is an excellent read. Faruqi’s writing is elegant and inviting. This is a book that will leave middle-readers and their parents feeling fulfilled.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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HEROES: A NOVEL OF PEARL HARBOR, by Alan Gratz, Scholastic Press, Feb. 6, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 8-12)

Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor, by Alan Gratz, follows two boys during the raid and aftermath of the Japanese attach in December 1941.

December 6, 1941: Best friends Frank and Stanley have it good. With their dads stationed at the Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii, the boys get to soak up the sunshine while writing and drawing their own comic books. World War II might be raging overseas, but so far America has stayed out of the fight. There’s nothing to fear, right?

December 7th, 1941: Everything implodes.

Frank and Stanley are touring a battleship when Japanese planes zoom overhead, dropping bomb after bomb. As explosions roar and sailors scream, Frank and Stanley realize the unthinkable is happening: Japan is attacking America! The war has come to them.

Frantically, the boys struggle to find safety. But disaster and danger are everywhere — from torpedoes underwater to bullets on the beach… to the shocking cruelty that their friends and neighbors show Stanely. Because his mom is Japanese-American, Stanely is suddenly seen as the “enemy.” And Frank, who is white, cannot begin to understand what his friend is now facing.

If the boys make it through this infamous day, can their friendship–and their dreams — survive? Or has everything they know been destroyed? —Synopsis provided by Scholastic Press

Alan Gratz has a way of bringing history to life that you can’t ignore. From beginning to end, Heroes is a high-stakes read that you won’t want to put down.

Gratz takes young readers to the center of action by placing Frank and Stanley on the deck of the battleship Utah when the Japanese start dropping bombs. Seeing the ensuing chaos through their eyes brings an immediacy to the story you couldn’t catch otherwise.

With so much going on, it would be easy for readers to get lost, but Gratz deftly shepherds his audience from place to place in a way that makes sense. He removes the confusion for the reader while still conveying that overwhelming feel of mayhem.

At the center of it all is a friendship that is built on the love of comic books but is fractured by racism. Frank and Stanley are best buds that are well developed and likeable. They’re easy to root for both during and after the attack. You want them to succeed and you hope for a future where their friendship endures.

Heroes ends with an all-original, 10-page black & white comic that brings to life the comic book idea that Frank and Stanley brainstorm in the novel. The comic is written by Alan Gratz and illustrated by Judit Tondora. And it’s a lot of fun to see the ideas realized. Also included is a map of Pearl Harbor on Dec.7, 1941 and an author’s note about WWII, a section about the story, and a discussion of Asian Americans in comics.

Heroes is an action-packed read that should appeal to a large cross-section of readers. I read it in one sitting.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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