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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
I don't know if I am in a reading slump, but this is another book that I definitely liked, but for some reason it didn't WOW me as much as it should have or I expected it to. I will absolutely recommend it to my middle schoolers. This book has great characters, some surprising moments, HUGE life lessons, and the history brings you to tears.
Gordon Korman is one of my favorite middle-grade authors. This is a great story told using multiple perspectives. It deals with antisemitism and forgiveness and a community coming together to combat hate.
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As in many of his other works, Korman does a great job introducing a variety of kids' voices through chapters that change POV, with some characters featured more than others. He goes after a weighty subject in "Linked" - the Holocaust and antisemitism, along with racism/hate crimes in general, and how people react and relate to incidents in their communities.
While I felt the messaging was a little heavy-handed at times, I think he did well in how he chose to navigate these topics with a younger audience. I loved the inclusion of the scene where the kids have a Zoom with a group of survivors, and I really appreciated that the book didn't forget to talk about how the Holocaust affected non-Jewish groups as well. (In particular, one of the recurring POV characters, Michael, is BIPOC and talks about his strong emotional response to the hate symbols, even though it's a traditionally antisemitic symbol, since he's part of a minority group.)
Overall, I think it's a book very much worth giving to kids (I'd say 10 - 14 as a target age). There aren't very many middle grade books that deal with contemporary antisemitism, or even racially-motivated hate crimes in school beyond maybe anti-Black racism, so it's an important one.
While I felt the messaging was a little heavy-handed at times, I think he did well in how he chose to navigate these topics with a younger audience. I loved the inclusion of the scene where the kids have a Zoom with a group of survivors, and I really appreciated that the book didn't forget to talk about how the Holocaust affected non-Jewish groups as well. (In particular, one of the recurring POV characters, Michael, is BIPOC and talks about his strong emotional response to the hate symbols, even though it's a traditionally antisemitic symbol, since he's part of a minority group.)
Overall, I think it's a book very much worth giving to kids (I'd say 10 - 14 as a target age). There aren't very many middle grade books that deal with contemporary antisemitism, or even racially-motivated hate crimes in school beyond maybe anti-Black racism, so it's an important one.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm not surprised by who did it but I'm pissed as hell about everyone gushing at them at the end. Perhaps I just hold grudges (heh...yeah...) but I feel like he shouldn't have been praised like crazy for completing the bat mitzvah online and having complete adoration from the school for it? Just strange. It was an interesting story and very prevalent to current events.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I mean it was a book and I like books but this was just I needed more setting like I had to make up what was wrote because I didn't have enough details to like see the surroundings it was still a good book but it wasn't really all that enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
A small town in CO is shook when a swastika is found painted on a wall in the middle school. Told from the point of view of several seventh graders and how that swastika changes them.
2022 YMA Sydney Taylor Middle Grade honor
2022 YMA Sydney Taylor Middle Grade honor
While I still enjoyed this book, I felt like it followed a very similar pattern to Restart except without the memory loss.