A review by yapha
Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II by Adam Gidwitz

adventurous challenging emotional informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

While the dybbuk and the kobold on Max's shoulders lend an element of fantasy to this book, I would place it pretty squarely in historical fiction. Max is growing up in Berlin as the Nazis rise to power, facing growing antisemitism that not only restricts what he can do but leads to beatings and more. His parents are able to get him on the kindertransport to England, where he is taken in by a wealthy Jewish family. While this saves his life, he still faces a great deal of antisemitism in England. Although he is physically safe, Max is very worried about his parents and comes up with a plan to get himself back to Berlin to find them. I don't want to give any spoilers, but I will say there is a second book on the way and you're going to want to read it when you finish this one! Highly recommended for grades 5 & up.

eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley