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(3)
YA
American teen Taylor Sorenson, son of a Special Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in 1968 Vietnam, sneaks out to explore Saigon on his own on the night the Tet Offensive begins and is kidnapped by North Vietnamese soldiers. Marched along the Ho Chi Minh Trail as a POW, Taylor sees wartime atrocities firsthand. An appended author's note adds context to this harrowing historical novel.
(3)
4-6
When Danny's fishing boat is sunk by a German U-boat, he's left in a coma. This inspires his twelve-year-old brother Colton to use Danny's enlistment documents to join the Navy. As detailed in the author's note, Watkins's accessible and immediate-feeling historical novel was inspired by the real-life experience of Calvin Graham, the youngest person to serve in WWII. Glos.
249 pp.
| Candlewick
| April, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7636-7155-6$17.99
(3)
YA
Shane's older brother, Jeremy, is a hometown hero: football star, valedictorian, and decorated Marine. But after returning from three deployments, Jeremy's behavior is erratic and violent. Concerned, Shane accompanies Jeremy on an ill-advised impromptu canoe trip. While their wilderness adventure ends on a melodramatic note, their journey is a raw, tense exploration of brotherhood and the psychological costs of war.
313 pp.
| Candlewick
| October, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7636-5509-9$17.99
(3)
YA
When seventeen-year-old Sadie and her sister, Carla, are caught participating (unintentionally) in a drug deal, Sadie takes the blame to protect her family; her punishment is a six-month sentence in a juvenile corrections facility. The novel is bleak and brutal--which, of course, is the point--making Sadie's loyalty to Carla and resolve to survive all the more powerful.
338 pp.
| Candlewick
| April, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7636-42501$16.99
(3)
YA
After her father's death, sixteen-year-old Iris goes to live in North Carolina with her mean-spirited, abusive aunt and violent cousins. When Iris, an animal lover, sets the farm goats free, her relationship with Aunt Sue comes to a violent head. Endearing characters and poignant themes populate the story, as Iris comes to terms with her loss and her passion.
327 pp.
| Candlewick
| October, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7636-3839-9$16.99
(4)
YA
Dewey Turner hopes to have a normal year in seventh grade, but his simple outlook on life complicates things in mid-1960s Florida. Friendships with other outcasts in his hometown of Sand Mountain force him to consider gender, race, politics, and inequality. Though Dewey seems hopelessly naive for his age, his genuine personality makes him an endearing character.