True or False by Cindy L. Otis
By: Max Richmond
04/25/2025
News is an integral part of society. It helps people learn about what’s going on in places that the common person may not be able to get to and provides information that common people may not be able to find. News is so important that the second amendment of the Bill of Rights protects the freedom of the press. You’re reading a newspaper article right now. However, a lot of news is misleading, uncredible, or flat-out fake, and although most people can spot fake news, they often can’t identify biases and exaggerated stories. Fortunately, True or False by Cindy L. Otis offers 300 pages of useful tips and fascinating history about fake news.
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True or False is separated into two major sections, one about the history of fake news and the other about how to prevent and identify said fake news. The history section does little to help with news literacy and is mostly for entertainment and background information. However, it does identify some key terms that are used later on in the book. This type of introduction allows the reader to understand the terms and ideas on a deeper level and is quite interesting to read.
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The second part of the True or False starts on page 167 and immediately gives definitions and tips on how to differentiate between facts and opinions. Almost every chapter in the second section has an exercise to practice the skills that were discussed. In addition, it ties the history from the first section into the advice to reinforce both sections of the book. Titled “How We Fight Back!” the second section of True or False covers every factor that could affect fake news and how you view it, from biases to polls to images to website domains.
Cindy Otis, the author, provides over 100 citations throughout the course of the book. Otis was a CIA analyst, so she is able to provide many specific websites and stories that she used professionally. Otis does talk about mature topics very briefly, mostly about crimes that spread as fake news. It is officially listed as being for ages 13-18 and grades 10-12, but it is an easy and fascinating read if you have the time to spare. My rating of the book is 8.5 out of ten.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
By: Avira Karthik
04/25/2025
The people of the Protectorate live in constant fear of the wicked witch who lives in the forest.
Every year, they sacrifice a newborn baby to the witch in the hopes that the witch will not attack
their town.
In reality, the witch, named Xan, is a very kind and friendly old woman with magic, who lives
with a swamp monster named Glerk, and a Simply Enormous dragon named Fyrian, who, in
actuality, is very small. Xan rescues the abandoned babies, feeds them starlight, and then finds
them homes in the village on the other side of the forest.
When a baby with a crescent moon birthmark is sacrificed, Xan rescues her like every other
baby that had been sacrificed so far. However, on their journey to the village, Xan accidentally
feeds her moonlight instead of starlight. As a result, the child acquires extraordinary magical
powers. Xan doesn’t know what to do, and so makes a final decision: She will raise the child
herself. Xan names the child Luna. As Luna grows up, her magic starts to show up, and strange things begin to happen. Luna must figure out how to use her powers before it is too late.
Meanwhile, in the Protectorate, a boy named Antain is very shaken from his first sacrificing ceremony, where they had to sacrifice a baby with a crescent moon birthmark. The mother of that baby, who, incidentally, also had a crescent moon birthmark, screamed and fought for her baby. The Council of Elders called her mad, and imprisoned her in the highest tower.
When Antain goes to the highest tower to see the madwoman, she repeats one phrase, “She is here, she is here, she is here!” and she releases a flock of angry paper birds that can magically fly on Antain’s face. They carve a map on his face, with his own blood, of where the madwoman’s daughter is.
Specifically, where Luna is.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill is an enchanting fantasy novel that I adored.
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It kept me reading late into the night, and sometimes, rarely, with really good books, they can resonate in my mind for a long time even after I’ve finished reading it. This book was one of those books. This book has strong themes of kindness and cruelty, sorrow and hope, and family. Barnhill has a strong voice, one perfect for fantastical story telling. The pacing is a little slow, and the plot does not advance until later in the story. However, the author provides plenty of interesting material to keep the reader occupied. I would recommend this book for ages 11+ because the book is based on sorrow and despair, as the whole story starts with killing a child every year. There is also other talk of violence and death in the book, but nothing very serious, and anyone above 11 should be able to easily take it, unless you are very sensitive. This book has won the Newbery Award, Locus Award, Texas Bluebonnet Award, Vermont Golden Dome Book Award, Andre Norton Award, William Allen White Children's Book Award, and is a NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor Book .
Author Bio:
Kelly Barnhill lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children. She is the author of four novels,
most recently The Girl Who Drank the Moon, winner of the 2017 John Newbery Medal for the year’s most
distinguished contribution to American literature for children. She is also the winner of a World Fantasy
Award and a Parents’ Choice Gold Award. She has been a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award, the
NCTE Charlotte Huck Award, the SFWA Andre Norton Award, and the PEN/USA literary prize.
Sources:
Kelly Barnhill – Newbery Award Winning Author
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Divergent by Veronica Roth
By: Maya Lovria
04/04/2025
Long, long ago, the world was all but destroyed by a series of wars and conflicts.
After it was over, people disagreed on what was to blame for evil. Based on their
beliefs, they formed five factions. These were: Abnegation, who believed that the
cause of all evil was selfishness; Candor, who thought it was because of dishonesty;
Amity, who believed aggression was to blame; Erudite, who blamed ignorance; and
finally, Dauntless. They thought that the cause of evil was cowardice. Once a year,
all the 16-year-olds from every faction get to choose which faction they want to
devote their lives to. They also take an aptitude test in advance, which tells them
which faction their personality is best for.
Beatrice Prior is one such 16-year-old. She is a part of the Abnegation, and while
she does blame selfishness for all evil, she isn’t selfless enough to stay in Abnegation.
She’s not like her brother, to whom selflessness is second nature.
When Beatrice takes her aptitude test, her results are inconclusive. She shows equal
aptitude for Abnegation, Erudite, and Dauntless. People with inconclusive results are
called Divergent. Divergent is a very dangerous thing to be. It means that, unlike most
others, Beatrice can’t be as easily controlled. She doesn’t fit into any of the factions’ ways of thinking. She is told never to tell anyone she is Divergent because if the wrong people find out… she’ll be in big danger.
When it is time for all the kids her age to choose their faction, her brother, shockingly, switches factions. He chooses Erudite, Abnegation’s sworn nemesis. Beatrice is torn. On the one hand, she can’t leave her parents when her brother already has. On the other hand, she’ll be miserable in Abnegation. She makes her choice: Dauntless.
In order to join Dauntless, she has to overcome a series of challenges and do better than most of the other initiates. In the first stage, she has to fight other initiates, while in the second stage, she has to go through a landscape of her worst fears… and overcome them. All the while, she is ranked against the other initiates. Does she have what it takes?
Divergent is a dystopian novel set in the city of Chicago far in the future. Divergent is a very good book, but is definitely not suitable for younger readers. I would recommend it to others who enjoy reading dystopian fictions (The Hunger Games, The Giver, etc.).
About the Author: Veronica Roth
Veronica Roth grew up near Chicago, Illinois, where Divergent takes place. She is the author of the Divergent series and other books. For example, When Among Crows and Chosen Ones. She is best known for Divergent and its sequels.
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Sources:
The book, Divergent by Veronica Roth.
https://veronicarothbooks.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Divergent-Veronica-Roth/dp/0062387243
When the Sleeper Wakes by H.G. Wells
By: Max Richmond
03/21/2025
There is now way to tell the future, but that hasn’t stopped thousands of authors from trying.
H.G. Wells is among those authors, and he wrote many books that inspired the more scientific
and fantastical side of most books about the future today. Since almost all science fiction
theorizes about possible futures, H.G. Wells is considered the founder of this sort of genre,
writing his first novel on the topic, The Time Machine, in 1895. The book was unexpectedly
popular, so he created many more science fiction books and laid out guidelines for later
science fiction writers to follow. Wells’ seventh book, When the Sleeper Wakes, explores
the idea of a man who fell asleep for two hundred years and amassed wealth beyond
measure. Upon the release of When the Sleeper Wakes around 1899, Wells feared that
he had been too hasty in writing the book in order to meet publication deadlines, so he
decided to revise the novel as The Sleeper Awakes in 1910. Unfortunately, I was not able to
get the revised edition, so I’ll be reviewing When The Sleeper Wakes in this article.
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The story starts with Mr. Isbister, a young artist who encounters a man on a bench who
is ranting about how he hasn’t slept for six days. Mr. Isbister, having nothing else to do,
decides to try and help the man. However, before he can, the insomniac rolls back his eyes and goes into a catatonic state. The insomniac, Graham, receives a vast sum of money from his cousin and Isbister, but doesn’t wake up for two hundred more years. When Graham wakes, his wealth has grown to incomprehensible amounts and he is revered as a god-like figure. Most of the book details Graham’s struggle to understand his power and the world around him, as well as what he can do to set humanity back onto the right track.
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When the Sleeper Wakes has 300-ish pages and is a dystopian novel that whisks you around on a dizzying journey. Although it doesn’t have very complex vocabulary, the pace and scope of the book makes it a very difficult read. Because of this, I would say it takes about eight hours to read When The Sleeper Wakes. The book is suitable for all ages, but makes more sense the older you are. You can pick up When The Sleeper Wakes, along with a ton of other books, at the Griffin’s Nest. Overall, I would give When The Sleeper Wakes a 7/10, and although I haven’t read the revised version, I recommend reading that instead if you want an easier read.
The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
By: Maya Lovria
03/07/2025
“In the forest primeval
A School for Good and Evil
The towers like twin heads
One for the pure
One for the wicked
Try to escape you’ll always fail
The only way out is
Through a fairy tale.”
Sophie and Agatha are best friends and polar opposites. Sophie acts like a princess,
performing good deeds, talking to forest animals, and wearing pink dresses and glass
slippers. Agatha lives by a graveyard, is hostile and unfriendly, and is considered a witch
by most people in their village, Gavaldon.
Every four years, two children go missing from Gavaldon. The villagers have puzzled
over this for a long time. Their theories range from bears to cannibals. In the end, it is
the children who figure it out. They discover that the characters in their fairytale storybooks
are the same children who disappear. One child, who is good and kind, and one cruel,
nasty child, are kidnapped and later featured as the hero and villain of a fairy tale. The
storybooks come from a place called “The School for Good and Evil,” and the kidnapper
comes to be known as the School Master. When the time comes for the kidnappings, Sophie is convinced that she will be the child taken for Good.
And she is taken that night, along with Agatha. But they are in for a big surprise when Sophie is placed in the School for Evil and Agatha in the School for Good. In Good, the students are treated very well, with fancy meals and beautiful rooms. In Evil, everything is dirty and their meals… well, best not mention those. In Good, their classes are things like Beautification and Good Deeds, while in Evil they take Uglification and Henchmen Training. Sophie and Agatha are both miserable and convinced they are in the wrong schools. They are determined to switch schools… until Agatha starts to think that they might not be in the wrong schools after all.
The School for Good and Evil is a great book! I would recommend it to people who are into fairy tales or adventure. I found it a very interesting book to read, watching the characters change and discover their true selves.
About the Author:
In addition to the School for Good and Evil series, Soman Chainani has written other books, like his book of retold fairy tales called Beasts & Beauty. The School for Good and Evil series has sold millions of copies and has been adapted into a Netflix major motion picture.
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Sources:
The book, The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42080479-the-school-for-good-and-evil
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
By: Avira Karthik
02/21/2025
In the nation of Panem, which lies in a place once known as North America, is the Capitol,
a radiant city. Surrounded by 12 districts, the Capitol requires two children from each district,
a boy and a girl, chosen by lottery at the yearly Reaping, to be thrown into an arena to
participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death.
"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!"
- Effie Trinket, The Hunger Games.
The book is written from the perspective of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen from District 12,
a very skilled hunter, who is great with a bow and illegally hunts in the woods to keep her
family alive and fed. Katniss has a sister, Prim, whom she loves more than anyone or anything.
“Her name’s Prim. She’s just twelve. And I love her more than anything.”
- Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games
When Prim is chosen at the Reaping to be a part of the Games, Katniss instantly volunteers to replace her sister as the girl tribute for District 12, almost immediately ensuring her own death.
"Effie Trinket crosses back to the podium, smooths the slip of paper, and reads out the name in a clear voice. And it’s not me.
It’s Primrose Everdeen.”
- Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games
Katniss will face many challenges throughout the book and in the arena, from dehydration to the Career Tributes, the tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4, who have been training their entire lives for the Games. Among the most dangerous threats are the Capitol mutations, genetically engineered animals created by the Capitol for different purposes. One of these is the Tracker Jacker wasps, who will track tributes down until they find them, and whose stings will slowly drive people to insanity, followed by a painful death. Katniss teams up with Rue, the District 11 girl tribute, and blows up the Career tribute's supplies. Sadly, Rue is killed by the District 1 boy, and Katniss fulfills Rue’s last wish by singing to her.
“At some point, you have to stop running and turn around and face whoever wants you dead. The hard thing is finding the courage to do it.”
- Katniss Everdeen, Catching Fire
Throughout the book, Katniss has to keep up the act that she is in love with Peeta, the District 12 boy tribute, to earn sponsors from the Capitol. Nearing the end, she allies with him and risks her life multiple times to save him from death. Katniss sparks a fire that spreads throughout the nation of Panem, even causing rebellion among the districts, and becomes a symbol for many, earning names such as the Mockingjay. Katniss becomes the girl on fire, a girl who will never stop fighting for her life.
"Cinna has given me a great advantage. No one will forget me. Not my look, not my name. Katniss. The girl who was on fire."
- Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games is my favorite book of all time, and it had me wondering what happened next at every twist, turn, and page; the pacing is perfect. Katniss is such a great character, with her loyalty to her district and family, her ability to fight through everything, and her will to survive. I love dystopian books like this one because they let you see what is wrong with the way we live, and also how we take things that appear in our everyday lives for granted. For example, in The Hunger Games, everyone is forced to work the same job as their district. On the other hand, we are free to pick whichever jobs we choose, not ones that we are forced to have.
“Only I keep wishing I could think of a way…to show the Capitol they don’t own me. That I’m more than just a piece in their Games.”
- Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games
However, it is more violent than other books I have written reviews about, and there is a little romance, so I would recommend it for middle schoolers. It exhibits themes of survival against sacrifice, life against love, and friendship against boldness. If you can read between the lines of the story, it can teach you many things.
This book is very exceptional, and I highly recommend you read it. It is a dystopian novel and part of a trilogy, the other two books being Catching Fire and Mockingjay. There is also a prequel, The Ballad of the Songbirds and Snakes, and another prequel is coming out next month, called Sunrise on the Reaping.
"Fire is catching, and if we burn, you burn with us."
- Katniss Everdeen, Mockingjay.
Author Bio:
Suzanne Collins started her career at Nickelodeon, writing for children’s shows. She often moved because of her father’s time in the Air Force, spending a good amount of time in Indiana and Belgium. Collins received an M.F.A in 1989 in Dramatic Writing from New York University. Collins was the head writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s show, Clifford’s Puppy Days. Although the Hunger Games is her most successful series, it was not Collins’ first best-selling series, instead, it was the Underland Chronicles.
The First Men in the Moon by H. G. Wells
By: Max Richmond
02/21/2025
Science fiction is a very diverse genre of literature. Herbert George Wells, known as HG Wells, is
typically considered the father of science fiction. He broke his leg when he was eight, so he had
nothing to do but read. Soon, reading was not enough. Wells wanted to write. In fact, his very first
novel was what he called a “scientific romance.” He laid the foundation for many different themes
in science fiction, such as time travel and extraterrestrial war. His ninth book, The First Men in the
Moon, explores ideas such as antigravity and subterranean life.
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The story is narrated by Mr. Bedford, who loses his job and travels to Kent, the English county
where Wells was born, in hopes of writing a groundbreaking play. He meets Mr. Cavor, a scientist
who has spent his whole life focusing on the concept of blocking gravity. Together, they create
a substance capable of stopping the “radiant energy” from Earth and other celestial bodies.
Using it, Bedford and Cavor are able to pack some snacks and travel to the moon. Wells
theorized that the air on the moon was quite similar to ours, but less dense, so the duo
is able to walk the moon with no issues.
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Along their trip, they watch jungles grow in real time, eat bad mushrooms, and see giant cattle.
The biggest discovery is that of the Selenites, Wells’ version of aliens in this book. After quite a bit of panic, Bedford leaves the moon, with no proof that he was ever there aside from a bar of gold. The antigravity material and the recipe to make it are lost forever, and Bedford continues to write his play.
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The First Men in the Moon ends rather abruptly, without a deep resolution or permanent change, which is how most of Wells’ stories end. He preferred to have his stories be so plausible that they could’ve happened already. The book is 258 pages long, excluding the introduction, so it takes about five hours to read. It has a lexile level of 1130, and is a fantastic read for anyone with time to spare. The First Men in the Moon, in addition to several other Wells books, is available in the Griffin’s Nest if you want to read it for yourself.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
By: Max Richmond
01/10/2025
Optimism is good for your health. According to Harvard University, “research tells us that an
optimistic outlook early in life can predict better health and a lower rate of death.” However,
pessimism is good every now and then, as it reminds people to be cautious and be deliberate
in their actions. Many philosophers from the beginning of civilization have theorized of a perfect
society, and each one’s version is different. However, many authors have since stirred in a bit of
pessimism and developed these theoretical societies further, only to find them to be quite cruel,
unnatural, or simply inhumane. Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World, was one of these
pessimists, intent on disproving the idea of everyone simply getting along and never having any
conflict. Huxley had written several philosophical works before creating Brave New World in
1932, and wrote for thirty years after, finishing off his legacy with Island, which is Huxley’s version
of a true utopia.
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The novel itself is based around the concept of manufacturing humans in a factory to make
them as agreeable and orthodox as possible through the use of subliminal messaging,
pharmaceuticals, drugs, and other such manipulative things. The book follows no character
in particular, but rather an event that stirred the overwhelming harmony that the people of Brave New World experience. However, the book changes the character it’s following so abruptly and so often that I found it hard to keep track of who was currently the subject of the text. Someone else who had read the book before me had actually written notes in my copy to keep track of who was talking and which paragraphs were in each setting. However, I found nothing else negative about the book.
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Although Brave New World has an official lexile rating of 840L, I would personally bump it up to 1000L. I struggled in some sections in the book, and my lexile is well over 840L, which is why I moved it higher. The book is around 260 pages and takes about 8 hours to read. If I had to give it a movie rating, I would classify it as a TV-14 book. Overall, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is an eight out of ten book for anyone who wants to take on the challenge of reading it without notes. I recommend reading another book from the dystopia genre before this one.
Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker
By: Maya Lovria
12/20/2024
Seven fox kits in the Antler Wood beg their mother for a really scary story, but none of hers are scary enough. So, they disobey her instructions and go seek the storyteller in Bog Cavern. Their mother says that the story they would hear there would scare the white into their tails.
The storyteller’s story is about two little fox kits named Mia and Uly. Mia and her mother have to flee
after what happens to her siblings. Uly has to escape from his father, who despises him and tries to get
his mother to kill him because of his forepaw, which had been curled against his chest since birth. The
storyteller tells the seven fox kits about them, and the horrors they have to face.
The story they hear soon proves to be too much for most of them. One by one, the frightened kits scurry
home to their mother, until there is only one left.
“The first flees the teacher with dark, gooey eyes.
The second from six sisters whose tongues tell lies.
The third escapes a woman who peels foxes skins
The fourth slinks away from the Golgathursh’s grin.
The fifth wets the ground when he smells Mr. Scratch.
The sixth turns tail when the Paw finds its match.
The seventh little fox in the wood all alone, facing down a ghost beneath branches of bone.
One little fox stays the whole night through.
But can she make it to the end?
Better yet, can you?”
Seven Stories for Young Foxes is a very good book. However, it might be a little too much for younger readers, so some students should probably steer clear of it until they’re older. It is told in eight parts, and between each part you can read the kits’ reaction - and after almost all of them, one leaves. I would recommend this book for people 10 or 11 and up, but it depends on the person. This book is a great choice for people who love a good horror story.
About the Author: Christian McKay Heidicker
Christian McKay Heidicker wrote Scary Stories for Young Foxes, which won the Newbery Medal, and its sequel, Scary Stories for Young Foxes: The City. He also wrote the Thieves of Weirdwood series. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Sources:
The book, Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/scary-stories-for-young-foxes
https://www.amazon.com/Scary-Stories-Young-Christian-Heidicker/dp/1250181429
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
By: Max Richmond
12/06/2024
Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is an absolute classic and has been considered one since its release in 1869. His books have been published in over 100 languages, but 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is one of Verne’s best, and our school library has a copy. Jules Verne was a French author who wrote and published over 60 books.
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Originally written in French, 20,000 Leagues under the Sea has around 270 pages depending on the
edition, but may be a 15-20-hour long read. It has an official lexile rating of 1100 and will definitely
teach you some new vocabulary along the way.
​
The main storyline of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea follows three men who are taken aboard
the submarine of Captain Nemo, who dubbed his vessel, the Nautilus. They travel across every
body of water on Earth, finding the largest pearls in the world, travelling beneath volcanoes, and
exploring geothermal vents.
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Captain Nemo and his crew have adapted completely to life underwater, mining coal and sulfur
from submarine deposits and turning it into electricity to power the ship. (At the time the book
was written, electricity and its generation were still quite new. In fact, the Steam Age hadn’t even
been reached yet!) Captain Nemo can go anywhere, as long as it’s underwater. He travels between
mainland seas, back out to the Ocean, under islands, and explores the pole. However, his three passengers are not so happy under the sea.
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M. Aronnax, our main character, is a nautical professor who thoroughly enjoys seeing how the ship works and the wonders of the water, as many scientists would. His servant, Conseil, follows M. Aronnax everywhere, even if it may cost him his life. The third member of the group is Ned Land, a harpoonist who wants nothing more than to get back to land where he can enjoy the many things only available there. Conseil also shares Ned’s unease, but it won’t be easy to escape as they are trapped beneath about three kilometers of water at all times. Their conflict is resolved, but not without a price. What I can say, though, is that they all traveled at least 20,000 leagues under the sea.
A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci
By: Max Richmond
10/18/24
I got A Calamity of Souls for my birthday about two months ago, and I originally used it to fall asleep because the book has a relatively slow start. However, the pace picks up after the second lawyer of the story is introduced, and it keeps
this pace throughout the rest of the book. The main plot of this legal thriller follows two lawyers trying
to defend a black man accused of murdering the prestigious white Randolph family. As the book says
on page 58, “In Freeman County [Virginia, 1968] it didn’t get much easier than convicting a black man
in a court of law, particularly one so obliging as to be at the scene of the crime.”
​
The author, David Baldacci, certainly did his research in order to provide an accurate courtroom
experience, and he does a fantastic job of introducing how different legal terms and systems work
without directly explaining them, allowing the reader to understand what’s happening in the
courtroom without giving unnecessary explanations or requiring the reader to have a law degree.
There are multiple subplots about other types of division such as nationality, social class, and
learning speed. Since the story is set a year after the Loving v. Virginia legalized marriage between
races, it also tackles how these divisions affect relationships. In addition to all of this, the
novel discusses how war and disease can permanently affect people.
​
A Calamity of Souls is overall a great book and an amazing introduction to legal thrillers if you’re looking for a
new genre. I sincerely recommend that you pick up this book. It is 477 pages long and was a ten-hour read in total for me, but it will most likely be a twelve-hour read for you. This book is around $30.00 USD for a hardcover copy, but there are fifteen copies at the Rochester Hills Public Library if you don’t want to spend any money. I would like to mention that the book does contain mentions of violence, guns, cigarettes, abuse, and it has some swearing. I would place this book at TV-14 if it was a movie or show, so if you don’t want to read something like this, I recommend looking at our "All Ages" section.
Uprising by Jennifer A. Nielsen
By: Maya Lovria
10/04/24
Lidia, a twelve-year-old girl, stands outside her grandfather’s house as Nazi planes fly overhead. A bomb that is dropped nearby leads to her, her parents, and her brother, Ryszard deciding to return to their house in Warsaw. The damage caused by the bombing is shocking for Lidia, but her house is still standing. When they reach their house, her father, afraid of more bombings of Warsaw, tells her and her mother to wait in the shelter near it. Meanwhile, he and Ryszard collect essentials from it.
Soon after, Lidia’s father leaves to join the Polish army and fight back against the Nazis. Shortly after that, the rest of Lidia’s family are joined by their former maid and her mother, who are Jewish and need a place to stay. Lidia and the rest are able to move back into the damaged house now that Poland is occupied fully by the Nazis. Over time, Lidia starts fighting back by attending a secret school and smuggling food to the Jewish people being held in the Warsaw Ghetto. As she gets older, she finds out about her brother’s involvement in a resistance against the Nazis and she wants to do more.
Lidia joins, and starts out running messages for the resistance. Eventually her tasks become more and more dangerous. Does she have what it takes?
​
Uprising is based on the true story of Lidia Durr Zakrewski, who really did join a resistance as a teenager. She was aged down by a few years in the book, but many characters in the book either were real people or were based on one or more real people in her life. Lidia was a messenger for the entirety of the Warsaw Uprising and ended up earning the Polish Cross of Valour.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction or just who likes a good book.
I enjoyed reading Uprising a lot and hope that if anyone reading this article decides to give it a try, they like it
too.
About the Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Jennifer A. Nielsen lives in Utah where she was born and raised. She has written many fiction books, such
as the Ascendance series (The False Prince, The Runaway King, The Shadow Throne, The Captive Kingdom,
and The Shattered Castle), and many historical fiction works including: Uprising, Iceberg and Words on Fire.
​
Sources:
-
The book, Uprising by Jennifer A. Nielsen.
-
https://www.amazon.com/Uprising-Jennifer-Nielsen/dp/1338795082
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https://worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2024/04/04/uprising-by-jennifer-a-nielsen/
