02/01/2020
Gr 5–7—Lois Ruby's latest novel takes the reader back to a contentious period in American history and politics from a kid's point of view. It is 1953 and 13-year-old Marty Rafner is the only child of two college professors loosely linked to Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. The Rosenbergs, of course, have been tried and found guilty of spying for the Russians and will be executed in June 1953. The whole novel serves as a countdown for the last two months of the Rosenbergs' life, while Marty's own family is thrown into turmoil due to his mother's stubborn refusal to sign an oath of allegiance at the local college where she and Marty's dad both teach. Intriguing side characters include the FBI agents staked out across the street and a quiet neighbor suffering from PTSD after being discharged from the Marines during the Korean War. Readers will feel the frustration of the accused in the 1950s when a hearing is held to determine if Marty's mother is a communist sympathizer. Marty has a sharp, snarky voice and an aversion to adult drama that will appeal to middle grade readers, and the G-men certainly provide some amusing tension to the story. However, students may need a quick lesson on the Rosenbergs and why they were important enough to enrage and divide the entire United States during the Cold War. VERDICT A sound addition to any library seeking middle grade historical fiction.—Kim Gardner, Fort Worth Country Day School, TX
2019-10-23
Marty tries to overcome his fears by withdrawing into his love for the Yankees, listening to the games, quoting statistics, and writing memos, never sent, to his hero, Mickey Mantle.
And there is much to fear in 1953 during the months leading up to the imminent execution of accused spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Marty's professor parents have refused to sign loyalty oaths and are suspected of being Communists planning to overthrow the government. The FBI watches day and night, their mail and trash are searched, and their home is bugged. His friend Amy Lynn is in the same situation. Could they lose their parents like the Rosenberg children? Friends turn away, Marty is thrown off his baseball team, his friend Connor's father forces them apart, and his mom and Amy Lynn's dad are suspended and later fired from their positions. The FBI threatens his mom with deportation, claiming she isn't a citizen. She is able to provide evidence to the contrary and is dismissed from the hearings, but the Rosenbergs can't be saved. Speaking through Marty's parents, Ruby demonstrates the escalating terrors endured by people caught up in the destructive McCarthy era, stopping just short of a dispiriting harangue. Marty is thoroughly endearing; he is resourceful, knows his weaknesses, endearingly dislikes studying for his bar mitzvah, and is a kind, caring friend. He narrates his own story, careening among fear, anger, bewilderment, and hope.
Readers will root for the protagonist as hard as he roots for his Yankees. (author's note, acknowledgements, topics for discussion) (Historical fiction. 10-14)
