Praise for Red Scare:
A SLJ and NPR Best Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
"Red Scare is a brilliant, fast-paced adventure. Action, history, and a tiny bit of fantasy collide in eye-popping panels, loaded with heart. Liam Francis Walsh's graphic novel is set in 1950's-era Cold War, but still feels resonant today." Max Brallier, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Kids on Earth series
"With a wealth of period details and genre elements, this sci-fi caper set in the 1950s finds immediacy in the fears of the time, while dealing espionage action that flies off the page." School Library Journal, Best Books of 2022
"Magnificent noir shading and a smart critique of fear-mongering elevate the action and excitement of this historical dip into the possible." NPR Best Books of the Year
"Red Scare recounts a harrowing chapter in our country's history when the fear of Communism, or the fear of being thought a Communist, caused a sort of mass insanity. Walsh's storytelling skills are superb and the drawings are even better." Roz Chast, author of Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, which won a National Book Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted for a National Book Award.
"History, adventure, and fantasy come together masterfully in this beautifully illustrated, imaginative story." Terri Libenson, New York Times bestselling author of the Emmie & Friends series
"I love the drawings: Sometimes you turn the page and your jaw drops. The artwork builds this page-turner perfectly!" Jeff Smith, New York Times bestselling author of the BONE series
"Red Scare is a blast: Retro action, thrills, and real heart!" Rob Harrell, author of Wink
★ 06/24/2022
Gr 4 Up—Peggy is growing up in 1953, and the world feels like a sad and scary place. She is one of many people recovering from polio, and she still isn't strong enough to walk without crutches. Her school life is unhappy because of the bullies who won't leave her alone. Her home life is unhappy because her father's life was ruined by the Korean War. And the news is filled with stories about Communist spies and UFOs. When Peggy discovers a strange glowing object that can make her fly, it feels like this artifact might be the answer to many of her problems, but in fact, having it puts her life in danger from everyone who wants to take it from her. This graphic novel will pull readers into an immersive story that combines the "better dead than red" mentality with edge-of-your-seat action. The story is filled with period details like students practicing how to "duck and cover" and Peggy having nightmares about being in an iron lung. Walsh's artwork is colorful and often breathtaking, with panels of all shapes and sizes that capture the energy of the story. VERDICT For readers who enjoy a mix of historical fiction, science fiction, and heart-pounding suspense.—Andrea Lipinski