Black Radishes

Meyer, Susan. Black Radishes.
Gustave's parents do not think it will be safe to be a Jew in Paris under Nazi occupation, and have the foresight to sell their business and rent a house out in the country while waiting for their affidavit to emigrate to the US. While the situation in France worsens, Gustave becomes involved with local resistance fighters and witnesses first hand the problems with German rule. Based on the true story of the author's father's experiences, this gives an interesting perspective on another facet of this terrible time.

Strengths: Gustave's reactions to the war and its effect on him are realistic. He is angry, sad and bored at times, not always noble.

Weaknesses: This will be a good book for our Holocaust unit, but may be a hard sell because students always want something set in the concentration camps.

Also read part of Boream's Small Persons with Wings, but couldn't get into it because the main character, Mellie, seemed to create so many of her own problems. Maybe it is just a book for readers younger than my middle schoolers; this book has gotten a lot of buzz.

And yes, I fooled with the template again. The yellow was too much, early in the morning. Some soft blue seemed more the thing.