Synopsis
Melody and Marshall are cousins whose family is torn apart when Marshall's father enlists in the Confederate Army and Melody's father backs the Union cause. Marshall assists his father by acting as a spy while Melody helps her father. But will family loyalty override the allegiances of war when one of the cousins finds the other in distress?
School Library Journal
Gr 4-8-Each flip book contains two short novels that showcase different perspectives and opinions of the same situation. The Brothers' War takes place in Virginia during the beginning of the Civil War. Melody's family is loyal to the Union while her cousin Marshall's family sides with the Confederacy. The overlapping plot here is more evident than in Escape from War. World War II brings together Frank, a Londoner during the Blitz, and Hannah, a German-Jewish refugee. Evacuated to the English countryside, they must confront their own demons and prejudices. Frank's story takes a few chapters to get started and includes some British slang and historical references that may be unfamiliar to most children. The passage of time is unclear. For example, there is no explanation as to why Neville Chamberlain is Prime Minister and, shortly thereafter, the position is held by Winston Churchill. Both books end before the respective wars are over and do not include an afterword to distinguish fact from fiction or to explain events such as Fort Sumter and Kristallnacht.-S K Joiner, Brazoria County Library System, Angleton, TX Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.