#29: The Paper Girl of Paris (Jordyn Taylor)

I love reading historical fiction. There’s just something magical about mixing fictional characters with real events. Ever since reading Number the Stars, I have had a special place in my heart for works for young readers that address the horrors of World War II. When I stumbled upon The Paper Girl of Paris on a recent trip to the bookstore, I knew that I had found an exciting read that was going to move me. I was right in my assessment.

The Paper Girl of Paris tells the story of Alice and Adalyn. Alice is a 16-year-old girl who has just inherited a Paris apartment from her grandmother. When Alice and her parents arrive to check out the unusual gift, they find that the space is much as it was when the family left in the height of World War II. While exploring the apartment for information about her grandmother, Alice stumbles upon the diary of her grandmother’s sister, Adalyn. While she is initially intrigued by the discovery of another relative, Alice’s feelings change when she discovers a photograph of Adalyn enjoying drinks with Nazi invaders. Was Adalyn a supporter of the Nazis in Paris? Did she betray her own family who ultimately left everything behind to avoid the Nazis?

A thrilling story about the the French Resistance and the importance of family, The Paper Girl of Paris will be an exciting read for any history lover and a great introduction to the major issues of World War II for any young reader. I highly recommend it!

#17: The Hate U Give (Angie Thomas)

Earlier today, I finished my reading of Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give and am still reeling from the depiction of the many injustices that are encountered by African-American teens. In light of the protests going on in our nation right now, I think Thomas’ novel is extremely important and should be read by all adults — not just the young ones!

You can find plot summaries all over the internet, so I don’t want to focus on the story itself. Besides, I hate when a review contains spoilers that lessen a book’s impact. The novel centers around the killing of a black teen boy by a white police officer during a routine traffic stop. Starr, the novel’s heroine, witnessed the entire encounter from the passenger seat of the stopped car and is preparing to testify against the officer. While Thomas explores the implications of the crime, I thought that her most powerful statements were about the role of the media in these recurring scenarios as well as the source of the African-American community’s anger.

As a white man, I cannot fully understand the level of bigotry, prejudice, and disdain that many in the black community have faced. I have a little more of an understanding now — and for that, I’m thankful. I also know that the issues society are currently facing are not so simple that they can be summarized and adequately expressed in a YA novel. But sometimes, I think we need to step away from the “reality” that is such a hot-button issue and look at a similar situation through the lenses of fiction. I know it has been a valuable tool for me and I will not soon forget the story of Starr and the Carter family as they faced injustice in many forms. Thank you, Angie Thomas, for an outstanding novel that permitted me to pause a think in a safe place.