The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle

The Charmed Children
of Rookskill Castle
by Janet Fox

From the publisher:
"Something is not right at Rookskill Castle, a rundown Scottish manor shrouded in mystery. The castle is a temporary boarding school for children escaping the Blitz, but soon it’s clear there is something terribly wrong. There are clues hinting that a spy is in the house, and there are undeniable signs of a sinister magic. When the children in the castle’s temporary boarding school begin disappearing one by one, it’s a race against the clock for twelve-year-old Kat Bateson, her two younger siblings, and their new best friend."

It took me a while to get into this one, which concerns me for my middle schoolers. You have to grab them and hold on with both hands to get them to read sometimes, so I'm not sure how this one will go over. Eventually the plot became very exciting and even creepy, so I think if they just keep going it will win them over. It also attempts a lot of plot lines, which might be hard for some of my students to keep track of and understand.... WWII and the Blitz, boarding school, magic, spying and mechanical things. The main character is a little annoying at times, but she has a lot on her plate. All in all, I mildly enjoyed it but was annoyed at the open ending and no sequel. 

Areas of concern:
*Some pretty gruesome magic goes on including trading fingers and limbs for special charms.
*Really evil person stealing the souls of children.
*A parent in grave danger from the Nazis

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10+
School Library Journal - Grades 6+

The War That Saved My Life

The War That Saved My Life
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

 From the publisher:
"A Wall Street Journal's Best Children's Book of 2015
A Newbery Honor Book

An exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson’s Sons and for fans of Number the Stars.
 
Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.
 
So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
 
This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity—a classic in the making."

I thought this book did an exquisite job of showing how abuse affects a child. The main character, Ada, has been horribly abused her whole life, and all readers will be relieved when she escapes and has the chance at a new life. However, life doesn't suddenly turn rosy for her. She has trouble accepting kindness and compassion and feels completely out of place. Her new guardian reads the book Alice in Wonderland to Ada and her brother, Jamie, and this is what Ada thinks:

“It was us, I thought. Jamie and me. We had fallen down a rabbit hole, fallen into Susan’s house, and nothing made sense, not at all, not anymore.” 

It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming to watch Ada's journey to finding the strength in herself. Sometimes it is 1 step forward and 2 steps back, but slowly and surely she progresses. The patience of her guardian, Susan, is remarkable, but we are also shown how taking upon herself the guardianship of 2 abused children makes Susan grow and come out of herself. I thought the ending faltered a little bit, but all in all I really enjoyed this book. It doesn't match up to my favorite WWII-child-evacuee book, which is Good Night, Mr. Tom  by Michelle Magorian, but it is a pretty respectable second place. 

Areas of concern:
*Horrible abuse of a disabled child. Sensitive readers could be very disturbed by all of it.
*A handful of British cuss words.
*There is a very subtle inference of a homosexual relationship, but I'm quite sure the targeted age group for this book won't pick up on it.

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 5-8

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 9-12

The Romeo and Juliet Code

The Romeo and Juliet Code
by Phoebe Stone

From the publisher,
"A sudden trip to a seaside house. A boy with brown sugar eyes. And then , a mysterious letter.

Felicity's glamorous parents have a secret. When they leave her with distant relatives in Maine, far away from the battles of WWII, Felicity hopes they won't be gone for long. Her new Uncle Gideon hides things. Her Aunt Miami is star-crossed. And Derek, a kid her age, refuses to leave his room.

But Felicity needs Derek's help. Gideon is getting coded letters from Felicity's parents, and she's sure they're in trouble. Can Felicity crack the code, heal the family and save her parents, all while surviving her first crush? It's a tall order for a small girl, but Felicity is up for the challenge."

There are some things I really liked about this book, and other things that really bugged me.  I liked the setting and the idea of a British girl coming to live with her American relatives during WWII.  The characters were intriguing, but I had a hard time liking most of them.  The main character, who was supposed to be British, kept rubbing that in our faces so much that it felt more like an American girl who was just trying to be British.  And all the "British children do this" stereotypes got old quickly.  Since this review is being written by a confirmed Brit-Lit snob, to say that you could tell it was an American author is not a compliment.  I also had a hard time liking a mother and father who left their small daughter alone and scared at night.  They didn't have any neighbors, friends or family who could have stayed with her?  And then the other revelations later in the book about the parents increased that dislike.  At the end of the book, the heroine takes something very calmly that should have been completely earth-shattering to her.  It was not very realistic at all.  So while it was a good story with some tension in it and I read it quickly, there were definitely things that I wish were different.  I'm not sure the story is gripping enough to keep middle schoolers moving through it.

Areas of concern:
Adultery is hinted at.  I don't remember any bad language.
 
Suggested Ages:
Booklist - Grades 5-8
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 9-13