For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.Įveryone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago-except Pippa Fitz-Amobi. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character.
But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.Īutumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart their mothers are still best friends. Alex grows over time, battling internalized racism, which is partially expressed in his negative reaction to the recruits from Hawaii whose portrayal could have been developed with more nuance and context.Īn intriguing premise and fascinating tale. Fukuda ( The Trap, 2013, etc.) artfully conveys Alex’s inner turmoil and paints visceral combat scenes. Assigned to the legendary all-Japanese American 442nd regiment, Alex confronts the ravages of war, haunted by his fears for Charlie’s safety. As the war in Europe interferes with mail delivery to and from France, Alex decides to enlist in exchange for his father’s release and, secretly, in hopes of finding Charlie. The story, punctuated by Alex’s and Charlie’s letters, overall belongs to Alex. After Alex’s father is taken by the FBI, under suspicion of being a spy, the rest of the family is sent to the Manzanar internment camp. The two become devoted friends, and their correspondence proves comforting when World War II brings anti-Japanese sentiment to Alex’s home of Bainbridge Island, Washington, and Charlie’s parents argue over whether to leave Paris following the Nazi occupation. By mistake he is assigned to be the pen pal of Charlie Lévy, a Jewish girl living in Paris whom his teacher believes to be a boy. Friends separated by an ocean experience the traumas of World War II.įor Japanese American Alex Maki, the world in 1935 mostly consists of reading and drawing comics.
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