Kezzie at War

Kezzie #1-2

by Theresa Breslin

Two touching, remarkable stories of hope featuring a brave, indomitable girl named Kezzie, from critically-acclaimed author Theresa Breslin.
 
During the 1930s Depression in Scotland, Kezzie and her young sister Lucy are luckier than most. Following their father's death, they manage to stay together and live on the little work Kezzie and Grandad are able to find.
 
But life turns sour when Lucy goes missing. Without hesitation, Kezzie sets off alone to find her sister, a difficult journey which takes her over the Atlantic to Canada.
 
In the second story, Kezzie and Lucy are reunited with Grandad in Clydebank. The Second World War breaks out, and the family spirit is put to the test. Kezzie's strength is needed by so many -- she must save an Italian family from the racial hatred they encounter, and rescue her old school friend Peg. As Clydebank is bombed and becomes a burning inferno, will Kezzie be strong enough to turn a tragedy into a triumph?

560 pages, Paperback

First published March 29, 2012

About the author

Theresa Breslin is a Scottish author of over 50 books, known for her contributions to children's and young adult literature. She won the Carnegie Medal in 1994 for Whispers in the Graveyard, which tells the story of a dyslexic boy overcoming personal struggles. Born and raised in Kirkintilloch, Scotland, she started writing as a teenager and later worked as a librarian before becoming a full-time author.

Her works often explore historical and social themes, as seen in Divided City (2005), which addresses sectarianism in Glasgow, and The Medici Seal (2006), a historical novel featuring Leonardo da Vinci. Her book Prisoner of the Inquisition (2010) was shortlisted for another Carnegie Medal.
Breslin has received numerous accolades, including the Scottish Book Trust's Outstanding Achievement Award and an Honorary Fellowship from the Association for Scottish Literary Studies. In 2019, she was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to literature.

Reviews

[Winnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book quite boring. Meet Kezzie. She's perfect in every way. She's smart and nice and perfect. Everyone she meets loves her. Even if they start off hating her, they end up liking her because she's just perfect that way. Somehow, when she goes and looks for a job, she tricks an adult so she can try it out first. And the adult believes her. Um... no. The story lacks a lot of detail in some parts and has too much detail in others. For example, Kezzie's sister knows nothing and out of the blue, can skin a rabbit. When did that happen? Also, the history part of this is literally one sentence every few chapters. If I hadn't studied World War II earlier this year, I would be clueless about what's happening. It also lacked a lot of detail in other aspects and there were other things that were so detailed that it got boring.
I liked how this book was about surviving through hardship.

[Toni Umar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very easy book to read, the characters are just delightful. I loved the way the author bought history into the story line but it was never boring. Although some of the out comes were rather predictable, I still found the novel very enjoyable. It is the type of book I feel would easily fit to be made into a movie

[Dawn Lockey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story of strength and courage in downright hardship prior to and during the Second World War.

Highly recommended read. Just couldn't put it down.

First I have read from this author but I will be reading more of her books now.