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Red Menace
In the summer of 1953, 13-year-old Marty Rafner's world shifts when his professor parents are accused of being communist sympathizers—putting them at risk for imprisonment, deportation, or worse.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published February 4, 2020
8 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Lois Ruby
25 books87 followersLois Ruby is the author of fifteen books for middle-graders and teens, including STEAL AWAY HOME, SKIN DEEP, and THE SECRET OF LAUREL OAKS. She and her husband live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the foothills of the awesome Sandia Mountains. Lois explores lots of haunted places, including ghostly locations in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and even a few spooky spots in Australia and Thailand. No spirits have tapped her on the shoulder yet, but she hasn't given up hope.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 5, 2020
Better Off Read
My friend Lois has done it again, and dug down deep to do it. Through Joe McCarthy’s nation-wide madness, Martin Rafner crushes on the girl next door; eats and sleeps baseball stats, and keeps up with the rest of the U.S. ups and downs of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Suddenly, the current events aren’t just about other people anymore. And Martin has a hard time dealing with the backlash.
Lois Ruby masterfully works with the dark verismo of modern history. She does not let the reader off easy, even in her YA material. I was sufficiently scared. She rounds all the bases on the diamond of life’s emotions, and I can promise at least one and a half belly laughs. Red Menace earns Lois Ruby additional Mantles of supreme authorship: it sure took the Mickey out of me!
My friend Lois has done it again, and dug down deep to do it. Through Joe McCarthy’s nation-wide madness, Martin Rafner crushes on the girl next door; eats and sleeps baseball stats, and keeps up with the rest of the U.S. ups and downs of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Suddenly, the current events aren’t just about other people anymore. And Martin has a hard time dealing with the backlash.
Lois Ruby masterfully works with the dark verismo of modern history. She does not let the reader off easy, even in her YA material. I was sufficiently scared. She rounds all the bases on the diamond of life’s emotions, and I can promise at least one and a half belly laughs. Red Menace earns Lois Ruby additional Mantles of supreme authorship: it sure took the Mickey out of me!
November 8, 2020
Sometimes in historical fiction when you know how the arc of the story will end an author is still able to create suspense. Lois Ruby did just that in Red Menace. And she did the other thing I like about well written historical fiction, she propelled me to read more about the events.
March 15, 2020
I really enjoyed this read, and I did get through it in a few hours this morning. I feel that it is a pretty well done historical fiction novel based in reality that actually feels somewhat contemporaneous. I read an uncorrected proof copy but it was released in full before I got this. My readers context is that I’m a history student. I picked this up to read for fun, but I do read from that perspective.
I felt the author did a lovely job of writing about the thoughts of middle-school aged kids and the kinds of friendships they have at this time, and the turmoil that can come with these and learning about different ideologies and becoming more aware of family struggles during this period of life. It felt like it would be relatable to a middle-school audience in that way.
As the underlying narrative is about the Rosenberg trials, there’s a little bit of historical context thrown in. I read some of this from the lens of a history student, and was surprised to see the Spanish Civil War mentioned as it is so rarely taught, but the significance is decently well explained in this story. I found the history in the story to be very accessible, and I think if this were read in a history classroom setting it has the potential to be very well taught and elaborated upon with connections drawn to contemporary issues. The authors discussion questions at the end are great. The one thing I wish she’d added as a discussion question was about race and the significance of “Negro colleges” and how that could be explained to students now, tying in how this is pre-Civil Rights (which is mentioned, as it is leading up to Brown v. Board).
Overall I enjoyed this book and was enthralled the whole way through. It has funny quips that relate to childhood in general while telling a historical narrative.
I felt the author did a lovely job of writing about the thoughts of middle-school aged kids and the kinds of friendships they have at this time, and the turmoil that can come with these and learning about different ideologies and becoming more aware of family struggles during this period of life. It felt like it would be relatable to a middle-school audience in that way.
As the underlying narrative is about the Rosenberg trials, there’s a little bit of historical context thrown in. I read some of this from the lens of a history student, and was surprised to see the Spanish Civil War mentioned as it is so rarely taught, but the significance is decently well explained in this story. I found the history in the story to be very accessible, and I think if this were read in a history classroom setting it has the potential to be very well taught and elaborated upon with connections drawn to contemporary issues. The authors discussion questions at the end are great. The one thing I wish she’d added as a discussion question was about race and the significance of “Negro colleges” and how that could be explained to students now, tying in how this is pre-Civil Rights (which is mentioned, as it is leading up to Brown v. Board).
Overall I enjoyed this book and was enthralled the whole way through. It has funny quips that relate to childhood in general while telling a historical narrative.
February 28, 2020
Title: Red Menace
Summary: It is the summer of 1953 and 13 year old Marty has two things on his mind: baseball and the upcoming execution of accused communist spies, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Ruby gives a clear picture of the Mcarthy era through the eyes of Marty, as his Jewish professor parents are also accused of being communist sympathizers. Marty worries for his parents safety, while also being isolated by friends who fear they will be implicated if his parents really are communist sympathizers. When Marty is kicked off his own jr., high baseball team because of the accusations of his parents, Marty uses his time to spend it with his neighbor, Luke, a Cold War veteran, who is dealing with the horrors of war and coming home. Ruby masterfully captures the fear, and discrimination during the 1950s.
Literary Merit: While I liked that the author used the Rosenberg trial as a way to divide up the chapters and tell the story, I wish we could have had even more background knowledge before the first chapter. Without knowledge of the Mcarthy era, the book falls a little flat. Marty is likable and well-developed and a great narrator for the story.
Originality: I enjoyed this book as the author is trying to highlight a point in American history that doesn’t get highlighted often.
Timelessness: It’s very timely and an important story to tell.
Factual Accuracy: Yes, however it is important to note perspective, as this is a book from the perspective of a 13 year old Jewish boy whose parents have been accused of being communist sympathizers. The book is from the perspective of the 1950s where the Rosenbergs hadn’t had a fair trial, but were being sent to the electric chair, but since then (that Ruby notes in the back pages) we have learned that Julius was guilty, while Ethel was not.
Age Appropriate: This is definitely a middle grade novel, but I fear the themes of the electric chair, military PTSD, deportation, discrimination, communist/capitalism ideals, and more are heavy topics that might have needed a little more care from the author.
Summary: It is the summer of 1953 and 13 year old Marty has two things on his mind: baseball and the upcoming execution of accused communist spies, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Ruby gives a clear picture of the Mcarthy era through the eyes of Marty, as his Jewish professor parents are also accused of being communist sympathizers. Marty worries for his parents safety, while also being isolated by friends who fear they will be implicated if his parents really are communist sympathizers. When Marty is kicked off his own jr., high baseball team because of the accusations of his parents, Marty uses his time to spend it with his neighbor, Luke, a Cold War veteran, who is dealing with the horrors of war and coming home. Ruby masterfully captures the fear, and discrimination during the 1950s.
Literary Merit: While I liked that the author used the Rosenberg trial as a way to divide up the chapters and tell the story, I wish we could have had even more background knowledge before the first chapter. Without knowledge of the Mcarthy era, the book falls a little flat. Marty is likable and well-developed and a great narrator for the story.
Originality: I enjoyed this book as the author is trying to highlight a point in American history that doesn’t get highlighted often.
Timelessness: It’s very timely and an important story to tell.
Factual Accuracy: Yes, however it is important to note perspective, as this is a book from the perspective of a 13 year old Jewish boy whose parents have been accused of being communist sympathizers. The book is from the perspective of the 1950s where the Rosenbergs hadn’t had a fair trial, but were being sent to the electric chair, but since then (that Ruby notes in the back pages) we have learned that Julius was guilty, while Ethel was not.
Age Appropriate: This is definitely a middle grade novel, but I fear the themes of the electric chair, military PTSD, deportation, discrimination, communist/capitalism ideals, and more are heavy topics that might have needed a little more care from the author.
March 7, 2020
Well done, Lois Ruby. This story is compelling and tells about a time in our history (1950's McCarthyism) that could easily be compared to what's happening today.
Marty Rafner loves baseball, Micky Mantle and is preparing for his bar mitzvah. That's plenty for a 13-year-old to deal with, but when paranoia and prejudice rear its ugly head his family is accused of being communist spies.
This is the time when the Rosenberg's execution is fast approaching. Rumors are enough to get people fired and Marty kicked off the baseball team. Life will never be the same for this family or the little berg they live in Kansas.
There's a lot going on in this book and the suspense builds with every page. What would you do if your mother was accused of being a spy? It's pretty hard for Marty to take, but he's made of stern stuff and finds it in himself to help others even during this turmoil.
Marty Rafner loves baseball, Micky Mantle and is preparing for his bar mitzvah. That's plenty for a 13-year-old to deal with, but when paranoia and prejudice rear its ugly head his family is accused of being communist spies.
This is the time when the Rosenberg's execution is fast approaching. Rumors are enough to get people fired and Marty kicked off the baseball team. Life will never be the same for this family or the little berg they live in Kansas.
There's a lot going on in this book and the suspense builds with every page. What would you do if your mother was accused of being a spy? It's pretty hard for Marty to take, but he's made of stern stuff and finds it in himself to help others even during this turmoil.
June 21, 2020
Red Menace by Lois Ruby, 207 pages. Carolrhoda (Lerner), 2020. $18.
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Marty’s (13yo) neighborhood and especially his family are under siege by the government. Their neighbors, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg have been convicted of being communist spies and are awaiting their execution. Marty’s father signed a loyalty oath, but his activist mother refuses. With the FBI literally parked outside their front scrutinizing every move and opening every piece of mail, can their family hold together, or will they be torn apart by the pressure?
Historical fiction set during the Cold War is a very dry, difficult challenge. Unfortunately, Ruby, even with all of her skill, doesn’t manage to breathe life into the era.
Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Marty’s (13yo) neighborhood and especially his family are under siege by the government. Their neighbors, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg have been convicted of being communist spies and are awaiting their execution. Marty’s father signed a loyalty oath, but his activist mother refuses. With the FBI literally parked outside their front scrutinizing every move and opening every piece of mail, can their family hold together, or will they be torn apart by the pressure?
Historical fiction set during the Cold War is a very dry, difficult challenge. Unfortunately, Ruby, even with all of her skill, doesn’t manage to breathe life into the era.
Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
April 19, 2020
Very well done. Lots to discuss and not a period or subject I’ve seen covered much in middle grade.
May 14, 2020
The best of stories for children and young adults often carry the power to educate and thoroughly entertain the mature adult reader. This is certainly the case with the latest offering from Lois Ruby, a former librarian and experienced writer for young readers with 20 books under her belt.
Red Menace revolves around the life of thirteen-year-old Marty Rafner, his family challenges and his perspective on many harsh realities of American life in 1953. Baseball-obsessed (specifically the Yankees) and studying for his upcoming bar mitzvah, Marty lives in suburban Kansas with his academic professor parents, Rosalie and Irwin. The Korean War is raging (his shellshocked neighbour has just returned from active duty) and the national flames of obsessive communism fear are being successfully stoked by the terrifyingly powerful Senator Joseph McCarthy and FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover.
Why would this very adult political maelstrom possibly affect a 13-year-old boy more interested in Micky Mantle and the latest World Series than the tenets of democracy and freedom of speech? Well, Marty’s parents are left-leaning intellectuals who enjoyed a professional friendship with none other than Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, the convicted spies whose appeals are fast running out as they face execution by the electric chair in just two months’ time. Rosalie Rafner’s own loyalty to her country is being questioned. FBI agents are stationed outside the family home, watching their every move and a subpoena to appear in NY before SISS (the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee) seems horrifyingly inevitable. There’s even talk of her being deported to Poland where she was born.
Marty regards the national zeitgeist as well as the threats closer to home with more than a young observer’s eyes. He has a grasp of the issues and, in fact, has the opportunity to become the catalyst for his family’s very survival.
Ruby paints a picture of the McCarthy Era America of her childhood with evocative storytelling and rattling clarity. In doing so, she brings to life for young and old a disturbing chapter of American political history which should never be forgotten and which resonates alarmingly in 2020.
Red Menace revolves around the life of thirteen-year-old Marty Rafner, his family challenges and his perspective on many harsh realities of American life in 1953. Baseball-obsessed (specifically the Yankees) and studying for his upcoming bar mitzvah, Marty lives in suburban Kansas with his academic professor parents, Rosalie and Irwin. The Korean War is raging (his shellshocked neighbour has just returned from active duty) and the national flames of obsessive communism fear are being successfully stoked by the terrifyingly powerful Senator Joseph McCarthy and FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover.
Why would this very adult political maelstrom possibly affect a 13-year-old boy more interested in Micky Mantle and the latest World Series than the tenets of democracy and freedom of speech? Well, Marty’s parents are left-leaning intellectuals who enjoyed a professional friendship with none other than Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, the convicted spies whose appeals are fast running out as they face execution by the electric chair in just two months’ time. Rosalie Rafner’s own loyalty to her country is being questioned. FBI agents are stationed outside the family home, watching their every move and a subpoena to appear in NY before SISS (the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee) seems horrifyingly inevitable. There’s even talk of her being deported to Poland where she was born.
Marty regards the national zeitgeist as well as the threats closer to home with more than a young observer’s eyes. He has a grasp of the issues and, in fact, has the opportunity to become the catalyst for his family’s very survival.
Ruby paints a picture of the McCarthy Era America of her childhood with evocative storytelling and rattling clarity. In doing so, she brings to life for young and old a disturbing chapter of American political history which should never be forgotten and which resonates alarmingly in 2020.
August 28, 2021
I don't usually read any YA historical fiction books that don't take place during the holocaust, and I especially don't read anything that even mentions sports, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
This story takes place during the Red Scare, when the government was making life hard for anyone rumored to be passing American secrets onto the Russians. You know, the Rosenberg case that every school teaches you about in 7th grade. I don't remember much else about the era, but this book writes about it so well that I almost feel like I at least understand a fraction of the frustrations and fright young teens felt during this time. Many educators, especially liberal educators, were targeted. Marty Rafner was no exception. All he cared about was the Yankees winning, when his family starts being watched by the FBI across the street because his Literature professor and poet mother refuses to sign a paper saying that they are not communist sympathizers. While dealing with the stress of the government watching his family's every move, Marty also has to come to terms with a friend who's mind didn't leave the war behind, and the possibility of never seeing his crush again.
The story is well written, but it does discuss a lot of heavy topics, so it may not be for everybody. I for one had sweat stains on my sleeves from being so anxious about how it was all going to resolve. I didn't care for how much baseball stats were thrown in, but there was a historical aspect in that as well. It really set the tone for the era. I recommend this book to anyone who likes YA historical fiction, but wants something fresh.
This story takes place during the Red Scare, when the government was making life hard for anyone rumored to be passing American secrets onto the Russians. You know, the Rosenberg case that every school teaches you about in 7th grade. I don't remember much else about the era, but this book writes about it so well that I almost feel like I at least understand a fraction of the frustrations and fright young teens felt during this time. Many educators, especially liberal educators, were targeted. Marty Rafner was no exception. All he cared about was the Yankees winning, when his family starts being watched by the FBI across the street because his Literature professor and poet mother refuses to sign a paper saying that they are not communist sympathizers. While dealing with the stress of the government watching his family's every move, Marty also has to come to terms with a friend who's mind didn't leave the war behind, and the possibility of never seeing his crush again.
The story is well written, but it does discuss a lot of heavy topics, so it may not be for everybody. I for one had sweat stains on my sleeves from being so anxious about how it was all going to resolve. I didn't care for how much baseball stats were thrown in, but there was a historical aspect in that as well. It really set the tone for the era. I recommend this book to anyone who likes YA historical fiction, but wants something fresh.
May 7, 2020
Set in the spring and early summer of 1953 Kansas Marty's and his neighbor Amy Lynn's families are being being watched by the FBI. Marty and Amy Lynns parents are professors at Hawthorne College. They have been asked to sign loyalty oaths. His dad signs but his mom does not. Because Marty's parents are under suspicion of being communists his friend Conner isn't allowed to hang out with him anymore and he's kicked off his baseball team. In the background is the upcoming execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg who were convicted of being communist spies. Marty's mom is asked to testify in New York because the FBI believe she is a Polish citizen and are theatening to deport her. This novel gives a slice of what the early 1950s were like during the McCarthy era and the fear that pervaded of being falsely accused of being communist. The author note's give a brief explaination of that period time in America. My only quibble with the book is there were a couple of minor historical inaccuracies that younger readers would not pick up on. This book is geared for 5th-8th grade readers who enjoy realistic depictions of American history.
July 13, 2022
Marty wants nothing more than to play baseball, follow the world series and be part of a regular family that thinks a little less about politics than his own left-leaning parents do. That's easier said than done in 1950s America during the Red Scare. With FBI agents watching their house and Ethel and Julius Rosenberg about to be executed for being suspected communists, it's hard for Marty to concentrate on baseball, especially when he's expelled from his own team because of his parents' beliefs. When a shell-shocked neighbour arrives home from the Korean War, Marty is forced to ask himself what patriotism really means and if standing up to unfair treatment is the act of disloyalty the government says it is. As a kid who grew up in a politically active household, I could totally relate to Marty's frustration with his parents' devotion to The Cause. Marty's barbed insights were at turns hilarious and moving, as was his dawning awareness of how the Red Scare affected all families, not just his own. His practice of writing heartfelt memos to baseball hero, Mickey Mantle, was
priceless.
priceless.
December 1, 2020
The Crucible is one of my favorite books, partly because Arthur Miller was inspired by the red scare and McCarthyism during the Cold War. I've struggled to find other fiction about this time period, so I jumped at the chance to read this from my library. Narrated by a 13 year old Marty, this book delves into the paranoia and deep hatred surrounding Communism. While this is a middle grade book, I think it is more for an older audience due to how callously the executions of the Rosenbergs are described. This tragedy provided the timeline for the story as we see Marty's parents and neighbors investigated by the FBI for suspected Communist ties. There was also a character suffering from PTSD after serving in the Korean War. While I wish that was handled better, it was also likely appropriate for the way returning soldiers were viewed in the early 1950s. Overall, this was a solid book and I would recommend it to anyone interested in this period of history.
January 13, 2021
A great way to introduce students to the Cold War, Marty's first person narration is so true that it's sometimes painful. He's savoring his waning childhood as he's thrust into an adult world full of fear and suspicion. This most likely will be young readers' first encounter with Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, and the author deftly illustrates communist fear and the red scare.
I love how Marty writes letters to Mickey Mantle as he works through his feelings based on what is happening around him. This story is sure to spark conversations, and savvy readers will certainly make connections to our world today.
Why do so many juvenile books have such lousy covers? This is a great book, but young readers do choose books based on their covers, and this is one they have been passing by. I have seen this again and again with middle schoolers; they complain that they don't want to read books that look like they are marketed to elementary school based on the covers.
I love how Marty writes letters to Mickey Mantle as he works through his feelings based on what is happening around him. This story is sure to spark conversations, and savvy readers will certainly make connections to our world today.
Why do so many juvenile books have such lousy covers? This is a great book, but young readers do choose books based on their covers, and this is one they have been passing by. I have seen this again and again with middle schoolers; they complain that they don't want to read books that look like they are marketed to elementary school based on the covers.
March 5, 2020
13 year old Marty has a lot on his mind as his left leaning Jewish parents keep up with the Rosenberg trial and execution countdown, and his mother is accused of being a communist for not signing a loyalty pledge. I have mixed feelings. This is super powerful, and has a lot of important ties to the present day. But there's also fat shaming and a few cringe worthy lines about Marty's crush Amy Lynn. Those all did come at the start of the book before Marty really evolved (except referring to her grandmother as a spark plug), but...eh. I'm deciding if I want this on my grade list rec list or not.
I do like the look at history that is glossed over, Marty's relationship with Luke, the vet returning from Korea with PTSD, the various perspectives of what is happening, etc. I think I recommend this book, but with guidance from adults, maybe.
I do like the look at history that is glossed over, Marty's relationship with Luke, the vet returning from Korea with PTSD, the various perspectives of what is happening, etc. I think I recommend this book, but with guidance from adults, maybe.
December 14, 2021
This is a YA book so I guess I’m 50+ years outside the target audience, but I very much enjoyed this book. There is plenty of drama and suspense along with the history and social studies. It is written to be relatable to young teens but it does not talk down to them. Ruby trusts they are capable of managing serious and complex societal and family issues.
Full disclosure: I have come to know Lois over the past couple of years and I chose this book because I wanted to see what her writing is like (and the topic is interesting to me). But my review would be no less favorable if I didn’t know her. It’s 4 out of 5 starts for me just because it is more directed at a YA audience. I will read more of her books.
Full disclosure: I have come to know Lois over the past couple of years and I chose this book because I wanted to see what her writing is like (and the topic is interesting to me). But my review would be no less favorable if I didn’t know her. It’s 4 out of 5 starts for me just because it is more directed at a YA audience. I will read more of her books.
January 4, 2021
Interesting bit of history focused in the 3 months before the Rosenberg's execution 1953.
Takes place in a Fake Kansas town within 2 hours of Wichita.
Marty's parents are professors and dont really get baseball, which Marty loves. When his mother doesnt sign a loyalty oath, things being to get dicey.
Book shows how the Red Scare ruined lives along with a minor part dealing with the Korean war. There is a war vet who obviously has PTSD syndrome who lives on the same street. The kids try their best to get him to talk or try to keep things normal while not knowing how to make things normal.
Takes place in a Fake Kansas town within 2 hours of Wichita.
Marty's parents are professors and dont really get baseball, which Marty loves. When his mother doesnt sign a loyalty oath, things being to get dicey.
Book shows how the Red Scare ruined lives along with a minor part dealing with the Korean war. There is a war vet who obviously has PTSD syndrome who lives on the same street. The kids try their best to get him to talk or try to keep things normal while not knowing how to make things normal.
October 24, 2025
Red Menace had all the ingredients for a gripping historical read: Cold War paranoia, family tension, and a young protagonist caught in the crossfire of ideology and identity. The premise was strong, and the historical context felt timely and relevant.
But the execution didn’t quite land for me. The writing style felt clunky at times, and the plot dragged more than it needed to. Honestly, trimming about 100 pages could’ve made the story tighter and more engaging. I found myself losing interest midway, even though I cared about the themes and setting.
It’s a decent read if you’re curious about McCarthy-era America, but it didn’t fully deliver the emotional punch I was hoping for.
But the execution didn’t quite land for me. The writing style felt clunky at times, and the plot dragged more than it needed to. Honestly, trimming about 100 pages could’ve made the story tighter and more engaging. I found myself losing interest midway, even though I cared about the themes and setting.
It’s a decent read if you’re curious about McCarthy-era America, but it didn’t fully deliver the emotional punch I was hoping for.
March 5, 2020
How have I not read this author until Red Menace? She captured the lives of children during the cold war and even introduced a multi-racial family as the main characters...probably not common but I appreciated it. Also, as a baseball fan, I loved the dual story lines and the letters to Mickey Mantle. (Even though I'm a life long Red Sox fan!) Great way to help middle level kids understand more about the Red Scare...certainly an appropriate and timely read in our current political arena. Give it a try!
May 29, 2020
Good historical fiction book about a young boy growing up in the early 1950s during the Korean War and the height of the Cold War and the Red Scare. Perhaps if young readers learn about these topics in personified ways, more human ways like this book, rather than a few lines in a history book, they will learn the actual lessons of history and not repeat it. I don’t think I know another middle school book that includes information about the Rosenbergs, so this was interesting. I will keep this book in mind for those that enjoy historical fiction.
December 28, 2022
A Jewish boy in Kansas struggles with the Red Scare when his mom becomes a target. This was good. More baseball focused than I would have preferred, but I get it, that’s what seventh graders are like sometimes—though I do hold it against him that he likes the Yankees so much. It was a realistic depiction of how friendships at that age can fall apart so easily, too. I’m shelving this as Jewish because, even though Judaism wasn’t a main focus, the family’s being Jewish was part of the reason they were targeted for surveillance, so it fits well enough.
March 7, 2021
Finished it in one sitting. I heard a couple at Barnes and Noble say something about it being the “scariest in the series” and went I came back around they had covered it up with another children’s book. So naturally I bought it out of spite. Glad I did; it was a great read. I wouldn’t call it “scary” more eye opening to the times it was referring to. The “scariest” part is how close it matches with today’s event. History really repeats itself.
February 16, 2020
Timing is spot on! Young people reading this may have heard about McCarthyism but will learn a wide range of history, both fun sports facts and important historical facts. I would encourage all young people to read this book and discuss it with someone from that time frame.
March 9, 2020
I wanted to give this a 4 but it lacks context for younger audiences. I know why I should care about witch hunts, but the book doesn't make it abundantly clear why kids should care. Also, way too much baseball info...
July 1, 2022
I read this book to fulfill a prompt for a reading challenge. You get into Marty’s head during the McCarthy era. Throw in a good splash of the Yankees with a touch of humor and you have a great middle school book. Will recommend it to my younger grandson.
November 17, 2019
Earc from netgalley
I liked the cover of this book, it definitely made me interested enough to pick up the book. The story itself was okay, it kind of lagged in places, but overall it was good.
I liked the cover of this book, it definitely made me interested enough to pick up the book. The story itself was okay, it kind of lagged in places, but overall it was good.
May 26, 2020
It just wasn't engaging.
April 10, 2021
I loved this book. This book showed how some people’s lives were like if their parents were suspected of communist activity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 14, 2021i almost never DNF books but just getting to chapter 8 was painful
June 4, 2021
This book really encourages further research and is very well written.
June 22, 2021
DNF for Red Menace. The writing style just wasn't working for me.
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