  | Enemy's daughter Author: Blankman, Anne | |
| Price: $23.78 | ||
Summary:
In the midst of WWI, two girls discover they have more in common than they thought even though their countries are supposed to be enemies.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 5.20 Points: 11.0 Quiz: 556662 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (12/15/24)
School Library Journal (+) (00/12/24)
Booklist (02/01/25)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/02/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 11/11/2024 In May 1915, following a long stay with American relatives, Marta, 12, and her father are traveling home on the Lusitania, bearing false identity papers to hide their German citizenship. When the ship is bombed by a German submarine just after Marta’s father’s nationality is uncovered by another passenger, they jump overboard together. Father and daughter survive but are separated, and quick-witted Marta must make her way alone. Relying on her talent for adopting different accents, she poses as American, then English, then Dutch as she journeys from the Irish fishing boat that rescues her to the English city of York, where she is taken in by the Irish O’Sullivans. Wavering between disbelief that "her people had bombed the Lusitania," hatred for the "greedy" English and Irish, and guilt and confusion about her deepening friendship with the family’s daughter Clare and the heartfelt care they all provide, Marta grapples with her subterfuge. As she demonstrates consistent bravery through unusually challenging experiences, Marta’s naive viewpoint expands to encompass a unity of humankind. The well-paced story offers a look into WWI history from the seldom-told perspective of a child whose native country is often depicted as the enemy. Ages 8-12. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. (Feb.) - Copyright 2024
Booklist - 02/01/2025 In 1915, as Europe is at war, German citizens Marta, 12, and her father have been stuck in the U.S. They board the RMS Lusitania with fake identities to begin their voyage home when a German torpedo sinks the ship. After being rescued, Marta’s father is arrested for being German. Alone in England, Marta assumes a Dutch identity, relying on her acting skills as she searches for a way home. Marta finds refuge but is discovered by an Irish girl her age, Clare, whose family takes her in. Clare helps Marta secure a position at the chocolate factory where she works. As Marta witnesses anti-German sentiment and develops her own animosity toward the British, she observes the prejudice Clare and her family experience for being Irish. Secrets weigh heavily on Marta as her friendship with Clare blooms. Blankman is skilled in creating immersive settings, from the sinking of a ship to the storied walls of York, and her historical tale will resonate readers of today. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
