Catch You Later, Traitor by Avi

There was a time in American history when the specter of Communism loomed large in the national consciousness and the FBI was tasked with determining whom among us held views that went against the American Way. Agents used a variety of methods to help in this quest.

The main character in the novel Catch you Later, Traitor is a kid called Pete who lives a regular life in New York City but things change drastically when his teacher accuses him of having a Communist father. Pete, a fan of detective radio shows and comic books, begin to use his budding detective skills to prove that his dad is no Communist. What he discovers however are some secrets that will forever change him.

Avi  uses elements from his childhood growing up in the time of the Cold War and it is amazing how much things have changed but still remain the same. Some of the food Pete encounters are new to him but are ubiquitous now. Pizza for example is a huge treat for him back then whereas people eat it literally for all three meals.

This novel explores various themes as well, among them family, marriage, friendship. Avi uses a light touch however so the reader does not get bogged down with the details. Pete does not have the closest relationship with his older brother Bobby and their encounters are usually short and terse. Pete is very close to his father however and their bond is strengthened through the trying circumstances in which they find themselves. Pete has also placed various extended family members in neatly defined categories but this changes as the plot unfolds.

Friendship is a major part of the story also and Pete finds his friendship with his best friend, a girl called Kat, sorely tested. In the climate of the day friends who were loyal were hard to come by since there were many government agents bent on rooting out anyone with suspected Communist ties.

Avi lives here in Denver and even checks out books from a branch of my library system (how cool is that!). I am ashamed to say that this is the first of his books that I have read but it will not be the last. I recommend it for ages 9+.

The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry

The Worst Class Trip Ever by author Dave Barry is a story about friends, terrorists and farts...I kid you not. A group of middle schoolers go on a field trip to Washington D.C. hoping to learn more about the history and see some of the many tourist attractions there.  Told from the point of view of Wyatt Palmer, an ordinary eighth grader whose parents are loving if not a bit zany. His mom is a loving, doting parent...but she doesn't suffer fools gladly as his father finds out early in the book.


Wyatt is a typical student, not too good but not too bad. Things get off to a bad start literally from the time the kids get on the plane when he and his best bud Matt get into a minor tiff with some strange guys sitting next to them try to flout the rules about baggage. The guys want to put a bag somewhere but are told not to by the stewardess. Things don't end there however because Matt, the goofy friend takes something out of the bag. This leads to perhaps the weirdest sequence of events I have read in some time.

In addition to this Wyatt has to deal with his affection for a girl who for all intents and purposes is unattainable. She is taller, smarter and more worldly than he and she also doesn't know how he feels about her. But this situation is so crazy he just might be able to use it to his advantage.

The kids find themselves having to make some serious decisions and I like how Barry was able to frame the decision. On one hand they realized when things got serious and that they would need grown up help but on the other hand theywant to follow instructions they received This for me is adolescence in a nutshell; yes there are some things that can be done on your own but there will still be times when adult assistance will be required.

This is a good summer read for kids aged 10+. I enjoyed it and I think middle grade readers will identify with the social scenarios and mild friend drama described in it. This is a good summer read.

Tunnel Vision by Susan Adrian

Jake has powers. No one knows about it except his dad and his grandfather. The former is dead, the latter lives in a secluded cabin in New York. Jake is a senior in high school and his life is full of school work, tennis practice and working hard to get into his preferred colleges.

 One night at a house party against his better judgment he uses his powers and freaks his friends out. Even worse, word leaks and then all kinds of strange suited people begin following him. Soon he makes a deal with a strange organization who promise to help him harness his powers to help save people from bad guys. Part of the deal involves some of the suit's "handlers" embedding themselves in Jake's life.


This novel is engrossing because the tension between Jake and his handlers is apparent. He chafes at the extent to which they come into his life. It is not only that they encroach upon his privacy but the transition is so sudden and so seamless. Jacob has been taught all his life to respect authority, moreso since his father was in the service and was proud to serve his country. This group of grown ups is not entirely trustworthy however and slowly Jake begins to discover some ugly truths.

As you would expect there are some twists along the way and Jacob has had to make a series of very tough decisions by the end of the story.This novel is well-written and balances elements of  espionage, conspiracy theories, current events, teenage drama and then some. I highly recommend it for teens aged 14+.

Knightley and son by Rohan Gavin

Father son books are always interesting to read because depending on the age of their son there is always some subtle tension in the relationship. For young sons the father prods his progeny, trying to get him to be a better player, athlete etc. Older sons, in trying to carve their own niche and explore their individuality are often at loggerheads with their fathers. In this book, the relationship is somewhere in between.
                                                         
 Knightley and Son by Rohan Gavin is an unusual detective story. Alan Knightley ex ace private detective, is not grooming his son as a potential successor for the family business (as is usually the case in novels of this type), as a matter of fact he has gone out of his way to conceal information about past cases and about the one big case he was working on before he went into a coma. Knightley's obsessive nature and devotion to his cases took a toll on his marriage and he and his wife divorced.
     The book opens with Darkus Knightley trying to make sense of a dossier of cases his father has worked on. In the time that his father has been comatose, Darkus has sharpened his skills and is very calculating and composed the way he thinks his father would want him to be. Though there are a few twists and turns along the way, the case is pretty much standard fare with it being resolved yet leaving the door open for possible sequels or villainous returns.
     The book touches on  very important theme-the influence of a father on an impressionable young man. Darkus has had to form his idea of what his father would want him to be, first because his father's long convalesence and also because his father is not the most communicative person. This I felt was a theme that could have been explored more.  Another small gripe I had is that Darkus Knightley is portrayed as a type of automaton, he seems unaffected by his parents divorce, he patiently deals with bullies who make fun of him in class. Yes he is very smart but even the most intelligent teens are capable of displays of emotion.
    Despite these minor flaws this is a good book and I recommend it for readers aged 10-13.