LitPick Review
Patience, self control, and moderation. These are the qualities that Francine Green has too much of and Sophie Bowman needs a little more of. Francine is a quiet girl who is afraid of trouble and speaking up for what is right. Sophie is a very outspoken individual and takes pride in standing out in the crowd. These two girls make an unlikely pair but become best friends when Sophie transfers to Francine's school. And in turn each learns a lesson from the other. Francine learns more about what's going on in the world, especially the Communist Scare, and starts speaking out for what she believes in. Sophie learns the value of friendship and love. Sophie's father and friend are put on the "suspicious" list as being possible Communists and Francine is warned to stay away from them. Inevitably, Francine loses her best friend when Sophie leaves for a safer place.
Opinion:
I thought this was a wonderful book. Karen Cushman does a great job of describing the world situation and home life of that time period. This book was very thought-provoking, which I really liked. It also addressed some of the normal teenage problems, crushes, being overshadowed by an older sibling, and feeling like your parents don't understand you. Adding period slang was the finishing touch on this remarkable book.
