Spy Runner

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Spy Runner, by Eugene Yelchin

I like Eugene Yelchin, writer of middle-grade fiction.  Some years ago I read the Newbery Honor book, Breaking Stalin's Nose, which is great.  And I have a nice new copy of The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge on my TBR shelf; it's co-authored and illustrated by Yelchin.  So when my mom handed me his new novel, I was happy.

Jake is 12, and living right next to an Air Force base, he knows that being a good American is important.  His dad has been missing for 12 years, since the end of World War II, and Jake is pretty sure the Russians have him imprisoned.  He knows all about Communists from his favorite spy comics, so when his mom welcomes a Russian boarder into their home, Jake goes on high alert.  He just knows that Mr. Shubin is a spy.  But pretty soon his classmates are calling him a Communist, and there's this car following him around, and his best friend's dad is acting really weird.  Jake just has to figure out what's going on.

There is a lot in this story!  Jake and his friends don't really know what the Cold War is about, but they're right in the middle of it.  There's some McCarthyism going on, and there's real spying too, and Mr. Shubin is definitely not who he claims to be.

On the other hand, I was kind of annoyed at Jake's mom, who never seems to stop and listen for a minute.

Action-packed, but you'll cry.  A great middle-grade story that is kind of unusual.


Comments

  1. Marian HApril 27, 2019 at 2:14 PM

    I haven't read any YA in so long, but this sounds interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nancy LeekApril 29, 2019 at 6:28 AM

    Strictly speaking, Yelchin didn't win the Newbery Medal, he got a Newbery Honor Medal (runner-up). Breaking Stalin's Nose is a great book though -- one of my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  3. JeanApril 29, 2019 at 8:43 AM

    Dangit, I got it wrong!

    ReplyDelete

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