This is my favorite novel among the three Newbery Award winner and honor books. I am not saying that this honor book should have won the Newbery over the other two. I am saying that I enjoyed reading it the most. Dead End in Norvelt still has the best scene of the three.
The number one reason that I found this book so interesting is because of its subject matter. The setting is the Soviet Union in the 1950’s. Stalinist Russia! More importantly, it is from the point of view of a fully loyal, young Communist. It was written by someone who grew up in this time period – semi-autobiographical in nature.
As much as one can study a nation and its history, nothing can compare to the actual stories of real people living there. Stories free from censorship and propaganda. This story is more potent due to the age of the protagonist – an innocent 10-year-old boy who trusts and idolizes his father who is considered to be a Communist Hero. And Sasha, our main character, is not the only one who looks up to his father. Everyone gives way to Comrade Zaichik. He is worthy of their respect. Unfortunately, his status also attracts greed and jealousy.
In this novel, we learn than no one is safe. It doesn’t matter if you are Stalin’s right hand man. It doesn’t matter if you are in his army. It doesn’t matter if you can recite every Communist creed by heart on the spot. And it doesn’t matter if you are a distrustful nobody either. In fact, such a discreditable person can become creditable if they are willing to spy on their neighbor. If they are willing to turn in every suspicious movement, true or otherwise, to the authorities, why, the lowest of the low can acquire a better living for themselves.
Young Sasha unexpectedly finds himself the son of a criminal and he has two days to decide who he remains loyal to. Is he loyal to his father who gave him every reason to trust and respect him? Or does he follow Stalin and his regime who now say his father deserves execution? Sasha’s father taught him to honor Stalin and Communist Russia. To trust his father is to deny him.
Sasha finds himself in hot water in no time. He breaks the nose off of a statue of Stalin (almost completely) by accident. (He should have been paying better attention – not daydreaming.) If he tells the truth, he will lose his opportunity to become a Young Pioneer. If someone else tells on him, he will lose his chance to become a Young Pioneer. But what if someone lies for him? What are people willing to do to save themselves OR place the blame on another? Sasha could still end up on top, but is it worth it? And could his father’s arrest really ruin everything? Cannot Stalin save him?
This book is going to be a hit with history buffs and especially with the boys. I think it will also attract the attention of the male reluctant readers. The author provides the illustrations that lighten up the mood of the story. And, it is a very quick read with very short chapters. I managed it in about an hour, but thoroughly enjoyed it and would have loved to keep reading. The story deserves to be continued. I want to know what happens to Sasha and his father. (I want to know what happened to his mother too!)
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