Suspect Red

September 1, 2017

Gr 7-10-This McCarthy-era novel is told in monthly vignettes from June 1953 to June 1954. Richard's father Don works for J. Edgar Hoover's FBI during its frenzy to locate Communist sympathizers. Richard frames life through books-The Catcher in the Rye, Ian Fleming's novels, and other works his mother looks down upon. Richard's poet soul can't help but approve of his new neighbor Vladimir White, a cool cat who reads widely and speaks his mind. Vladimir's Jewish mother Teresa is from Czechoslovakia, and Richard shares information about Teresa with his father. Repercussions from the reports cause a rift between the two friends. Told in third person limited, this historical novel is filled with Richard's naive, offbeat humor. Readers may slow during the protagonist's copious slang, pop culture, and political references but its inclusion makes for a rich historical setting. The author refers to the protagonist's parents by first names, which may seem confusing. Nonetheless, Richard's literature-driven ideas, his awkward intimacy with his sister Ginny, and his rare friendship with Vladimir make his experiences as memorable as they are painful. The book's formatting is integral to its impact. Each chapter begins with red and black graphic art, articles from the era, and primary source photographs. The red pages add to the ominous paranoia presented in the book. An extensive afterword provides additional information on events of the time. Richard's interest in the opposite sex, some language, and his sophisticated morality indicate an upper middle school audience. Pair this with Marc Aronson's Master of Deceit on Hoover for another look at this unsettling epoch. VERDICT A good purchase for curricular tie-ins and fans of historical fiction.-Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2017
This historical novel revisits the anxious, fearful time of the Cold War, when blacklists, political profiling, and guilt by association ruined the lives of thousands of innocent people and deeply divided the nation.Elliott sets the story in 1953, when the Red Scare is at its peak. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed for spying for the Soviet Union, the "Hollywood 10" are sentenced to prison for refusing to name names, and Sen. Joseph McCarthy recklessly exposes people he deems subversives and communist sympathizers. Richard, the teenage son of an FBI agent living in Washington, D.C., belongs to a white family of patriotic true believers in 1950s-era American values. When a family from Czechoslovakia moves in down the street, Richard befriends a son his age named Vlad, who shares his musical tastes and passion for literature. The family's bold, unconventional ideas about art and politics prompt Richard to question many of his preconceived notions about patriotism. When Vlad's father's loyalty is questioned and comes under investigation, Richard is forced to confront his beliefs about friendship and betrayal. Interspersed throughout the narrative are photos, news headlines, ads, quotes, and political cartoons from the era that offer insightful historical context to the story in a documentary style that resembles that of Deborah Wiles' novels Countdown (2010) and Revolution (2014). A tense, engrossing story that effectively captures the suspicion and paranoia that prevailed during American history's darkest chapters. (Historical fiction. 11-14)

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