Grade 4-7–This thoughtful novel about Hungarian refugees living in Cincinnati in 1952 invites comparison with many situations in today's politically unstable world. Peti, 8, lives with his parents and is looking forward to having his aunt, uncle, and 12-year-old cousin join them in the U.S. How could he have known how cruel and disturbed his cousin would be? Or that his mother's worry about her father, still in Hungary and able to communicate only through letters with coded messages, would overshadow so much else in their family? The adults in this small apartment all have far too much on their minds to pay much attention to Peter, a curious, talkative child who is sometimes overly eager to please, and his first-person narrative conveys an authentic feel for some of the universal experiences of childhood. Significant plot elements include a friendly librarian, stories about the Underground Railroad, and the boy's growing interest in photography. All of these contribute to his gradual journey toward maturity and a stronger sense of himself. Peti is occasionally too good to be true, and there won't be a huge audience for this sensitive story. Also, the narrator is younger than the intended readership, something else that can get in the way of selling a book to kids. Yet, in its quiet way, this is a remarkable and original book.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal