The Summer We Found the Baby

What a sweet little historical middle grade read! During one summer of WWII, eleven-year-old Julie and her six-year-old sister Martha are on their way to the dedication ceremony of a new children's library in Belle Beach when they find a baby on the steps. At the same time, twelve-year-old Bruno Ben-Eli is on his way to catch a train. He's got a secret mission from his brother Ben, who is off fighting in the war. But as soon as he sees Julie "kidnapping" the baby, his plans get derailed. Amy Hest delivers this story through the three kids' points of view and it's wonderfully done. Each has a distinct voice--and Bruno steals the show. We're given a quickly paced tale of family and friends and what it means when a loved one goes off to war. I'll read just about anything to do with WWII and this is a great story to introduce the conflict to kids. It doesn't dwell on the horrors of the war, but offers a brief glimpse into the hope, waiting, and grief of the Home Front. There is also a lovely little cameo of Eleanor Roosevelt. Because of its relative simplicity, I think this would be perfect for the younger end of the middle grade spectrum and I'd highly recommend it to kid readers and classroom teachers alike.

Look for it when it releases in August 2020!

Thank you to Candlewick Press and NetGalley for providing this advance copy in exchange for a review.