Red Menace by Lois Ruby
Published by Carolrhoda Books (R) on February 4, 2020
ISBN: 1541557492
Pages: 216
Genres: Historical Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

It’s 1953, and rather than focusing on the Yankees baseball season and hanging out with his best friend Connor, 13 year old Marty Rafner is instead forced to grapple with the height of the Red Scare in his own small town Kansas home. With the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg looming in the background, Marty’s own parents are being watched by the FBI as suspected communist sympathizers. While his parents struggle to maintain their principles but also their innocence, Marty must come to terms what this means for him as their son. 

With short chapters and coming in at just over 200 pages, this is an accessible read that would make a solid addition to middle school historical fiction collections. It skims the surface of the other troubles plaguing the decade including the polio epidemic and the consequences of the Korean War. Readers get a basic understanding of McCarthyism and will undoubtedly empathize with Marty as the emotional toll of of such a serious situation starts to wear on him. 

3.5 stars

Reviewed by Kerrie Lattari, York Middle School, York