Last Message

Gr 7 Up—These stories begin with the reading of David McLean's will. In it, he gives a task to his grandsons. In Last Message, Adam is sent to France to right a great wrong David had committed and was too ashamed to do himself. In Lost Cause, Steve is to go to Spain to learn about a part of David's past that he has kept secret from his entire family. As a teenager, he fought against the Fascists in Spain. While there he fell in love with a woman he could not find the strength to see again and was nearly killed in battle. Both books cover different periods in history, World War II in Southern France and the Spanish Civil War. The teens learn about history and their grandfather. The plots move along quickly and are not bogged down with historical information, but Last Message is a little far-fetched at points.—Erik Carlson, White Plains Public Library, NY