The Always War

Gr 6—8—In a future society in which the U.S. is divided by a perpetual civil war, 15-year-old Tessa struggles to remain optimistic. When Gideon Thrall, a childhood neighbor, is recognized as a war hero, she feels a surge of hope and thinks that perhaps she's found something to believe in. Her hopefulness is short-lived though, as she discovers that Gideon's only accomplishment was killing thousands as he navigated a drone while sitting at a desk. He and Tessa form an unlikely team, and after flying a black-market airplane into enemy territory, they begin to discover the truth behind the always war. The short chapters with cliff-hanger endings and the action-packed plot make this book an excellent choice for reluctant readers. Some backstory is eventually provided, though it is developed over the course of many chapters. This novel has "sequel inevitable" written all over it. And for many readers, that's a good thing, right?—Lindsay Cesari, Baldwinsville School District, NY