Incommunicado

September 1, 2014
Paranoia and racial tension ripple through coastal Oregon's Sea Park during the onset of World War II. Don't call 12-year-old RubyOpalPearl anything but Jewels. She'll ignore you, if you do. Her book-smart brother, Rex, has been crowned Town Hood. Together with their mom, "Malice Alice," they see to the Stay and Play beach cabins, owned by Mr. Kaye. Mr. Kaye supports the town and is the only father figure that Jewels has ever known. In Jewels' words, the idyllic town goes "ka-blooey" when the Japanese forces bomb Pearl Harbor. Overnight, all persons of Japanese descent are suspect, and that includes her own Mr. Kaye. When FBI agent Boothby comes to town, Jewels fears that Mr. Kaye will be taken away just because of his race and hatches a daring plan to keep Mr. Kaye incommunicado. The town's rage against Mr. Kaye feels achingly real and darkens the mood, like the blackout cloths required on all windows. Despite her affection for him, even Jewels at times can't help but wonder if he's the enemy. She's a conflicted and complex character, imbued with unending, infectious spunk. Racially charged language, suitably jarring, is consistent with the period and helps take readers to the time; Platt addresses the use of derogatory slang in her author's note. Readers will respond to one girl's determination to do what's right during a dark time. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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February 1, 2015

Gr 5-7-Twelve-year-old Ruby Opal Pearl, known as Jewels, lives in Sea Park, OR (population 542), and is entering seventh grade and "poooooberty" just as the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. Sea Park is a quiet tourist town, but its most prominent citizen, and one of the most important people in Jewels's life, is Tommy Kaye, a man with Japanese ancestry. Mr. Kaye owns many businesses in town, including the Stay and Play, the tourist cabins where Jewels lives with her unconventional mother, "Malice Alice," and her studious brother, Rex. Outraged by Sea Park's overnight suspicions of Mr. Kaye, who is a respected pillar of their community, and the arrival of an FBI agent looking for Mr. Kaye, Jewels decides to take matters into her own hands. After hiding Mr. Kaye-keeping him "incommunicado"-Jewels begins to unravel other mysteries about her town and her family. Although her efforts are misguided, readers will respond to Jewels's determination and courage. The novel is enriched by a vivid and memorable cast of supporting characters, including the protagonists' mother, who becomes more complex as the novel unfolds; Rex, a teenager who would prefer to focus exclusively on his academic pursuits but finds himself caught up in more immediate events; and a family friend, Father Donlevy, who offers guidance and support to Jewels. VERDICT With a high-spirited heroine and a tense and eventful backdrop, this novel will appeal to fans of historical fiction who enjoy stories that realistically portray ethical dilemmas.-Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA

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