Review: "The War Outside," by Monica Hesse

Nominated for the 2020 Intermediate Sequoyah book award in Oklahoma, this novel follows the stories of two young women who are forced to relocate to an interment camp in Crystal City, Texas during World War II. The camp itself is open for five years and is the only one of its kind that housed both Japanese and German families. The camp was like a little town, complete with stores, schools, housing, and medicine, but the families were not allowed to leave. Haruko and her family traveled from Colorado. Margot and her parents traveled from Iowa. They form an unlikely friendship in a place where, although they're forced together, the two groups typically did not mix or become friends. But a mystery is being unraveled bit by bit throughout the book as we discover the depths of their friendship and the roots of possible betrayal. Highly recommended!

Mrs. Denney's Rating: ***1/2

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