Camouflage by Miklowitz - ESSENTIAL

Miklowitz, Gloria D.  Camouflage, 166 p. Houghton Mifflin, 1998, 2015.  $9.  Language: PG-13 (30 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (drinking, smoking); Violence: PG (not graphic).

Kyle is desperate to connect with his estranged father, so much so that against his mother’s better judgement, she sends Kyle to spend the summer with him.  At first Kyle is eager to please his father in any way possible, over looking all of the racist comments that are alien to his upbringing with his mom.  But as he is in town a little longer he can’t ignore his father’s militia involvement and anti-government anything stance and he realizes that the man has has idolized from afar has some serious flaws - flaws that will put many people in mortal danger.  Kyle needs to make a dangerous choice, or people will die.

I can’t believe this book is 17 years old.  The cover update will draw in a whole new generation of readers.  Miklowitz allows the circumstances to speak for themselves - with the actions of Kyle’s father speaking much louder than his words ever could.

MS, HS - ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS