The Day the World Stopped Turning by Michael Morpurgo - OPTIONAL

The Day the World Stopped Turning by Michael Morpurgo, 284 pages.  Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2019.  $17.  

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – OPTIONAL  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE  

A teen named Vincent finds himself in a small town in southern France, where he meets two people, who have been lifelong friends, who share their experiences during World War II.  The war story of Kezia, a young Roma girl, and Lorenzo, a special boy, is shared with Vincent.  Kezia’s parents ran a carousel in town that Lorenzo and his family would often visit.  When a storm destroyed the carousel, around the same time German soldiers came to their small town, Lorenzo’s family hides Kezia’s Roma family.  

I loved the story of Kezia and Lorenzo, but it was a bit confusing to have the story told to Vincent.  I was never sure what Vincent added to the book.  I think the setting of Camargue, France with the flamingos was portrayed so well and I loved the minor characters (a German soldier, Kezia and Lorenzo’s parents) as much as Kezia and Lorenzo.  I had never imagined what it would be like for Roma families during World War II, so I enjoyed this historical fiction.  

Reviewer, C. Peterson