Threads of blue Author: LaFleur, Suzanne M. | ||
Price: $22.38 |
Summary:
Mathilde escapes war-torn Sofarende and reunites with Megs and the other children who are working for the army to retake Sofarende from the enemy, but Mathilde must come to terms with her past treasonous actions and determine what she must do in order to prove her friendship to Megs.
Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 3.70 Points: 6.0 Quiz: 190608 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 3-5 Reading Level: 3.10 Points: 11.0 Quiz: 71739 | |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (07/01/17)
School Library Journal (+) (08/01/17)
Booklist (+) (09/01/17)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 08/01/2017 Gr 4–6—Picking up where Beautiful Blue World left off, 12-year-old Mathilde awakes in the bottom of a boat headed towards the island of Eilean, hoping to be reunited with the group of children and adults she's been separated from. Mathilde's country, Sofarende, is at war and has just fallen to the enemy, Tyssia. The country of Eilean is an ally and a place of refuge for many of the children fleeing from Sofarende. After a couple of weeks at a refugee camp, Mathilde is finally reunited with her group. Their work on behalf of the war effort continues as the children compile information and participate in planning an attack on the invaders in their homeland. Mathilde no longer wants to contribute, believing that their efforts may be costing the lives of Sofarenders. Mathilde's childhood best friend Megs angrily guessed that Mathilde's last act, and the one that separated her from the group, was releasing an imprisoned Tyssian solder whom she had befriended. Mathilde learns that the young prisoner is also at the refugee camp. She doesn't want her group to know about her treasonous act, but eventually confesses. Hoping to redeem herself, Mathilde volunteers to go on a special mission along with the Tyssian soldier and her friend Gunnar. Their job is to deliver information that may free her country. What Mathilde finds in her homeland is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Beautifully written in first-person narrative, LaFleur has crafted a tale about the ravages of war and survival, starring an unforgettable heroine. VERDICT Fans of the first book will be eager to see how Mathilde's story continues; newcomers should start with the first novel.—Kathy Kirchoefer, Henderson County Public Library, NC - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 09/01/2017 *Starred Review* In the finale of Beautiful Blue World (2016), Mathilde Joss made the life-altering decision to free a Tyssian prisoner of war. Now she’s got one question on her mind: Is she a traitor? With her fictional country of Sofarende invaded, her top-secret military unit disbanded, and a coded bundle of documents to smuggle, Mathilde seeks shelter—and reunion with her troop—on the shores of neighboring country Eilean. But arrival on Eilean reveals more questions than answers, and Mathilde fears her potentially treasonous choice could mean the end of her enlistment in the adolescent division—or worse, her cherished friendship with Megs. In one final assignment, Mathilde risks it all to prove her loyalty to both Sofarende and her best friend. And while a successful mission may prompt the war’s end, Mathilde comes to learn it doesn’t guarantee much else. As with its predecessor, this sequel pulls no punches: refugee camps, loss, hunger, and calculated destruction loom large. By entrusting her preteen characters with covert operations, sensitive intelligence, and the power to change their world, LaFleur imbues her readers with the same sense of responsibility—and magic possibility. And, like Mathilde, a fiercely compassionate and quietly courageous heroine, or her vibrantly characterized cohorts, readers can take it. A story of keen insight and unflinching grace, bright with hope. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.