Red Menace
Average Rating
It's 1953, and 13-year-old Marty Ratner would prefer to spend his summer playing baseball, listening to the Yankees on the radio, and not preparing for his bar mitzvah, Instead, he has to deal with the FBI agents surveilling his house because his parents (both academics at the local university) refuse to sign a loyalty oath and are suspected of being communists.
Marty’s best friend’s father may have to go into hiding because he’s also under suspicion, while another friend would “rather be dead than red. Meanwhile, Marty’s neighbor across the street just returned from fighting in Korea and isn't speaking and barely functioning. To top it all off, Marty is worried about, and disturbed by, the likely execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
When his mom is threatened with deportation, Marty isn’t sure what to believe. Are his parents part of a red menace working against this US government? Or are they simply patriotic Americans standing up for their values? This engaging book will keep readers turning pages and cheering for Marty as they learn about an important part of US history.
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Marty and his family are Jewish. Marty is preparing for his bar mitzvah, and the family keeps kosher-style.
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Martin’s Bubbie (grandmother) plays a relatively minor but important role in the story.
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During a particularly challenging moment, Marty wishes he had his Rabbi there to guide him.
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The book ends with a sweet Shabbat scene.
⭐⭐⭐
This book is set during the Red Scare and the aftermath of the Korean War, and thus has some intense themes that may be better suited to older readers. The Rosenberg trial and possible execution are central to the story, and Marty is preoccupied with their conviction and pending death. In addition, Marty’s neighbor is a veteran struggling with PTSD and considers suicide.
It's 1953, and 13-year-old Marty Ratner would prefer to spend his summer playing baseball, listening to the Yankees on the radio, and not preparing for his bar mitzvah, Instead, he has to deal with the FBI agents surveilling his house because his parents (both academics at the local university) refuse to sign a loyalty oath and are suspected of being communists.
Marty’s best friend’s father may have to go into hiding because he’s also under suspicion, while another friend would “rather be dead than red. Meanwhile, Marty’s neighbor across the street just returned from fighting in Korea and isn't speaking and barely functioning. To top it all off, Marty is worried about, and disturbed by, the likely execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
When his mom is threatened with deportation, Marty isn’t sure what to believe. Are his parents part of a red menace working against this US government? Or are they simply patriotic Americans standing up for their values? This engaging book will keep readers turning pages and cheering for Marty as they learn about an important part of US history.
-
Marty and his family are Jewish. Marty is preparing for his bar mitzvah, and the family keeps kosher-style.
-
Martin’s Bubbie (grandmother) plays a relatively minor but important role in the story.
-
During a particularly challenging moment, Marty wishes he had his Rabbi there to guide him.
-
The book ends with a sweet Shabbat scene.
⭐⭐⭐
This book is set during the Red Scare and the aftermath of the Korean War, and thus has some intense themes that may be better suited to older readers. The Rosenberg trial and possible execution are central to the story, and Marty is preoccupied with their conviction and pending death. In addition, Marty’s neighbor is a veteran struggling with PTSD and considers suicide.
