Parent Guide
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.
Parent Guide
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The Red Menace by Theo
Great book for baseball fans or history buffs! The Red Menace by Lois Ruby. In the spring of ‘53, Marty, the world’s biggest Yankees fan, is prepared to have another great season. Unfortunately, his parents, who work at the local college are suspected of spying for Russia! Can he save his family and the other innocent people before the due date, June 18?!! Read the book to find out!