Lost Cause (Seven (the Series))
Steve really wanted a European summer holiday, but he didn’t expect it would come via his deceased grandfather’s will. In the will, Steve and his six cousins are each asked to complete a task. Steve’s task sends him to Barcelona, Spain, to learn about his grandfather’s lost youth fighting in the Spanish Civil War. Laia, Steve’s guide in Barcelona, just happens to be beautiful and spunky, and when they open Steve’s grandfather’s trunk, they find his wartime journal, which serves as their way to trace the International Brigade battles and learn why these battles were called the “lost cause.“ The thinly veiled plot ties together detailed information about the Spanish Civil War yet leaves readers with many questions. However, if read in succession with the other simultaneously published books in the Seven Series (each by a different author), this title might feel more complete. No doubt, this is an intriguing and ambitious project from the publisher. Grades 6-9. --J. B. Petty