Freefall
Grade 8–10—Abigail Jacobs is preparing for high school graduation and compulsory service in the Israel Defense Forces. While her friend Shira is trying out for the entertainment troupe, Abigail has her sights set on the elite women's combat unit. Although she is discouraged by her family, she gains much-needed confidence and inner strength from Shira's older brother, Noah, a combat soldier himself. She survives a physically and mentally grueling boot camp and is inspired to help rescue stranded animals as bombs fall in northern Israel. When Noah is wounded and Aggie encounters him in the hospital, their relationship intensifies. Unlike Levine'sRunning on Eggs(Front St., 1999), this book is nearly devoid of politics, and the story could easily take place in any war-torn country where military service is a way of life for young people. A realistic narrative and a romance give the novel universal appeal. Recommend it to fans of Lisa Ann Sandell'sThe Weight of the Sky(Viking, 2006); readers can also turn to Valérie Zenatti'sWhen I Was a Soldier(2005) andA Bottle in the Gaza Sea(2008, both Bloomsbury) for stories that focus more on the current conflict.—Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, ILCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.