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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Ryan's Review- Phantoms in the Snow



Phantoms in the Snow by Kathleen Benner Duble

In this gripping journey, a fifteen-year-old pacifist must decide what he believes as he faces the reality of World War II.

The year is 1944, and fifteen-year-old Noah Garrett's parents have died from smallpox. Without any other family nearby, Noah is sent to live with his uncle, whom he has never met, in Camp Hale, Colorado. There is one small problem with this decision: Noah has been raised a pacifist, and Camp Hale is a U.S. military base for a little-known division of winter warfare soldiers called Phantoms. Can a boy who's never seen snow and doesn't believe in war survive among these soldiers?

Phantoms were soldiers that would wear white as camouflage and to also help them evade the enemy as they ski. Yes, soldiers that ski!! They were called Phantoms because they looked like ghosts.

In this book, fifteen-year-old Noah, a pacifist, lives a normal life until his mother dies of smallpox and a week later his father is also claimed by death. Noah is then left with no one because he has no other family or anyplace to live. So instead of being sent to an orphanage he is sent from a small town in Texas to Camp Hale, Colorado where he lives with his Uncle Shelley, a man he never knew existed. That's when his life went upside down and he became a phantom.

The year is 1944 and WWII is going on ferociously and the phantoms are needed on the front lines. Noah is scared and is just trying to survive. This is a great book about a boy that doesn't want to fight and can't legally fight, but finds himself at home in his new cold, dangerous, and completely foreign place.

Recommend? Ya, definitely! This book isn't really about WWII , but rather centered around the people and their feelings. Noah's gonna make it through to the next day, but it's not going to be easy to get there. It's a great book....believe me.

Rating: 8/10


Source: Middle School Library


Read and reviewed by Ryan B. Ryan is currently in the eighth grade and loves to read just about anything I throw at him! He stops into the library almost on a daily basis always  eager to find the next great book to read! Look for more reviews from Ryan in April, May and June!









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16 comments:

  1. What an enthusiastic endorsement. I know the perfect "girl" for this one! She loves things about WWII, and this one seems to fit the bill nicely, though I think her mom might even read it...

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  2. This sounds awesome! Serena is right that my daughter would eat this one up, and I'd read it, too. Great review!

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  3. Wow!! This sounds really good!! Thanks for the great review Ryan!!

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  4. Ryan, your reviews are getting better and better. I'm wondering if the phantoms were real and I'm off to see if I can find out.

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  5. Great review Ryan! By the way, if you want a gripping, real life story about soldiers on skis, I recommend "Assault in Norway: Sabotaging the Nazi Nuclear Program" by Thomas Gallagher. It had me on the edge of my chair especially through the whole second half when the Nazis were chasing the Norwegians - both sides on skis! There are other books about this episode, but that's the only one I read.

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  6. Great review, Ryan....I don't enjoy stories that focus too much on the war parts, but love those that spotlight the people. This one sounds like a winner!

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  7. Great review as usual Ryan! The books sounds awesome too! Thanks for your thoughts on it today.

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  8. Talk about your displaced protagonist! This books sounds great. Thanks again, Ryan and Staci!

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  9. Thanks for the great review, Ryan! This sounds like an unusual take on WWII, and I'll take your recommendation.

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  10. Great review as always Ryan :)

    I wonder where they author got the inspiration? I am hoping he read about us Finns :)

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  11. I do believe you. I just put this on a list of books I'm keeping for my son when he gets just a bit older. Thanks for the awesome reccomendation!

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  12. Great premise! Great review! Your enthusiasm for the book certainly shoes. My son.. graduation from 8th this year is a reluctant reader so he is not as enthusiastic as you, Ryan! But, I think he would like a book like this.

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  13. Sounds interesting. Will have to check it out.

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  14. I love that your son loves books like his mom--how cool.

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  15. I haven't heard anything about Phantoms in WWII so I'm now curious to find out more. Thanks Ryan :)

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  16. Great review Ryan. You have a way with words. Keep reading and let us know what you think about what you read!

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