Young Llama Thoughts
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Adventurous
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Christian Friendly
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Easy Reading
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Humerous
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Youth Appropriate
Overall
Review
I would just like to say that this review is not going to be funny. There will probably not be a lot of exclamation points and jokes, mostly because this book is on a hard topic but is so wonderfully written I feel like every kid needs to read this book right now because our world is dealing with problems like this again…
This book is about a school full of regular kids living regular lives. But when someone vandalizes their school with a swastika, the symbol of hatred everything changes. No one knows who did it, or why they keep doing it, but now everything this small town knew is changing. From the only Jewish girl in the school, to the school’s jokester jock, to the art club president, the school teams together to learn about their past and build a link to their future, all with a simple chain of colorful paper to remember those 6 million souls lost in the Holocaust.
I am not going to lie, this book is probably one of the most beautiful books I have read in a long time. With a fantastic focus on fighting hate with love and forgiving those who hurt you, this book is above and beyond amazing. Gordon Korman writes such great real-life stories for kids. With such a dark topic usually these kinds of books wouldn’t be something I would suggest for kids 8 and up, but Korman wrote it with real life humor, hard work and a amazing message of love that I believe any kid could read this and see the hope such a simple chain of paper can bring.
There is some dark topics in the book. Lots of mention of history of the Holocaust and all the souls lost to such a horrible event, as well as mention of the KKK and how it affected and destroyed towns. But there is also such a beautiful message of remembering our past so we can build a future that is brighter. It honestly brings tears to my eyes and I think this book might just be my December Book of the Month. Such a beautiful book on hope, love and forgiveness is what are world needs right now.
Over all, please read this amazing book. It doesn’t matter if you are 8 or 46, this book will inspire you and show you that there is still good worth fighting for in this world. And as a small request, let’s pray for those souls that are in a battle right now, the people fighting for their lives while the rest of us watch. God is still alive and he is watching over us, and I am so thankful for that. -The Young Llama Reader.
Pros
- A wonderful story explaining the importance of remembering the past and respecting it.
- A very clean read for boys 8 and up.
- Such a wonderfully done book.
Cons
- Mention of violence, racists and the Holocaust…
An unforgettable novel from the New York Times bestselling Gordon Korman
Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it’s woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika.
Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the middle of their school? Who would do such a thing?
Because Michael was the first person to see it, he’s the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular guys in school, everyone’s looking to him to figure it out. And because Dana’s the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone’s treating her more like an outsider than ever.
The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face-not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past.
With Linked, Gordon Korman, the author of the acclaimed novel Restart, poses a mystery for all readers where the who did it? isn’t nearly as important as the why?
