Fallout by Todd Strasser

It's the summer of 1962 and the threat of war is looming.  Scott is in grade 6.  Old enough to know that things are serious but young enough that his parents don't share the extent of it with him.  Fallout is told by Scott's point of view with the time frame flipping from before the bomb and after the bomb.

Scott's dad has built a bomb shelter for their home.  His mother and all the neighbours think he's crazy.  There won't be a bomb.  Readers quickly discover that there has been a bomb though.  Scott's dad isn't so crazy anymore!  All the neighbours rush to fit into a shelter that has been built for a family of four.  Soon the shelter door is shut and now ten neighbours must survive two weeks with only enough supplies for four people.

Before the bomb is built Scott has normal young boy worries such as getting in trouble for dumb ideas that his best friend Ronnie ropes him into.  Ronnie's next big plan is that before Scott is killed by a bomb he needs to see a woman's breasts.

I really enjoyed Fallout.  Perfect for grade 6-8.  However, not a great read allowed due to Ronnie's obsession with breasts.  There is also some under age drinking.  No bad language though.

Miss Emily by Nuala O'Connor

I've always said I will read anything except historical fiction.  I don't like historical fiction.  But then a while back I won a huge Pride and Prejudice gift package and I thought I'd give Longbourn by Jo Baker a try.  Well, it was the strangest thing, I loved it!

Recently I was offered a review copy of Miss Emily by Nuala O'Connor.  My first reaction was, I don't think so, I don't read historical fiction.  But then I saw in the description that it was compared to Longbourn and I really loved Longbourn.  So I gave it a try.  It seems maybe I really do like historical fiction or at least some of it.

Miss Emily is the famous real life poet Emily Dickinson.  The book is a story of Miss Emily and a fictional Irish maid, Ada.  Ada has left Ireland to live with her aunt and uncle in Massachusetts and she finds work with the Dickinson family.  Ada and Miss Emily quickly become fond of each other and they bond over baking gingerbread and Irish soda bread.  Ada finds love and trouble in Massachusetts.  It's a good thing she's got Miss Emily looking out for her

I really enjoyed Miss Emily.  I  was left wanting more.  More of the characters and gingerbread cookies!