by Sheila Solomon Klass
The Uncivil War by Sheila Solomon Klass, is a great book. It always keeps you wondering what is going to happen next. The book also helps you understand that you should not judge people by their name or the way they look.
The Uncivil War is about a girl named Asa and her fight against a new boy named Robert Edward Lee, a Tarheel. Robert starts making fun of Asa's name and calling her fatso. When he starts doing that, Asa decides she needs to fight back. Near the end, Asa gets a little brother. He has breathing problems. Asa and her family are worried that he will not make it. Robert sends a baseball card to Asa's brother for good luck. This was Robert's start to an apology for being mean to her.
What I like about the book is that Asa stands up for herself. I also like how the author keeps you wondering what will happen. The book also has a lot of detail about the things that are happening. Another reason I liked this book is the beginning of each chapter doesn't give away many hints of what will be happening. It keeps your interest, so you want to keep reading.
I think one of the main messages is to not make fun of people's names or the way they look. This book makes you think about how you would feel if someone were treating you the way Robert treated Asa. Another message is to work on a solution to your problems with others so things don't keep getting worse. It is best to apologize or accept an apology instead of trying to fight back.
Reviewed by Beth 9/02