BOOK REVIEWS

Title: The Winter War

Author: William Durbin

"In the fall of 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Finland, a conflict that came to be known as the Winter War. Although Marko's leg has been crippled by polio, he is eager to help defend Finland from the attackers, and he is proud to be chosen as a ski messenger for a military command group. This group hides out in the woods waging guerilla warfare on the Soviets. They are pounded by artillery guns and greatly outnumbered, but bravely hold the line. Their best ally is the bitter cold — as low as minus 56 degrees. Marko cheerfully helps the medics, chops woods, and digs trenches as well as running messages, accompanied by his always-sad fellow messenger Karl, who hides a surprising secret. In the end, the Finns must cede land to the Soviets, but while Marko loses his home village, he has helped to save his country. Durbin shines light on a little-known but hard-fought struggle and convincingly, viscerally, describes the battles, life on the front lines, and the terrible cold. An afterword provides more details of the conflict and the toll it took. A sure winner for fans of war stories."

     Paula Rohrlick, 2008
     KLIAT
     Best of Year YA Fiction