Keely Hutton

I received an ARC of this title from School Library Journal in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Friendship, family, and loss as seen through the eyes of four British teen soldiers form the nucleus of Hutton’s novel set against the backdrop of mining under No-Man’s Land at the Western Front during World War I. When thirteen year old Thomas receives news that his brother, a British soldier, is missing in action after the Germans use poison gas in the 2nd Battle of Ypres, Thomas is determined to find him. He tries repeatedly to enlist in the British Army but, even with his experiences in the mines of Dover, Thomas is unable to convince Army recruiters that he is of age to join the fighting. However, there is more than one way to get to the Western Front and Thomas finds his way to the battle ground where he is shocked to discover that he is expected to resume working underground. Along with the three other teen soldiers who join the Army with him, Thomas suffers the horrors and triumphs of war firsthand. The relationships are well developed among the main characters and readers will particularly enjoy the camaraderie between the new recruits and the more experienced soldiers as they all struggle to endure. Hutton engages her readers from the first page with the sights, sounds, and vibrant feel of the World War I era, recommended for fans of Hutton’s Soldier Boy and works by Dean Hughes and Jim Eldridge.… (meer)

This is a 2020 Lone Star historical fiction selection about a group of boys who dug beneath No Man's Land during WWI.

Thomas wants to join the British in fighting against the Germans because his brother has gone missing in the war and Thomas determines he WILL find him. Thomas claims to be eighteen years old, but he's about 13 or 14 in reality. When he gets denied, he also gets recruited unconventionally. There's a secret mission and they need small boys with mining experience. While doing his duty for the British, Thomas spends his off time looking for his brother.

George must watch for kids who are trying to sign up and round them up when rejected if they look like they could work for this mission. Thomas doesn't trust George at first, but as they end up working together, they form a close friendship. Charlie runs away from an abusive father, feeling guilty for leaving his brother behind. Frederick descends from the British royal family and wants to prove he isn't a coward, so he has run away to join as well. He's rather cocky. It takes a while for them to become a family of sorts. As the story progresses, you see them become more dependent on each other, as people must be in war if you plan on living through the war.

There are black pages where Thomas's brother's story reveals what happens for those on the front lines fighting in the trenches. You'll know what is going on with him and you learn what happens to all of these main characters. It's a book that squeezes your heart and makes you see what war can do to a person. It's in situations like this where you discover who you are and who your friends truly are. It's a solid middle school book.… (meer)