Book Review: Countdown by Deborah Wiles

 

Source: http://deborahwiles.com/site/books-2/countdown/ 

I'm beginning to think I have a thing for trilogies. This is the first book of The Sixties Trilogy by Deborah Wiles. Countdown focuses primarily on Franny Chapman, a fifth grader in the year 1962 who lives just outside of Washington DC. The Cuban Missile Crisis has instilled fear in most Americans. Franny's uncle, who lives with them and who suffers from a type of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (though this is never named) from fighting one of the World Wars, even goes so far as to attempt to dig a fallout shelter in their yard. Franny's older sister, Jo Ellen, keeps sneaking off to secret meetings for youth Civil Rights organizations (a set up for the second book?), and Franny's younger brother, Drew, who clings tightly to his copy of Our Friend the Atom, becomes even more paranoid about being bombed after President Kennedy's television address. Franny straddles the world between being a kid (part of her just wants to read Nancy Drew and play with her friends) and being an adult (learning more about her uncle's mental disorder, her sister's activity, and what the Missile Crisis could mean). 

What makes this book unique is its multi-genre format. Interspersed with Franny's story are actual historical documents about the 1960s. There are "duck and cover" cartoons, song lyrics, short biographies of prominent 1960s figures, photographs, and more. You get more than just Franny's story with this book, you get a primer on the early 1960s as well. 

The book has enough of a complete ending to satisfy readers, but also leaves enough questions (especially about Jo Ellen) to pave the way for a sequel.

The second book, Revolution,  just came out this year and is about Freedom Summer. I haven't read that one yet, but I am looking forward to it.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars (I loved it-- a perfect blend of historical fact and literary fiction)