The Art of Keeping Cool By Janet Taylor Lisle

  In the World War II era, Robert’s father is in the Royal Canadian Air Force, bombing Nazi-Occupied Europe, and the family’s Ohio farm is failing, so they move to Sachem’s Head Rhode Island, where Robert’s grandparents on his dad’s side live, but do not tell Robert’s father.  When they get there, Robert meets his grandparents, and his aunt, uncle, and nephew, Elliott, who live with Robert’s grandparents.  While World War II continues, German U-boats are sinking boats all over the coast of New England.  Now people are thinking that Abel Hoffman, the local German painter, is administering information to the Germans because there is a coastal fort in town and Abel is from Germany.  While the town’s suspicion is up between Robert and Elliott, Elliott is secretly an extraordinary drawer, and Elliott is getting lessons on painting from Abel.  Now, Elliott has to protect Abel from the town’s rage against Abel.  Plus, Elliott’s drawing skills give information on the friction between Robert’s grandparents and Robert’s dad.  My feelings for Robert change throughout all the mayhem of this book.  Robert is a normal teenager who seems to be swayed by the majority.  I say his because when Abel is being persecuted by the townsfolk for assisting the Nazis in their U-boat attacks, he agreed with the townsfolk, even though Elliott sided with Abel.  He changes, though, because he sides with Elliott as the book goes on by the books’ end.  I like Robert by the end of the book for the personality change.  Plus, he despises his grandfather for being a crude and unkindly to people who think differently than him.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a book with a good plot because the plot is riveting, unique, and keeps you interested in what will happen next.  Overall, I would give this book an 8 out of 10 because of its historical fiction genre and its plot.

  Sebastian B.

  Mrs. Poulton    8/9