Breaking Stalin's Nose

Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Velchin is a Newbery honor book for 2012.  It is about 10-year-old Sasha living in the Soviet Union who cannot wait to become a Young Pioneer and who idolizes his father, who catches spies for Stalin.  But one night when Sasha's dad suddenly gets arrested, everything Sasha understood about his country becomes different.

This was a pretty short book and included some illustrations throughout.  It was an interesting read but covered such a short time period and such little material that it didn't seem too deep of a read.  (But that probably is what makes it a good book for younger children.)  I liked the perspective of the book and the opportunity to see what Stalin's Soviet Union was like.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)