Zebra Forest

Gewirtz, Adina. Zebra Forest. Candlewick Press, 2013. 

Annie and Rew live with their grandmother. Their parents are gone, and their grandmother struggles to take care of herself, much less the two kids. So when prisoners escape from the nearby prison and one comes to their house to hide, Annie and Rew are at the mercy of this mysterious man.

The premise of this book was interesting enough, and the story wasn't bad, but it moved rather slowly. I enjoyed the characters and the resolution, but I think children would find this book a difficult one to stay interested in. Considering that Annie, Rew, and their grandmother are being held hostage by a convict, the book should be more suspenseful, but it really isn't.

Recommended for: middle grade, strong readers

Red Flags: none, except the whole "prisoner holding people hostage" thing

Overall Rating: 3/5 stars.