Jayne's opinion of The Enemy Has a Face

This book is perfect for readers who love mystery, intrigue, and lots of suspense. The Hofmans are convinced that terrorists took their son, especially since Mr. Hofman works with important satellite technology. On the other hand, Adam was in contact with “Sari,” a girl he met online. Could he have eloped or has there been foul play?

This is not just a simple mystery, though. I learned much more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Middle East than I had known before. Netta and Laith usually spend their time together arguing each side. By the end I had a more complete understanding of the conflict and a shock when I learned what actually happened to Adam.

Guest Writer Jayne Warren Takes over the Blog!

I am lucky this month to have a guest writer take over my job with the YA Not-Just-Books Book Club. I have been swamped with the library's 2009 Poetry Anthology (check out the poetry blog, link at right), compiling the 6th grade summer reading list, and trying to read as many books as possible from the list --there are some great ones!

Jayne Warren is a student at Smith College. She is a graduate of Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA, where she majored in writing. Jayne studied with the poet Barbara Helfgott Hyett and is a member of the Workshop for Publishing Poets. Her work has been published in numerous journals, including The Blue Pencil.

Please make her feel welcome by emailing her with your thoughts and opinions!!

Jayne Warren's Review of The Enemy Has a Face

Netta Hofman is having trouble fitting in. A recent immigrant from Israel she is not just different, but foreign with little in common with her sports and television obsessed peers. When her seventeen-year-old brother Adam disappears, she must negotiate her surroundings as both an American and an Israeli. Back home in Israel, Adam’s disappearance would no doubt be the work of Palestinian terrorists. Can this be the case in Los Angeles? To make matters worse, a Palestinian immigrant, Laith, begins to sit with her at lunch. Although the two are from the same region, Netta notes that the only thing they have in common is their hatred – of each other. As the Hofmans struggle to find their missing son, Netta must decide whether Laith is to be trusted or whether he is one of the enemy.

This month's book: The Enemy Has a Face

This month's book choice is The Enemy Has a Face by Miklowitz, a riveting story about the disappearance of a 17-year-old boy. His family, who had recently immigrated from Israel to the US, is convinced that his disappearance is linked to a Palestinian terrorist group. Netta, his sister, makes some unlikely friends in her search for the truth about his disappearance. A full review will be posted shortly.