Yonder

Yonder

Ali Standish

HarperCollins, 2022

348 pages

Grades 5-8

Historical Fiction/Mystery

Danny has reached a crossroads in his Appalachian childhood. His beloved father is off fighting in WWII, his mother is working at Dad's job at the paper while preparing to have an unexpected baby, he's fighting with his best friend, and dodging the town bullies. The brightest spot in his life is his friendship with older boy, Jack. Though a town hero for rescuing drowning twins, Jack lives with an abusive father, who is living with PSD from WWI. Jack often talk about "Yonder", a mythical place that his late mother would tell stories about when life with Dad became too hard. After Jack goes missing and no one in town seems too concerned, Danny takes it upon himself to find his lost friend. Alternating chapters relate the present search for Jack and the past, leading up to the current events. Eventually the truth behind Jack's disappearance is revealed, as Danny learns other secrets concerning respected residents of his community and the true horrors of war. Life becomes less black and white as he must take on more responsibilities at home and find the courage to do the right thing.

Veteran author, Standish, offers a great piece of historical fiction that is really much more. The alternating time periods slowly reveal the past and create suspense as the author leaves chapters at critical places and makes the readers wait to see what happens next. The search and truth behind Jack, as well as the bullies, brings the book into the territory of mystery and I was surprised at the outcome. Standish also raises awareness about the horrors of war, the truth about the Holocaust (and how many folks ion the Homefront didn't know it was happening), the importance of loyalty and standing up for what is right, and that bullying begins at home. The chapters set in the past are in a different font and printed on shaded pages, letting readers in on the switch in timeline. We grow up right alongside Danny, as he slowly realizes certain realities about his world, that he was too immature to previously see, and takes responsibility for his decisions and family. Extensive backmatter includes an author's note, historical information, and a discussion guide.