Review: Friends To the Rescue
Friends to the Rescue by Ellen Schwartz, illustrated by Alison Mutton Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2024 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Lisa Trank Buy at Bookshop.org In Friends to the Rescue , a poignant illustrated novel, the story unfolds in the aftermath of the devastating 2009 earthquake that ravaged the Italian town of Fossa. Young Luca, orphaned by a car accident, lives with his grandfather, Roberto, when the disaster strikes. Their trauma is compounded by the town's collective grief. The early chapters introduce Antonio, Luca's braver best friend, and portray the community's unwavering resilience as they come together to aid the injured and rescue the trapped. A turning point arrives with the discovery of a beloved townswoman's body. This prompts a flashback to 1943, when Nazi Germany occupied Italy. Roberto, then a young man, witnesses the persecution of Italian Jews. His family risks their lives to harbor the Rosettis, including Sara,