Viva, Rose!

Susan Krawitz. Holiday House, $16.95 (240p) ISBN 978-0-8234-3756-6

Set in 1915, Krawitz’s first novel combines the world of a storied revolutionary with that of Russian Jewish immigrants who settled in the west. Thirteen-year-old Rose Solomon is enraged to discover, via a newspaper photo, that her older brother, Abraham, has not left their Texas home to be a cowboy, but rather to be “a low-life bandit in a cowboy hat,” alongside outlaw Pancho Villa. Rose is herself tempted to run from her traditional, conservative family, but when she ventures off to mail her brother a piece of her mind, she is kidnapped by Villa’s men. Her eyes are opened wide living with revolutionaries at Villa’s bandido camp, where she learns to ride a horse, the truth about her brother, and the complexities of the Mexican Revolution. Readers will enjoy Rose’s fiery personality and equally brash narration in this engaging historical adventure. Yiddish and Spanish glossaries and an author’s note detailing how her story sticks to and diverges from actual events (Rose and Abe are based on Krawitz’s own relatives) are included. Ages 10–up. (Apr.)