Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Long (the What It Was Like series) chronicles 32 tales of elaborate, creative, and oftentimes astonishing escapes in this bite-size collection spanning 165 years. For enslaved peoples, prisoners of war, and other people held captive behind stone walls, wooden stockades, barbed wire, and metal bars, planning and executing schemes of escape helped to distract themselves from experiencing starvation, deprivation, physical violence, and degradation. Utilitarian text describes familiar getaways, such as Henry "Box" Brown, an enslaved man who, in 1849, gained freedom after shipping himself from Virginia to Pennsylvania inside a wooden crate, and Dan Cooper, who, while flying as a passenger in 1971, hijacked his flight and, upon landing and receiving ransom money, took off on a separate voyage and was never found. Some of the most fascinating stories detail the inventions of British WWII pilot "Clutty" Hutton, who developed gadgets for a secret branch of military intelligence that helped prisoners of war escape; one such invention was a map printed on paper so thin it could be hidden between the front and back of a single playing card. Arresting comics illustrations by Coe (Art Schooled) evoke a tense, noir-like ambiance using bold light and shadow effects that amplify the life-or-death stakes of each included breakout. Ages 9--11. (Nov.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--7--This collection of true stories introduces readers to everyday individuals from around the world who escaped from tight situations. Spanning from the early 19th century to the present, each chapter focuses on a different escape attempt, with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. A portrait of the person starts off each chapter, in an art style reminiscent of graphic novels. Chapters are short and contain a lot of information but often leave out much of the context. This makes the text read more like a summary of events than a retelling, which could appeal to reluctant readers. At times, stories fail to go into detail regarding tough topics of slavery, colonialism, and Nazi Germany. While this may make the read less distressing to young readers, it could leave them with the impression that escapees' captors and circumstances weren't particularly severe. Some escapees in the book are violent criminals, and the epilogue does address this, pointing out that these individuals should not be admired. This sentiment is somewhat at odds with the introduction's claim that the book's stories are meant to inspire young readers. VERDICT Daring escapes are a popular topic; this may interest readers of the "I Survived" series. Reluctant readers will appreciate the short chapters, but those clamoring for detail may want to look elsewhere.--Laura Nan Hargrove
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A brisk, globe-trotting collection recounting over 150 years of daring real-life escapes. British historian Long delivers high-stakes adventure steeped in historical insight. From downed pilots to enslaved people in 19th-century America and humanitarian workers fleeing conflict zones--as well as some whose "lives were hardly heroic" yet showed "extraordinary cunning and imagination"--the subjects make their bids for freedom. Some stories, like that of Indian aviators lost in Pakistan following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 or a Japanese man who repeatedly escaped after being imprisoned for robbery and murder in the 1930s, read like fast-paced thrillers. Others highlight inventive wartime tools--maps hidden in playing cards, compasses concealed in false teeth--designed to help prisoners of war escape. Of the 32 chapters, about a third center on women and/or people of color. Many of the subjects--Harriet Tubman and Winston Churchill excepted--may be new to readers. Long's prose is lively, and the swift pacing within each five-to-six-page vignette offers accessible entry into history. Some of his subjects endured horrific treatment, such as Yazidi human trafficking survivor, activist, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Nadia Murad, although Long's middle grade--friendly language hints at atrocities without being excessively graphic. Unfortunately, the book doesn't contain sources. Coe's stylized, full-page color portraits open each chapter, breaking up the text and visually enhancing the book's momentum. An energetic read, rich in details and suited for readers drawn to unusual tales of resilience and ingenuity.(Nonfiction. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
