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Original Essays | February 8, 2012

Kent Hartman: IMG A Raider by Any Other Name

2 comments By Kent Hartman

Perhaps you are aware of the fact that there is an oddly popular trivia game floating around that a group of clever (and likely bored) college... Continue »
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eBook editions

Second Fiddle

by Rosanne Parry

Second Fiddle Cover

ISBN13: 9780375861963
ISBN10: 0375861963
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

The author of Heart of a Shepherd offers another sensitive portrayal of military families, this time stationed abroad, in the city of Berlin at that historic time just after the Wall came down.

When 13-year-old Jody and her friends save a badly beaten Russian soldier from drowning, they put into motion a chain of events that will take them from Berlin to Paris and straight into danger. Jody must quickly learn to trust herself, because in the time directly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the border between friend and enemy is not as clear as it once was.

Award-winning author of Heart of a Shepherd Rosanne Parry offers a fast-paced, coming-of-age story filled with adventure, music, friendship, and intrigue.

Review:

"Set in 1990, just after the Berlin Wall has fallen, Parry's insightful coming-of-age novel follows the tumultuous journey of three eighth-grade friends who live on an army base in Berlin. Jody, a violinist and classical composer, is dreading leaving her two best friends when her father retires from the army, and she will again be forced to uproot her life to move to Texas. Along with commanding Giselle and brainy Vivian, Jody plans to enter a solo and ensemble contest in Paris as a string trio; their planned performance is thwarted when their teacher falls ill, but when they witness the attempted murder of Arvo, a Soviet soldier and translator, they rescue him and plot to secret him to Paris. The trip doesn't go as planned, and the friends wind up on a wild goose chase with international ramifications. The action may take place in the '90s, but this reads like first-class historical fiction; Parry (Heart of a Shepherd) vividly conjures the political tensions of the period, the challenges of life as an army brat, and the redemptive power of music. Ages 8 — 12. (Mar.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)
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About the Author

Rosanne Parry moved to Germany in the spring of 1990 just as the Berlin Wall was coming down. She ran away to Paris for one glorious weekend with her soldier husband, first-born baby, and an enormous purple stroller. The three of them are best friends to this day. Rosanne is the author of Heart of a Shepherd, which has been honored as a Washington Post's Best Kids' Book of the Year, a Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of the Year, and a Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year. She also plays the violin for which she has never been honored with a prize of any kind. She now lives in with her husband in an old farmhouse in Portland, Oregon, where they raise four children, three chickens, five kinds of fruit, and their voices in the occasional song. Visit Rosanne at RosanneParry.com.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club com, May 3, 2011 (view all comments by Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club com)
Jody and her friends, Giselle and Vivian, can’t believe their music teacher has to cancel their trip to Paris for a musical competition. It was supposed to be the last chance they would have to play together before Jody and Giselle leave the U.S. Army base in Berlin and return to the U.S.

Then they witness the attempted murder of a Soviet soldier by his own officers. The girls realize the only way they can truly save his life is to smuggle him out of Berlin. And that trip to Paris may be just the way to do it�"if they can figure out how to pull it off.

Second Fiddle by Rosanne Parry is set just after the fall of the Berlin Wall. As children of military or diplomatic parents, the girls in the story all live in homes that are highly disciplined. They’re good kids, and because they’ve moved often they know how to adapt to different environments. But Giselle and Jody are nervous about their impending move. They’re not sure they will fit in with the kids at school in the states, and they don’t want to lose their friendship in the process.

Their decision to take the soldier to Paris, and the events that follow, can provide great things to discuss in a mother-daughter book club with girls aged 9 to 13. Issues to talk about include kids taking on responsibility, becoming more independent, contributing to important family decisions, and deciding whom they can trust. There’s also plenty to talk about in regards to the Soviet Union, the Berlin Wall, military family life, and visiting Paris. I highly recommend it.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780375861963
Author:
Parry, Rosanne
Publisher:
Random House Books for Young Readers
Subject:
Soldiers
Subject:
Runaways
Subject:
Historical - United States - 21st Century
Subject:
Social Issues - Friendship
Subject:
Girls & Women
Subject:
Children s-Historical Fiction-U.S. 21st Century
Publication Date:
20110331
Binding:
HARDCOVER
Grade Level:
from 3 up to 7
Language:
English
Pages:
240
Dimensions:
8.52 x 6.04 x .92 in .775 lb
Age Level:
08-12
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Related Aisles

Second Fiddle New Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$16.99 In Stock
Product details 240 pages Random House Books for Young Readers - English 9780375861963 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "Set in 1990, just after the Berlin Wall has fallen, Parry's insightful coming-of-age novel follows the tumultuous journey of three eighth-grade friends who live on an army base in Berlin. Jody, a violinist and classical composer, is dreading leaving her two best friends when her father retires from the army, and she will again be forced to uproot her life to move to Texas. Along with commanding Giselle and brainy Vivian, Jody plans to enter a solo and ensemble contest in Paris as a string trio; their planned performance is thwarted when their teacher falls ill, but when they witness the attempted murder of Arvo, a Soviet soldier and translator, they rescue him and plot to secret him to Paris. The trip doesn't go as planned, and the friends wind up on a wild goose chase with international ramifications. The action may take place in the '90s, but this reads like first-class historical fiction; Parry (Heart of a Shepherd) vividly conjures the political tensions of the period, the challenges of life as an army brat, and the redemptive power of music. Ages 8 — 12. (Mar.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)
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