Malley has been captured and is being sent to a national school. Her country of Milea has been overtaken, her parents are in prison, and now she will be forced to comply. At the school all reminders of their heritage are taken away - they way they dressed, ate, did their hair, and even their names. They are forced to learn the Wealdan version of history and are really just being trained to become slave labor that will meekly obey. The school uses ranks, random demerits, and harsh punishments to get the girls to surrender their wills.
But Malley will not give up and is able to get the girls to rise up with her - especially against a pageant they are forced to participate in that celebrates the overthrow of their country.
Can Malley and the other Mileans truly rebel?
And that is where I ended up being disappointed - the ending - is it a more realistic ending? Probably... What will students take away from it?

Obviously, though this is set in a fictional country the parallels to American history as well as other instances of colonialism are pretty transparent. The national school intended to inculturate and subdue. The more interesting exploration was that of types of rebellion. Malley believes that there is one right way to protest. She has to learn how her actions hurt her peers, take away their choice. She has her eyes opened to other forms of rebellion, learns when to use subtle sedition and when the big and blatant is required. So, I applaud the intent. The plot is a little scattered and the characterization is inconsistent.

R is for Rebel was a truly inspiring and uplifting book. I could not put it down. The story of these girls whose families were taken in some way from them and their will to survive and overcome was amazing. The tale of the Milean girls and their rebellion is one that all children should read. J. Anderson Coats has done an amazing job with this book.

When the Wealdan Empire conquered Milea, the emperor and his men began breaking down every Milean tradition. No songs. No hedge schools. No families. All children must attend a national school, in accordance with the Education Act. After Malley's parents are shipped to a penal colony, she is captured and sent to a national school, where she must wear her hair unbound, take a Wealdan name and suffer being treated like a slave. But Malley is songworthy, and she will resist these tyrants. She will be ungovernable.

All those YA novels about resistance and heroines and freedom? Throw them out, and pick up this book instead. Right from the start I was greeted with a fully realized world, complete with traditions, history, folklore and more. There are many pieces that feel familiar and picked here and there from various cultures, but all are woven seamlessly to present something new and fresh.

While there is a strong message of friendship, girl power and stronger together throughout the story, Malley is faced with the very real consequences of her actions.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Milea fell three generations before Malley was born to the Wealdans. When her parents are imprisoned for resisting the government, Malley is sent to a national school to reform her and other Milean children into loyal Wealdan subjects. Malley follows in her parents footsteps and is unwilling to reform and give up the Milean traditions and culture. She rallies other girls behind her to resist. The book ends on a somber note, but feels hopeful and inspiring.

J Anderson Coats has delivered another compelling story about a rebellious (or, perhaps given this story, should we say "ungovernable"?) girl that will make readers stand up and cheer.

This is a book I would be careful of recommending, for fear that a parent might take umbrage at the rebellious theme, or even more so that there is the need for rebellion or dissent.