A standout work of historical fiction that demonstrates why Standish is one of the most interesting writers working in middle grade today.

I can't believe it took me this long to review this book, but I absolutely LOVED this book. I'm not a big fan of historical fiction, but I really adored this one. The writing is really strong and the characters feel so nostalgic to me. I feel like there's a lot of WW2 middle grade fiction, but this one I am absolutely in love with.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy of Yonder by Ali Standish for me to preview. This is a wonderful MG novel.

As one who loves WWII historical fiction and often enjoys middle grade fiction, I had hoped to enjoy this story but it did not capture my attention. I found the multiple timelines hard to follow even though I did enjoy and sympathize with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book and Jack's story will stay with you! This mystery of Yonder is beautifully written and researched.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of Yonder by Ali Standish.
A coming-of-age story set in Appalachia during World War 2. A story about two boys and what it means to be a hero. Beautifully written with great character development, this is a story that sticks with you long after the last page.

In 1940, Danny Timmons was 10 and living in a small Appalachian town called Foggy Gap the first time he really noticed Jack Bailey. Jack had rescued toddler twins caught in the floodwaters after the Watauga River burst its banks during a powerful rain storm.
Three years later, Danny is almost 13, Jack is almost 16, and World War II is raging far from Foggy Gap and yet still touching the lives of its residents. Danny's father was only one of the men who had left for the war and now residents of Foggy Gap are doing all sorts of jobs men used to do. Danny and Jack have been delivering newspapers all over town for a year and a half now. But one summer morning in 1943, Jack never shows up for his share of the papers, so Danny delivers all of them, surprised since he knew Jack and his father really needed the money he brought home.

Danny had always been bullied by Bruce Pittman and his pal Logan Abbot until one day in 1941 Jack had come to his rescue and became Danny's personal hero. Now, worried that Jack hadn't shown up to deliver papers. Danny and his mother, who was a reporter for the newspaper, drive out to see if he's alright. Jack lives with his father in a cabin with no indoor plumbing or electricity in the woods. His father, known for his temper and cruelty, isn't at all concerned that Jack has been missing since the day before, saying he is probably hunting, and chases them off his property.

Danny has reason to be worried about Jack. Back in December 1941, Jack had shown up at the newspaper office with swollen eyes, a bloody nose and bruises on his body. Jack stayed with the Timmons until Christmas, when his father came to get him. It was now also clear that Jack's father beat him on a fairly regular basis.

With Mr. Timmons away at war, Jack and Danny become more than friends, with Jack mentoring Danny the way a father would. Jack also shares stories with Danny that his mother used to tell him, especially about a place called Yonder, an idyllic town with no trouble and no war. Naturally, when Jack goes missing, Danny is sure he has run away to Yonder and sets out to discover where it is and to bring Jack back home.

While Jack's story plays out, so does the stories about Lou, Danny's former best friend, as girl obsessed with Nancy Drew, and Widow Wagner, a woman of German descent who, according to Bruce Pittman, was hiding Germans who has escaped POW camps and plotting an attack on the town.

Yonder is a home front story and as the author writes in her Historical Notes, "...not many books have focused on the American homefront." And she's right - we don't know all that much about how Americans lived even though they were greatly impacted by the war. And yes, she has included the usual things like rationing, collecting scrap, women taking on men's jobs (Mrs. Timmons, who is pregnant, took over her husband's job at the newspaper), blue or gold stars hanging in the windows of families with soldiers in the war. But two things set this novel apart for me. The first is her interrogation of the idea of what makes a person a hero. And as Danny learns through Jack and his story it isn't always what we think it means. Second, Standish dispels the long held belief that Americans didn't know what was happening to the Jews in Europe. The headline WARSAW that Danny sees in an article his mother is reading in New Republic magazine, referring to the Warsaw Uprising, sparks a conversation about why the Jewish genocide isn't included in the media, something Mrs. Timmons tries to rectify in their local paper.

Yonder is told in the first person present by Danny with recurring flashbacks that detail both his and Jack's story and friendship. Danny is a compelling narrator and keeps the story moving along very nicely. Through him and his keen observations, the novel explores themes of bullying, racism, abuse, bravery, courage, outsiders, family and friendships.

In 1940, Danny Timmons was 10 and living in a small Appalachian town called Foggy Gap the first time he really noticed Jack Bailey. Jack had rescued toddler twins caught in the floodwaters after the Watauga River burst its banks during a powerful rain storm.
Three years later, Danny is almost 13, Jack is almost 16, and World War II is raging far from Foggy Gap and yet still touching the lives of its residents. Danny's father was only one of the men who had left for the war and now residents of Foggy Gap are doing all sorts of jobs men used to do. Danny and Jack have been delivering newspapers all over town for a year and a half now. But one summer morning in 1943, Jack never shows up for his share of the papers, so Danny delivers all of them, surprised since he knew Jack and his father really needed the money he brought home.

Danny had always been bullied by Bruce Pittman and his pal Logan Abbot until one day in 1941 Jack had come to his rescue and became Danny's personal hero. Now, worried that Jack hadn't shown up to deliver papers. Danny and his mother, who was a reporter for the newspaper, drive out to see if he's alright. Jack lives with his father in a cabin with no indoor plumbing or electricity in the woods. His father, known for his temper and cruelty, isn't at all concerned that Jack has been missing since the day before, saying he is probably hunting, and chases them off his property.

Danny has reason to be worried about Jack. Back in December 1941, Jack had shown up at the newspaper office with swollen eyes, a bloody nose and bruises on his body. Jack stayed with the Timmons until Christmas, when his father came to get him. It was now also clear that Jack's father beat him on a fairly regular basis.

With Mr. Timmons away at war, Jack and Danny become more than friends, with Jack mentoring Danny the way a father would. Jack also shares stories with Danny that his mother used to tell him, especially about a place called Yonder, an idyllic town with no trouble and no war. Naturally, when Jack goes missing, Danny is sure he has run away to Yonder and sets out to discover where it is and to bring Jack back home.

While Jack's story plays out, so does the stories about Lou, Danny's former best friend, as girl obsessed with Nancy Drew, and Widow Wagner, a woman of German descent who, according to Bruce Pittman, was hiding Germans who has escaped POW camps and plotting an attack on the town.

Yonder is a home front story and as the author writes in her Historical Notes, "...not many books have focused on the American homefront." And she's right - we don't know all that much about how Americans lived even though they were greatly impacted by the war. And yes, she has included the usual things like rationing, collecting scrap, women taking on men's jobs (Mrs. Timmons, who is pregnant, took over her husband's job at the newspaper), blue or gold stars hanging in the windows of families with soldiers in the war. But two things set this novel apart for me. The first is her interrogation of the idea of what makes a person a hero. And as Danny learns through Jack and his story it isn't always what we think it means. Second, Standish dispels the long held belief that Americans didn't know what was happening to the Jews in Europe. The headline WARSAW that Danny sees in an article his mother is reading in New Republic magazine, referring to the Warsaw Uprising, sparks a conversation about why the Jewish genocide isn't included in the media, something Mrs. Timmons tries to rectify in their local paper.

Yonder is told in the first person present by Danny with recurring flashbacks that detail both his and Jack's story and friendship. Danny is a compelling narrator and keeps the story moving along very nicely. Through him and his keen observations, the novel explores themes of bullying, racism, abuse, bravery, courage, outsiders, family and friendships.

This middle grade novel is beautifully written from the first page to the last. Danny’s perspective on a world at war and the complexities he’s beginning to recognize in his small town are anchored in his relationships with Jack, an older boy who has disappeared and is a living legend of heroism in the eyes of Danny, and Lou, the best friend Danny betrayed. This story highlights some of the dark truths of World War II in the United States in a way that is both age-appropriate and thought-provoking.

This is a beautiful historical fiction middle grade novel. Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy.

Jack Bailey has always been a hero in the eyes of Danny who watched Jack save two young girls while adults looked on. It made an impression on Danny and he has looked to him as a big brother counting on him when Danny's dad leaves to fight in World War II. When Jack doesn't show up as usual to help with Danny's paper route, Danny fears something awful has happened and he is determined to find Jack.

Filled with heart print characters that will stay beyond the final pages of the story, Ali Standish has written another standout novel for middle grade readers.

Tale of children in WWII era small town USA. Told from the perspective of a boy coming of age, this book is full of dialogue relatable to teenagers that might get them more interested in history while reading, while providing a bit of mystery with a fanciful twist. Trigger warning for bullying covered in this story.

I wanted to like this book. I love wwii historical fiction and thought the view of a young boy would be a good differenet variation but I felt like it fell flat. This was hard for me to get into. The multiple time lines where too close and I couldn’t hold on to the storyline very well. I did enjoy the characters and felt for them.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Yonder by Ali Standish.

Yonder is set in Appalachia in the 1940s. It is WWII middle-grade fiction, but what sets it apart from other books of that era is that it focuses on the war from the perspective of the American homefront. Danny Timmons is feeling a little bit lonely - his dad is fighting in the war, his mom has taken over for his dad as a writer at the local newspaper plus she's expecting a baby any day. Danny is no longer speaking to his former best friend, and his current best friend Jack has just disappeared. There is a history of child abuse by Jack's dad and Danny is frantic to find out what happened to Jack, Did he go to the magical-sounding place called Yonder that he once mentioned to Danny? This book addresses the tough topics of child abuse and racism as Danny learns that there are many ways to be a hero. It's a great middle-grade read!

This book is phenomenal! It has the depth and thematic complexity of a classic while still feeling like a relevant modern book very similar to Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk or The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. This one is award-worthy in my opinion.

Set in the 1940s in the middle of WWII, Danny Timmons is a boy in a small town community that is banding together in the face of war. Danny's dad joins the war and Danny is left to help his pregnant mother run the town paper and take care of business on the home front. He also struggles to face the school bullies who have made him into a target. Danny draws strength from his friend Jack, the town hero who seems to be fearless. He learns, though, that everyone has their bullies.

When Jack goes missing, Danny is distraught. He is worried that Jack's abusive father may have finally taken things too far and killed him. He owes it to his friend to get to the bottom of the mystery and help him, but the answers he finds will lead him to more questions.

The 1940s American homefront shows the best and worst of people. The community bands together to sacrifice and help the war effort, but it is also a time of deep prejudice. People of German decent, African Americans, and families who have sons who were draft dodgers or ran from battle were all ostracized and shamed.

This book explores the idea of what makes a hero. Does one heroic event negate every other negative thing you've done? Does one moment of cowardice negate all of the heroic moments of your life before then? Can anyone be defined by one choice they've made?

Absolutely a book that captures your heart! Takes place during World War II and the world is so divided. Danny's friend, Jack, disappears leaving Danny trying to find him and this place called Yonder Jack spoke of. Danny has so many questions, realizations, and is brave as he is faced with a war that confuses him and surrounded by injustices!
Releases in May 2022

Thank you NetGalley for sharing an E-ARC with me! Add to your TBR list! You will not want to miss this one!

Danny has viewed Jack Bailey as a hero for a while, since Jack saved the lives of two young girls. Jack had become part of their family when they provided support to him after being hurt by his father. Danny and Jack do their paper route together each day, and then one day Jack doesn't show up. Danny is worried and determined to find out what has happened to Jack. As he searches for answers, he begins to come up with more questions about the choices that people make and about the war that is going on.

Set in rural North Carolina during World War II, Yonder explores what life was like for those who remained on the home front. This thoughtful book explores some pretty tough subjects such as war and it’s aftermath on the people who fought, the meaning of courage, child abuse, and racism within a captivating storyline that will keep the reader engaged and enthralled throughout the book. One of the things I loved most about this book is that even through the hard subjects the book covers, the characters remain ever hopeful of a better future. “Yonder was a direction. One we could all follow. If we couldn’t find a place with no evil, at least we could find ourselves in one where people had the courage to stand up to it.” Highly recommend for middle grade readers looking for a different perspective on World War II.

Many thanks to HarperCollins Children’s and Net Galley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An important read for many. A lot of deep rooted themes that will make kids think and talk. An edge of the seat story with a historical fiction setting that will definitely provide kids with answers. Very well written.

Yonder may be Ali Standish’s finest work, yet. It is a deeply layered, complex tale that takes place in a small, Appalachian town during the early years of World War II. The story is told through the eyes of twelve-year-old Danny, a relatable, thoughtful, well-written character who suddenly finds himself questioning the world around him. That includes questioning his own ideas and beliefs about such things as right and wrong, and heroism and cowardice. Ultimately, Danny learns things are not always what they seem, and people are not who they pretend to be or who he once thought they were. That includes pillars of the town, an elderly widow shunned by most because she is German, even the friend he idolizes, Jack. This book is not for the faint of heart. It confronts the issues of alcoholism, abuse, bullying, and racial and nationalistic prejudice. Also, thanks to Standish’s trademark complex storylines, Yonder is best read in days rather than weeks or months. But that's all right because it’s hard to put down anyway.

A thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy! This is a wonderful middle grade book about a not often talked about time in US history! Part mystery, part coming of age, It also touches on child abuse in a way that’s age relevant. I will certainly recommend for my 5th and 5th grade students.