The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane

1863 - In a nation divided by war, a team of super secret government spies are captured by the south while on a recon mission from the president himself.

Their leader, a Japanese man by the name of Akihiro Ishikawa, devises a plan to make the biggest prison escape in history.

Taking over their captors, only armed with five guns and an American flag, which Akihiro uses to impale his enemies with as is his tradition; the gang single-handedly wins the war from deep within enemy lines.

Red Badge of Courage reads as a very intense action novel, but I couldn’t help noticing the issue of racism that is portrayed in the book by not only the war against slavery but the inner war that lies within a group led by a Japanese American.

Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret! - Judy Blume

1986 - On the way home from an audition for a role as the crazy neighborhood kid in the newest NBC sitcom, Margaret becomes the last person she’d ever thought she’d be, the world’s only hope.

Upon hearing news of another fellow actress getting chosen for the part, Margaret questions her faith and asks for a sign that god still loves her. What she gets is a little more then she bargained for.

Satan has come to new york once again and this time has had enough. Teaming up with Don Giovanni, New York’s most feared mob boss, he now has not only hell on his side but the entire mob community and a couple of new York’s finest in his back pocket.

Margaret now has to decide to trust her faith or let the world be consumed by total chaos.

I commend Judy Blume for making this large jump from children’s books to action thriller. Many people said it could not be done but I believe if she sticks with it the series can go along way.