Running from the shadows

In Sara Pennypacker’s The Lions’ Run (Balzer + Bray, 288 pp.), Lucas DuBois assumes he earned the nickname “Petit éclair” for being a coward. Living in Nazi-occupied France, the orphan certainly has witnessed plenty of injustice without intervening. Everything changes when Lucas rescues a litter of kittens from drowning. Lucas brings the kittens to a stable he thought was abandoned and meets Alice, the daughter of a wealthy horse trainer. To keep her beloved horse away from the Nazis, Alice plans to smuggle the animal out of France.

As the two slowly form a friendship, Alice tells Lucas more about the mysterious maternity home he’s been delivering groceries to. At a Lebensborn, women who get pregnant by Nazi soldiers get royal treatment, until their babies are born and sent to live with German families. Lucas, who is working for the Resistance, longs to help one of the mothers, and on a brave and possibly foolhardy whim, he intervenes.

Due to the weighty subject matter, several misuses of the Lord’s name, and a few war-related descriptions of violence, The Lions’ Run may be better suited for older teens rather than the intended middle grade audience. The beautifully written narrative, however, explores self-sacrifice and a lesser-known aspect of World War II, making it a worthy read for young adults.

In Emily Bain Murphy’s A Kingdom of Shadows (WaterBrook, 320 pp.), 12-year-old Finn and his best friend Adrion are thieves trying to survive in a dark world. When they discover a mysterious group of lightseekers led by an older boy named Ehrit, they find themselves on a search for a mythical lake that will help restore light to the ever-darkening kingdom. This search eventually leads Finn on a beautiful journey of redemption.

Murphy fills this middle school read with colorful descriptions of grim cities, enchanted forests, and dangers that lurk in the shadows. While Finn is a complex character who struggles with trusting others, Ehrit’s steadfast patience eventually enables Finn to discover a greater purpose. After the group is betrayed by people posing as helpers, Ehrit reminds the group, “Sometimes the worst things that happen to us are the things that, in the end, change us for the better.”

Sensitive readers might find some parts of the plot scary, such as snakes and wolves that threaten the characters. There is also a brief mention of witches as well as magic. When curious things happen, Finn chalks it up to some sort of mysterious hidden magic. But Ehrit eventually explains, “To those who don’t understand, it looks like magic. But to the one who has learned it, it’s a deep kind of knowledge about how this \kingdom really works.”

Overall, the story is akin to other fantasy stories such as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Wingfeather Saga. Middle school readers will enjoy this book about finding friendship and hope in a broken world.