Another favorite of all time: Countdown
- Charity Harvey
- Feb 4
- 4 min read
I am currently catching up on reading some new material for review, and in the meantime, I thought I'd share reviews of some of my all-time favorites. I have a list on Goodreads titled: favorite-books-of-all-time, and this book is included! I read it long ago when it was first released, but I still vividly remember the story because I loved it so much. I believe this book has crossover appeal for children, adults, and even teens! It's written by Deborah Wiles, one of my favorite authors. She also wrote another book on my favorites list, which I reviewed early on (see my second post on the blog), and I even had the chance to meet her in person! So, clearly I'm a big fan, and will always be recommending a lot from Deborah Wiles.
All right, let's talk about the book: Countdown. It is the first in a trilogy, and it is a unique read for sure. I don't think I've read any other book formatted this way. It was a point of controversy in the book review world back in the day. People seemed to either love it or hate it, with no in-between. Personally, I loved it! Well, obviously.
The story follows Franny, a 12-year-old girl navigating life in America during the year of 1962. This was smack dab in the middle of something known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. Before I picked up this book, my knowledge of that era was basically non-existent. I mean, I had no clue how intense things were back then! As I flipped through the pages, I found myself totally surprised by the chaos and tension that filled the air during that time. And the Crisis isn't all Franny has to worry about. Her older sister disappears, her old best friend doesn't seem to be a friend anymore, and her uncle doesn't seem to know where he is most of the time. You see, her uncle is a war vet living with Franny and her family, and it seems he is still living in it. There's also a new boy who moves in next door and really gets Franny's attention. She's definitely got her hands full in this story. But don’t worry, I won’t spoil the plot for you. Instead, let me share some cool tidbits about this book that really stood out to me.
First, let's talk about the reason I have seen lots of mixed reviews on loving vs hating this book: the book has ads, songs, news articles, etc. from the 1960's inserted throughout the novel. I will admit, there were a couple of news pieces I simply skimmed over to get back to the story, and once I finished the book I read them in detail. I personally think they added a lot to the book! It gives you a better idea of the history, time period, and the emotions Franny must be feeling.
Like I said, I have never known that much about the Cuban Missile Crisis, and this book educated me! I think Deborah Wiles did a fantastic job helping readers understand what it was like growing up during this time. I had a feeling Deborah used her own memories in this book, and at the end she does state she was 9 years old when this happened. Her own mother created a makeshift bomb shelter in the house. I couldn't imagine living with that kind of fear as a child! In the book, you see pictures of kids in school practicing how to protect themselves if a bomb goes off. After the President's address, the kids much watch a film on how to "Duck! Cover!". Everyone is scared to death, but still trying to live a normal life.
Again, I don't want to spoil anything, but let me tell you just a bit more about Franny's uncle. Her Uncle Otts fought in WWI and WWII. It's clear he suffers from PTSD, even though it's not spelled out to the reader. Franny is embarrassed by him at first, but as the story continues, she begins to look at her uncle differently. I loved all the parts with the two of them! I always think it is great for stories like these to help kids understand illnesses they are unfamiliar with (like PTSD). Kids (and even adults!) can find it scary, and getting a little insight when you're young can help you understand what they may be going through and how to handle tough situations. It also shows us that just because something is a tough situation and we get embarrassed, we don't have to curl up in a ball and quit or give up on that person. Sometimes you just have to push through and not really care what other people think!
Franny's older sister Jo Ellen has also become very secretive. She stays away at school all night long, never telling Franny what is going on. We get some clues about Jo Ellen's mystery in one of the news articles woven into the book. I thought that was very cool!
Franny has also gotten a crush on her neighbor Chris; but so has her used-to-be-bestfriend, Margie. Now the two are growing apart, fighting at school; Franny is just about miserable with worry, fear, and anger.
There were so many moments I loved in this book I can't list them all. I laughed out loud, I cried, my mouth would hang open in shock! I think it was a brilliant book. Some complain about it being too long; I did not find it too long at all. I didn't want to miss a detail. If you love historical fiction, I highly recommend! If you know a young reader who needs their interest in history ignited, this is a fantastic choice! I hope you give this book a chance and enjoy it as much as I did.
