Loyalty
written by Avi
Clarion Books, 2022
ISBN 978-0358248071
Ages 8 through adult
Leave it to Avi to find a way to help me look at the Revolutionary War from a new perspective. Make that two. Young Noah is the son of a Loyalist and minister, pledged to the King. When local revolutionaries tar and feather his father, the family flees to Boston. Needing work, Noah finds a job as a British spy and a server in a tavern, where he can easily overhear plans and report on them. At the tavern, he meets Jolla, the young African American managing the tavern. They become friends, relying on each other as tensions bubble and spill over into war.
Through his page-turning story, Avi helps us examine our own loyalties, our concept of freedom, and our view of American history. The book is remarkably relevant today. An excellent novel! I believe book clubs would have satisfying discussions about Noah and Jolla and war.
The Author’s Note is a “must read.” It adds a great deal to my understanding of this book. I love a good map and the map of Boston in this book is valuable to the reader.