The Case Against My Brother

November 1, 2007
In 1922, the Ku Klux Klan led the drive for an anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant referendum that made it illegal for Oregon parents to send their children to parochial schools. Against this historical backdrop, teen brothers Carl and Adam Matuski travel to Portland, after their mother's death to live with their Uncle Pete. Unfortunately, life in a bigotry-poisoned town is unbearable, and 15-year-old Carl wants to go back east until Adam is accused of stealing jewelry from an affluent family whose daughter Adam had been dating. Addressing themes of religious intolerance and ethnic discrimination, this YA novel is taut, vivid, and stirring and will appeal to all ages. Highly recommended. Sternberg, a finalist for the Edgar Award ("Uncovering Sadie's Secrets"), resides in Pennsylvania.

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2008
Gr 5-8-In 1922, when their widowed mother dies, Carl Matuski and his older brother, Adam, move to Portland, OR, to live with an uncle. Eager to prove that he is responsible, Carl is always annoyed when Adam calls him "kid." After all, at the age of 15, no longer in school and earning wages, he is practically an adult. Adam, however, is constantly distracted by carousing and meeting pretty girls, and eventually he falls in with the wrong crowd. When he is accused of a crime he didn't commit, Carl steps in and uses his maturity, intelligence, and fortitude to try to clear his brother's name. This fast-paced novel has an interesting blend of fiction and fact, illuminating many issues plaguing immigrant families during a volatile time in America. Polish and Catholic, the main characters not only face stereotypes that accompany poverty, but also combat harsh racism. At first, there seems to be an overabundance of characters, confrontations, and setbacks; however, readers are easily swept up in the adventure as the eye-opening mystery unfolds."Kimberly Monaghan, formerly at Vernon Area Public Library, IL"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2007
Sternberg, the author of Uncovering Sadies Secrets (2003), leaves series character Bianca Balducci behind in this combination of mystery and history. The time is 1922, and the protagonist, Carl Matuski, is a Polish Catholic 15-year-old who, along with his older brother, Adam, lives with taciturn Uncle Pete in Portland, Oregon. When likable Adam is accused of stealing jewelry belonging to the family of a girl he has been dating, Carl sets out to prove him innocent. In so doing, he finds a hidden side to his beloved brother and discovers deeply rooted ethnic and religious prejudice in his community. The controversy surrounding the passage of Oregons 1922 compulsory public-school referendum, which spelled the demise of parochial schools (it was later struck down), is a large and very interesting part of the backdrop, which shows the pervasive prejudice that Carl never realized was there. The mystery itself is a bit facile, but the issues raised and the difficult choice Carl must ultimately make give this inspirational, well-written story an underlying strength.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2008
Carl and his brother, Adam, are Polish Catholics living in Portland. After Adam is suspected of stealing, the boys are confronted with the city's anti-Catholic sentiment and the KKK. Set against the backdrop of 1922's Oregon School Question, the story provides an intriguing look into history. Though Carl's endless introspection slows the plot, readers will care about him and his brother.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)