crookedrat's review against another edition
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
sovexedtofind's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Would be interesting to know how a child unaware of the realities of Stalinist Russia internalizes what happens in the book. I think even outside of the politics, it's an important book to read as a teaching point about what it means to follow the rules or the status quo or how life isn't a strict dichotomy between bad or good.
crystal_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Very quick read. He packs a lot into a short amount of time and a brief text.
gwardyy's review against another edition
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
literatehedgehog's review against another edition
3.0
A crucial book set during Stalin's Russia. This sort of dictatorship is hard to teach - but vital - like Number the Stars. What's even harder to teach, for kids to comprehend, is how they themselves parrot their family's beliefs, are they themselves brainwashed in a way. What we can't quite say is, this is similar to how you view the current political climate. But at least this book exists, at least it plants the seed that may grow to understanding.
royallyreading's review against another edition
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
readertz's review against another edition
3.0
Breaking Stalin's Nose is a rather short book that packs a lot of history into its pages. The author tells the story of Sasha who wants more than anything to become a Young Pioneer for Stalin and his home country of the Soviet Union. Everything starts to change when his father is arrested in the middle of the night. The title comes from the accidental breaking of a bust of Stalin at school. Sasha quickly learns a dark truth about his home country and has to decide if he really wants to become a Young Pioneer after all. This is a 2014-2015 Young Hoosier nominee. I would recommend it for 5th grade and up.
bethgiven's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this up since it was a recent Newbery Honor book. Sasha is a ten-year-old boy living in the Soviet Union under Stalin. He is zealously devoted to communism ... but being ten, it's obvious to the adult reader that a lot of brainwashing has been going on. Then, in one short twenty-four hour period, his world is turned upside-down and he's not quite sure he actually wants to join up with Stalin's "Young Pioneers." There are some interesting themes presented to think on, and I especially appreciated the author's notes at the end that furthered those themes from the fictional story into reality.
This book is short enough to read in one sitting (for adults) and simple enough for young readers, as young as third or fourth grade. I have a hard time giving this more than three stars as an adult, just because it was such a quick read that I didn't have much time to feel invested in the story, but it's still a "good read."
This book is short enough to read in one sitting (for adults) and simple enough for young readers, as young as third or fourth grade. I have a hard time giving this more than three stars as an adult, just because it was such a quick read that I didn't have much time to feel invested in the story, but it's still a "good read."