Parents' Guide to

The Always War

By Michael Berry, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Fast-paced dystopian quest for truth.

Book Margaret Peterson Haddix Science Fiction 2011
The Always War Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

athompso53
athompso53 Adult
November 5, 2014
age 14+

Awesomeness

I thinks it a good book because it helps people learn about what happens when people are not in good situations and how other people can help to get out of bad situations.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

At some unspecified point in the future, a young girl named Tessa idolizes Gideon Thrall, the boy from the neighborhood who has gone on to become a war hero. After Gideon bolts from an awards ceremony and seems to suffer some kind of breakdown, Tess begins to spy him. Her obsession with Gideon causes her to stow away on a rogue airplane piloted by the boy, one heading directly into enemy territory and toward a secret neither of them can anticipate.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

In The Always War, Haddix delivers short, punchy chapters that keep the action moving, which will appeal to some readers. But the headlong pacing and the shouty dialogue undermine any sense of realism that Haddix might be trying for. Long-time science fiction fans may be able to guess the "big reveal" chapters before Tess and Gideon figure it out, but there are sufficient plot twists to satisfy those readers not thoroughly familiar with the strategies of dystopian fiction.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the fatigue that sets in when a country has been at war for a long time. Are there conflicts today that seem endless? How do people react to a constant sense of danger and deprivation?

  • At the beginning of the novel, Gideon has never physically visited enemy territory. How is technology shaping modern warfare in our time? How is guiding a drone missile different from being on the ground and directly confronting enemy combatants?

  • Margaret Peterson Haddix has written many middle grade and young-adult books, including the Missing and Shadow Children series. If you have read any of her other books, how do you think this one compares?

Book Details

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