Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
Texas is home to Noah Garrett. He's fifteen years old and used to living among the tall grass and the heat. When his parents suddenly die of smallpox, he finds himself in the temporary care of the local minister. After arrangements are made, Noah boards a train and heads for the mountains of Colorado.
Noah's uncle has offered to take the boy in, but Shelly James's home is not exactly what Noah expects. Officer James, aka Uncle Shelly, lives at Camp Hale, a military base high in the Rocky Mountains. Noah is about to begin living the life of a Phantom. He's never even heard of these skiing soldiers, but he's about to learn the hard way.
Noah quickly regrets his little white lie that leads his uncle and the camp's commanding officer to believe he is already sixteen. That's the legal age allowing boys to enlist, so it is assumed that Noah is agreeable to becoming a Phantom. His training begins.
He has never seen a snow ski in his entire life. Now, he is told to bundle up, strap the awkward boards on his feet, and hit the slopes. After one day of training, he drops into his bunk like a rock. Even though he is used to hard work on the farm, every part of him aches. When he overhears his uncle and the general talking, he realizes the torture has just begun.
Despite being raised a pacifist, Noah soon becomes part of this group of soldiers. He learns to ski quickly and excels at climbing and rappelling, as well. He also finds himself becoming attached to the gruff, unemotional man that is his uncle. For Noah, the all too real possibility of fighting Germans in Europe remains in the distant future.
PHANTOMS IN THE SNOW is an excellent novel about a little known group of soldiers in World War II. Duble deftly relates the story of these fighting men and how Noah becomes one of them. This book has wide appeal, but is sure to be successful with those interested in war stories or historical fiction. I already know who I'm going to offer it to first.
Texas is home to Noah Garrett. He's fifteen years old and used to living among the tall grass and the heat. When his parents suddenly die of smallpox, he finds himself in the temporary care of the local minister. After arrangements are made, Noah boards a train and heads for the mountains of Colorado.
Noah's uncle has offered to take the boy in, but Shelly James's home is not exactly what Noah expects. Officer James, aka Uncle Shelly, lives at Camp Hale, a military base high in the Rocky Mountains. Noah is about to begin living the life of a Phantom. He's never even heard of these skiing soldiers, but he's about to learn the hard way.
Noah quickly regrets his little white lie that leads his uncle and the camp's commanding officer to believe he is already sixteen. That's the legal age allowing boys to enlist, so it is assumed that Noah is agreeable to becoming a Phantom. His training begins.
He has never seen a snow ski in his entire life. Now, he is told to bundle up, strap the awkward boards on his feet, and hit the slopes. After one day of training, he drops into his bunk like a rock. Even though he is used to hard work on the farm, every part of him aches. When he overhears his uncle and the general talking, he realizes the torture has just begun.
Despite being raised a pacifist, Noah soon becomes part of this group of soldiers. He learns to ski quickly and excels at climbing and rappelling, as well. He also finds himself becoming attached to the gruff, unemotional man that is his uncle. For Noah, the all too real possibility of fighting Germans in Europe remains in the distant future.
PHANTOMS IN THE SNOW is an excellent novel about a little known group of soldiers in World War II. Duble deftly relates the story of these fighting men and how Noah becomes one of them. This book has wide appeal, but is sure to be successful with those interested in war stories or historical fiction. I already know who I'm going to offer it to first.
