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Book Review

Turned Away:
The World War Two Diary of Devorah Bernstein
By Carol Matas
Scholastic Books, 2005, Dear Canada Series

The Diary of Devorah Bernstein takes place in Alberta, Canada during World War II. Devorah is Jewish and is trying to do everything she can to help the war efforts and starts an Anti-War group called the TO’s. Devorah’s brothers are overseas piloting fighter planes. Her relatives are in France, affected by the war as well, and are awaiting visas from the Canadian government.

The Diary of Devorah Bernstein, while fictional, provides notable information on World War II along with a well-balanced and interesting story. This novel is not so much suspenseful as it is written well, but eye catching anyhow.

For this novel there wouldn’t be the need for an age limit or recommended rating, although the age of interest would be ten and up. The genre of this novel is historical fiction.

Unlike most novels, but like all from the Dear Canada Series, this one is in diary form and the “torn” pages add to it for an aged look. The story is creative and uses a medium amount of description but not too much to overwhelm the reader. Although the novel could have been longer, there are enough events to keep the reader greatly interested.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who has an interest in World War II. I would also recommend this to fans of the other novels by Carol Matas. This novel carries on the Dear Canada Series well and is enjoyable to read.


Reviewed by Maria Tchernikova at Monsignor Paul Dwyer High School