Title: Breakout

Author: Kate Messner

Rating: 5/5 ⭐

Format: Hardcover

I LOVED this one! I thought it was especially fun because the author was inspired by a real jail escape near her hometown which also happens to be only about 4 hours from me. I remember it being BIG news a couple years ago. And knowing how it would end didn’t detract from the story for me at all.

This book also touches on criminal justice reform which is, of course, is near and dear to my heart (as a public defender). This might be the first and only book a child reads that teaches them being convicted of a crime doesn’t make you a bad person. Maybe you disagree? Well, I don’t. And I’ve most likely met more people convicted of crimes than you. Just saying.  And even if you still think I’m wrong, imagine how you make a child feel to tell them that the people in jail or prison are “bad” people and it turns out they love one of those “bad” people.

This may be a middle grade novel but it has big impact. I immediately passed it off to my 13 year old niece because she NEEDS to read it! Its over 400 pages but its a mix of letters, poems, text messages, and pictures so it goes by really quick.