The Secret Battle of Evan Pao
by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
Intermediate, Middle School     Scholastic    272 pp.         g
6/22     978-1-338-67885-7     $17.99

Shang (co-author of Not Your All-American Girl , rev. 3/21) takes the little-known fact that several Asian American men fought in the Civil War and works it into a contemporary story about bullying, cultural acceptance, and forgiveness. Evan Pao, twelve, is the new kid in (fictional) Haddington, Virginia. His family has relocated from California for a fresh start after his father’s get-rich-quick scheme nearly bankrupts them. Although Evan makes some new friends, he is constantly harassed by a classmate. He also wonders about his place in this small, mostly white, Southern town where many students take pride in their Confederate ancestors. While preparing for “Battlefield Day,” a Civil War re-enactment celebration, Evan excitedly shares information with his class about Chinese Union soldiers. His house is shot at the next day, seemingly in retaliation. In the aftermath of this harrowing event, the characters explore any possibility of reconciliation. The novel’s strongest parts occur when Evan questions why “the whole history” of the Civil War isn’t widely represented: Shang includes short passages on glossing over slavery in the classroom, honoring women who fought in the Civil War, and debating the removal of a Confederate statue.

From the September/October 2022 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.