The Traitor
By Laurence Yep

     Whenever you read a young adult book by Laurence Yep, you can be certain of a few things -- you will be moved, you will learn something, and the book will haunt you in the days to come. The Traitor is certainly no exception. This is a story rooted in one of the most horrifying race riots in American history. The time is 1885, in the harsh Wyoming Territory. No one's life is easy, and trouble is brewing between white and Chinese miners. Caught in the middle are two boys: a Chinese American boy named Joseph Young; and an outcast white boy named Michael. Both boys feel lost, ignored, and different. These differences bring them together and help them build a bond that can survive even the most horrifying events -- which the book certainly includes. The details of the massacre of the Chinese miners by the white townspeople (men and women) make this a powerful book, but one unsuitable for younger readers. The book goes beyond the massacre, though, to show us important things about parents and children, and about nobility and humanity -- and to give us a peek into a time in America we've rarely seen. It's not an easy book, but it's never dull.