Freefall

Aggie is a typical teenage girl growing up in Israel. When it comes time for her to enter the Israeli Army she decides to try out for an elite combat unit, despite the incredulity of friends and family. This is the story of Aggie's growth and bonding with fellow soldiers, as well as her first tastes of romance and of danger. While Aggie's experiences are specific to Israel, her emotions are universal. The book is an engaging, easy-to-read, surprisingly apolitical story that teen girls will relate to (both story and jacket design are aimed at a female audience). At the same time, readers will learn quite a lot about Israeli life without even realizing that they are doing so. This 2009 Sydney Taylor Honor Book is a highly recommended young adult novel. Grades 8-12. Heidi Estrin

Freefall was an enjoyable read, but the scene that moved me most was the brief one in the hospital when the character Noah tells Jonas about the soldier he spoke harshly to, and who later died. I'm at an age where my deepest recurring regret is that I didn't appreciate people and events in my life. Maybe that's a regret of someone who is older, or maybe it's a human regret, but that scene hit home. I am grateful to the author for having written the book. It lets people know that Israel is a normal country with normal human concerns.

Aggie now eighteen is contemplating her choice of assignments in the IDF. Despite her small thin size she is seriously thinking about requesting a combat unit, much to the chagrin of her mother, disbelief of her best friend Shira, and amusement of Ben, her latest crush. But a surprise goodbye kiss from Shira's brother, Noah as well as his encouraging, if not respectful appreciation for her inner thoughts is at once bewildering and exciting. Aggie's overnight introductory boot camp training tests more than her physical stamina and emotional resolve. Many of the seemingly unplanned for challenges, like losing her backpack and gear the first night, are a test of her determination to continue. And when she is paired with Lily, a girl who is not above finding any solution, honest or not, to her survival, Aggie's training extends to the understanding of the loyalties and trust she must develop with her fellow soldiers. Levine's stark portrayal of her protagonist's experience through realistic dialogue and a first person narrative will have readers enthralled as they admiringly watch a young woman transfer her hesitancy to confidence, ready to make a difference in her own way. A genuine look at the realities of Israeli military life through the eyes of a young woman. - RITA SOLTAN - WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI

What would you do if you were required to serve two years in the military once you've turned 18? Aggie's eighteenth birthday is approaching, and as a teen in Israel, she must serve her time in the Israel Defense Force. Aggie doesn't want a boring job stuck in an office filing paperwork for two years. So she decides to try for a combat unit. Aggie's mother is scared and sees her as weak, her friends aren't quite sure about her decision, and Aggie herself has her doubts about if she can really make it hauling sandbags, sleeping in a tent, and gaining enough weight to be considered. She's also developing a crush on her best friend's brother, and life is getting more and more confusing by the minute. When war breaks out and rockets destroy a friend's house, Aggie decides she needs to be there to help out. But will she be brave enough and strong enough to make it through? FREEFALL is an engaging look at teens facing military service.. Aggie may be in Israel, but her story is one that can resonate with teens everywhere. She has difficulty with her family, she has doubts about her abilities, and she's unsure about the future. It's easy to feel as though you're there with Aggie as she's struggling with her decisions and you want her to make it. The touch of romance with Noah added sweetness to the story and made Aggie's tale seem even more real to me. Highly recommended for readers looking for a different take on the familiar coming-of-age tale. Reviewed by: Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen

Freefall is first and foremost, a great read. It's one of those books you can't put down, that you wind up reading well into the night. It's the kind of book where you miss the characters as soon as it's over. Freefall tells the story of Aggie, an 18 year old girl getting ready to start her compulsary military service. But while she's at it, she's also falling in love, discovering her personal strength and learning who she is. Anna Levine does a great job of making this first and foremost a story about an 18 year old girl, with Israel, the 2nd Lebanon War and the issues it bring up in the background. When I was 18, I don't think I could have made the choice Aggie is faced with. As much as I would have wanted to jump on a train to the North to help out while rockets were flying, I'm just not sure that I would have done it. And I certainly wouldn't have been able to make the choice to become a soldier instead of doing national service, as girls like Aggie choose between. But that's the difference between living in North America and living in Israel and that's what makes this book such a good read: it's easy to close your eyes and picture yourself right beside Aggie, making the same choices, falling in love.