Two-time Newbery Medal winner Erin Entrada Kelly (Hello, Universe; The First State of Being) turns her immense talents to nonfiction in an inspiring middle-grade biography about Filipino hero Josefina "Joey" Guerrero. The spy and guerilla fighter overcame tremendous odds while supporting the Allied troops in the Philippines, and went on to win the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, but died in obscurity. At Last She Stood tells Guerrero's story with compassion and respect, and enables the young audience to appreciate the incredible depth of her courage and resilience.
Kelly's approachable account introduces Joey and swiftly builds momentum and intrigue with her spy activity during World War II. The formidable young woman faces mortal dangers as she delivers important messages that help the American and Filipino forces fight the Japanese. At the same time, she contends with the incredible pain and discomfort caused by her active Hansen's disease. Kelly depicts Joey's suffering with raw honesty. In the leprosarium, "there are no lights. There is no running water.... Joey quickly realizes... they are waiting to die." Joey is diagnosed with leprosy around the same time the Japanese occupy the Philippines, so she decides to spend what is left of her life in the guerilla movement supporting the Allies. Her condition means she is ignored and shunned, which allows her to bypass Japanese soldiers. Once the war ends, Joey receives permission to move to the United States, where she can be treated for--and cured of--her leprosy at the Carville Leprosarium in Louisiana.
Kelly's exemplary research offers fascinating knowledge about Guerrero as well as the Philippines, the history and horrors of leprosy ("lepers were once required to wear hoods and cloaks and ring a bell to announce their presence"), and World War II ("Prisoners, desperate for food, catch rats and pigeons and eat them. They pull weeds out of the ground and gobble them up."). When Joey died in 1996, "her friends weren't even aware that this diminutive Filipino woman had walked through war zones, carried secret messages for the Allied Forces, or spent much of her time in forced quarantine. They were shocked to discover the truth." At Last She Stood gives a remarkable woman the respect and recognition she deserves. Photographs, maps, sidebars, an author's note, and other supplemental materials enhance this already gripping biography. Kelly's nonfiction debut shows her incredible versatility--here's hoping it's only the first. --Jen Forbus, freelancer
Shelf Talker: A two-time Newbery Medal winner forays into nonfiction with a stunning biography about a courageous Filipino hero.