The Capture

“Rudy” his father was saying in a voice purple with rage. “Rudy, where is Little Al?” Rudy sat up, heart pounding. “He didn’t come in here with me. He’s in our room,” he said. “No, he isn’t.” Dad said. “Little Al is gone.”

Book: The Capture (Christian Heritage Series: The Chicago Years #3) by Nancy Rue, Focus On The Family/Bethany House Publishers, 1999

Genre: Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Boys 10-14

Subjects: Friendship, Identity, Crime, Relationship with parents and siblings, Judaism, God’s love, Different religions

Summary: Christmas just isn’t worth celebrating this year. Nothing is going right. Everything is getting too scary. Rudy’s dad is being threatened because of his refusal to give in to the mob. In fact, he’s defending someone the mob doesn’t want defended. Rudy can’t figure out why either. The kid is a Jew. Aren’t they the bad guys who killed Jesus? Soon the danger isn’t just to Rudy’s dad, but to him, Hildy Helen and Little Al as well. The mob won’t stop at anything to get what they want.

Notes: This is the fourth set of books in the Christian Heritage Series. Each set focuses on a particular time period and tells the story of a young boy growing up in that time. This set is about a young boy and his twin sister who have been raised by their busy father since the death of their mother when they were babies. They and their father move in with their aunt in Chicago where they become personally acquainted with members of the mob, become more cultured, grow spiritually and learn about passions and the outpouring of them. In this book, Rudy learns how to show love to those different than himself. He has to learn respect for a Jewish family and recognize that God’s love isn’t limited to people like him, but is for anyone who seeks it.

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Romans 3:22 - This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference