IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN, by Anne Sibley O'Brien

The story: Mia and Simon are on a tour of North Korea with their father when they discover evidence of the country's brutal prison camps. They know it could incriminate their dad, and possibly cause him to end up with a life sentence in a labor camp--so when he's arrested, they go on the run, trying to make it to the Chinese border and freedom. They have no idea just how much they're going to depend on the kindness of strangers to come out of this alive.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG (descriptions of labor camps, but not graphic); Suxual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (repressive regimes, forced labor, espionage) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: Readers who know little about repressive regimes will find a lot to consider in this story. Mia and Simon's decision to bolt seems unconsidered, and there are long stretches of plain old running-and-hiding that seem to go on for a long time, but the glimpse into a world that's so diametrically opposite from ours will be rewarding for kids who stick to it.