The Sound of Life and Everything by Krista Van Dolzer

In 1950s America, people are still trying to deal with the aftermath of World War II, especially the families who lost someone in the war.  When Ella Mae's aunt finds a scientist who claims he can bring her cousin back to life from the blood on his dog tags, Ella Mae has no idea how this will change her life.

In The Sound of Life and Everything by Krista Van Dozer (Lexile: 750; Interest Level: Grades 5-9), Ella Mae embarks on a path of discovery about the very nature of life and humanity when the person brought back to life from her cousin's dog tags is NOT her cousin.  What she and her mother decide to do with this knowledge (and the person that comes with it) shakes up not just Ella Mae's life and family, but that of the whole town of St. Jude.   And, that's just for starters.  

I have to say that I was surprised with how much Ella Mae's voice was heard in certain situations in this story--she was only twelve, but the adults seemed to be very tolerant of her outbursts and let her make a lot of decisions, which is not very true to the time period. Fans of science fiction and historical fiction will find an engaging mix of the two in this novel. (272 p.)

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