"Countdown" by Deborah Wiles is set during the tumultuous time of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The story is told through the eyes of twelve-year-old Franny, who grapples with the fears and uncertainties of growing up amidst the threat of nuclear war. As Franny navigates her relationships with friends and family, the backdrop of historical events shapes her understanding of the world. The novel incorporates real-life documents, photographs, and media from the era to provide a rich context, highlighting the tension between childhood innocence and the realities of a volatile geopolitical landscape. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].

This book is the winner of numerous awards

This book features in the following series: Playaway Children, Sixties Trilogy .

This book has been graded for interest at 10-13 years.

There are 400 pages in this book. This book was published in 2013 by Turtleback Books .

Deborah Wiles spent her childhood summers in a small Mississippi town with her family, including a wacky grandmother who really did go to Hawaii and who loved to wear flip-flops. Deborah has worked as a journalist and radio commentator, and she currently teaches writing and oral history workshops for children. She lives with her family in Frederick, Maryland where she tends her garden, makes baking powder biscuits and drinks plenty of root beer. She has never stolen a chicken. yet. Love, Ruby Lavender is her first novel.