The protagonist of Jean Booker’s new novel is a girl named Ellen who lives in a small town in England shortly after the end of the Second World War. Though the conflict is over, life is still not easy: rationing continues, few have indoor plumbing, veterans are returning with physical and emotional wounds, and it’s the coldest winter in living memory. In addition, Ellen’s town is still hosting German POWs, who are working odd jobs while waiting for passage home.

Some townspeople focus their anger and frustration on the POWs, especially because many locals, including Ellen’s parents, are out of work. Ellen, however, is anxious for a different reason: she let a young German soldier escape during the war and now lives in fear that he will resurface and force her to admit that she helped him.

The book contains only a few tantalizing details about how Ellen met the POW,  because that story is told in Booker’s 2011 novel, Keeping Secrets. While this sequel is a good story in its own right, reading its predecessor will help readers better understand Ellen’s situation.

What is wonderful about Still at War is that, despite major historical events, Ellen is mostly concerned with typical preteen anxieties. She’s embarrassed by her mother’s outspokenness, worries about how to pay for a new party outfit, and is desperate when she thinks she’s lost her best friend after they argue about a boy. Her voice is authentic, and readers in the target age range will likely identify with her.

The strong English dialect (words like “nowt,” “bangers and mash,” “jumper,” etc.) may cause problems for less advanced readers and interrupt the flow of the story. That aside, this book should appeal to young readers who are struggling to figure out who they are, while reinforcing the truism that no matter how much the world changes, teen angst stays the same.