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�� 4.25 stars ��

“They took it away from us, but that doesn’t change the fact that we had it for a while. And when we did, it was awesome.��

With his 100th book The Fort, Gordon Korman proves once again to me why his middle grade books always resonate with me so very much. Told through the varying eyes of four childhood friends - Jason, Evan, Mitchell, C.J, and newcomer, Ricky, this is their story on after their makeshift clubhouse 'fort' gets permanently damaged, they accidentally stumble upon a hidden bunker that was made by one of their town's leading entrepreneurs in advanced preparation of any impending Cold War-related situations. What follows is how each of them is affected by this spectacular discovery - not only in enjoying it's many unique perks and privileges, but how it eventually caters to their own personal needs for the emotional turmoil that plague their own individual lives.

“What do they know about how special it is—how rare—for a kid to have a place that’s totally yours? And no matter what else is going on in your life—a divorce, a horrible stepfather, moving to a new town, school problems, or your parents abandoning you—you still have this thing, this place that’s your escape from it.��

And that's what it was - each of these boys had so many troubles that they were facing - that even though they were such close friends, they didn't have the heart to talk about it openly - in fear of discussing their own family problems with each other. 🥺🥺 But to have this special wonderful place that they could 'call their own', that could be their safe haven from the bullying and the lies and troubles and fears - they would risk anything to protect it - and themselves, when the time came for when they could no longer ignore what was happening to one of their own.

“And the idea that I could have been there for him, could have supported him, but I didn’t even notice it was happening—it’s so tragic, so shameful that I’m paralyzed for a moment. The only thing that snaps me out of it is one thought: It’s too late to help him then; I have to help him now. I get down on one knee. “It’s okay, man. We’ve got your back.��

My heart ached for all of them, but for C.J especially - how he fought so hard to stay silent, to protect his mother from further harm at the hands of his stepfather. But, when he no longer could cower in fear - when his friends suddenly saw what they had not been able to realize was such a heart-breaking but tender moment. 😢 How they united together to help him and his mother - how their friendship strengthened in time of adversity - GK has such a gift of bringing out the inner voice of a young boy - capturing their qualms and fears - their willingness to be a friend - it's such an uplifting and beautiful bond, because it truly captures the youth of it all.

With his unique sense of humor and a colorful cast of characters, GK made each of them stand out in their own special way - narrating the story through five pair of eyes that were completely different from one other - but were deeply connected through their love for all things that made their friendship the stronghold that it was. There was a little bit of something in each of them that I could relate to - something that would make me laugh, or shake my head, or even marvel at their ingenuity and quick thinking in the time of adversity that left me speechless. 🧡🧡 And to see how they matured as the story continued - as their families united together as one to see the strong camaraderie between the five of them made for such a delightful and engaging read that made me so happy that there are still middle-grade books that can capture my attention and heart so perfectly.

I did feel that the ending was a little too much of a chaotic convenience - ie in the falling action that ensued in the climax - everything was resolved a little haphazardly yet, conveniently, which made the build-up fall a little short of what I was expecting. However, if there is a lesson to all of this that made The Fort so special to the characters was that even with all the numerous difficult situations they were facing, this small group of friends learnt, albeit the hard way, that it was was always better to share their burdens with those close to you, rather than carry the weight of it alone - to know that you are not alone. And that's what made this such a hopeful and uplifting read - definitely one of Gordon Korman's finest books to date. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻