Book Review: The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Review by ten-year-old Karina:


It's about a ten year old girl named Ada, a London evacuee during World War Two. Her mom keeps her locked up all the time because she has a crippled foot and her mom is embarrassed about it. She is physically abused by her mom: locked in the cupboard when she does something bad, and hit a lot. She wasn't supposed to leave London, but she sneaks out with her little brother when he goes to the school on evacuation day. When they get off the train in the country, Ada and her brother, Jamie are sent to live with a woman named Susan Smith. At first Susan Smith doesn't like the kids, because she didn't even want evacuees to stay with her, and they didn't trust her, but eventually they learn to like and trust each other. Under Susan's care, Ada's world expands a lot.  She gets regular baths. She gets crutches to help her walk. She learns to ride a pony, and then helps care for them. She's given the freedom that other kids enjoy. Susan never hits her, but at first Ada is fearful of her, because she's learned to dodge her mother's fists. It takes Ada a little while to learn that Susan isn't trying to hit her, she is trying to help her when she reaches out to her. I won't tell you the rest of the story so you can have the fun of reading it yourself.

I don't normally read historical fiction, but when I read the description and saw it was about a ten-year-old girl (like me) I decided to give it a try. Plus the description of the story sounded like it might be interesting, so I decided to give it a try. My mom says I have to give a book a chance for at least 50 pages, but I was hooked before 50 pages. Even though I don't really like historical fiction, it was interesting to read about something that happened to a girl that was my age, during World War Two. It was an eye-opener for me, and I learned a lot from the book: I kind of knew that women helped out in the war, but I didn't realize the big role they played; I didn't know that superstitious teachers tied kids left hands to their chair if they were left-handed. The book made me feel sad and happy at the same time. Now it's on my list of all-time favorite books. I would definitely recommend this book. I bet if you read it, it would be one of your favorites, too.

Book Review: Sophia's War: A Tale of the Revolution by Avi

Doesn't that gorgeous cover by Edel Rodriguez make you long to read this? It's the perfect cover for this story. (I have a "thing" for silhouettes on book covers. I don't know why, but I feel compelled to buy a book with silhouettes on the cover.)

If you have never read one of Avi's books, you really need to. He writes intelligent historical fiction for young people. He never dumbs down his books, and obviously works hard to be historically accurate.

In this complex, smart story Avi again tackles an aspect of the American Revolution. (He did it once before in The Fighting Ground, where the reader is swept along in thirteen-year-old Jonathon's passion to be part of the fighting, and then his rude awakening to the realities of being a soldier.) But this story isn't just a feminine version of The Fighting Ground. It's a completely different aspect of the war, written in a different kind of narrative.

 The story is broken up into two different time frames. Roughly the first half takes place in 1776 when Sophia Calderwood is twelve years old. Sophia and her parents fled their home in New York City when the British invaded. Sophia's adored older brother William joined the American troops fighting to keep the British out of the city. As the book opens in September of 1776, Sophia and her mother are returning on foot to New York to try to reclaim what they can of their lives. (For safety, Mr. Calderwood must return in secret later.) In an apple orchard on the outskirts of New York, they witness a young man of "dignified bearing" being led by British soldiers to a rope hanging from an apple tree, and Sophia watches in horror as the ladder is kicked away and the young man (who she later learns was Nathan Hale) is hanged.

Still reeling from that shock, they return to their home to find it looted of all their most costly possessions. As they begin the clean-up process, a small troop of British soldiers appears on their doorstep, looking for Mr. Calderwood and informing them they will be required to billet a British Officer. What follows is a tense time of eking out a living while boarding a British officer and pretending to be Loyalists. Sophia develops a reluctant crush on John Andre (oh curse Blogger's lack of language accents!) the British officer boarding in their home, even as she firmly believes in the American cause. When she learns that her brother is a prisoner of the British and housed under appalling conditions, she pleads with Andre to help. What happens next firmly sets her on the course for later events.

The second half of the book takes place three years later, in 1780, when Sophia is fifteen years old. Through her work with her father's publisher friend, she meets a man who recruits her as a spy in the household of General Sir Henry Clinton. As a housemaid, she would have access to information vital to the war effort. She stumbles on to what appears to be a clandestine operation possibly involving the collaboration of the British and an American of high military rank, a man Sophia and other Americans idolized, a man who played a huge part in early American victories against the British. The implications are so shocking and suddenly Sophia is alone in her quest to bring this information to light.

In the author's note at the end of the book, Avi writes that the two story threads based on historical facts "are as historically accurate as I could write them." He goes on to say that "Sophia is as true an individual as I could hope to create, and her actions provide an explanation as to what really happened in 1780."

And can I tell you how much I appreciated his striving for historical accuracy, even down to the language used. So often you read historical fiction, and get jerked out of the story by an author's use of modern words and terminology. In fact, there is a very helpful glossary in the back of the book to look up those unfamiliar words you come across. (A couple of years ago I read a Middle Grade novel by an author who shall remain nameless, about the Civil War era and the main character talks about being "gaga" for a certain boy! Yes, that word was actually used. Having already overlooked other words that were very obviously not historically accurate, I threw the book down in disgust and never went back to it. So I really appreciated Avi's obviously meticulous research on this book.)

Sophia provides the modern reader with an emotional barometer of the life of an average citizen during that time of conflict in American history. Avi shows Sophia's -I think natural- human conflictions that come with living in a war-torn country: how morals and actions change or become ambiguous based on circumstances.

Sophia, as a narrator, is very Self conscious: she narrates her story as someone aware of her audience and how they may be judging her. Her narrative never loses that awareness. There is a "buttoned up" quality to it: like she is recalling this period of time and reacting almost unwillingly to remembered emotions, and doesn't want to come across as too emotional. She tries her best to be fair and balanced in her narrative, not defending her actions and emotions so much as explaining them. And yet, despite the distancing approach to the narrative, the reader is quickly caught up in her experiences.


Book published in September 2012 by Beach Lane Books.

I nominated this book for the CYBILS 2012 in the Middle Grade Fiction category.

Also linking up with Armchair CYBILS and The Children's Bookshelf.

2012 Newbery Honor Winner: Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin

This book flew invisibly past my radar. I hadn't heard of it or even seen it until I read that it won the Newbery Honor. Obviously, I had to rectify that, so when my latest batch of books came from the library yesterday, full of this year's award winners, I wanted to read this one first.

Synopsis: Ten-year-old Sasha is a fervently loyal Stalinist, who is excited to become a part of the Young Pioneers (Stalin's youth organization) and extremely proud of his father, who works for the State Security (secret police). They live with 46 other people in a communal flat/apartment, happy -from Sasha's perspective- that they are the living epitome of Stalin's ideals. Then, in the middle of the night, the secret police come and roughly haul away his father. What follows is a quick succession of events that has Sasha questioning his loyalty and the validity of the system.

The action of this fairly quick and completely gripping story takes place over the course of only one evening and the following day. It's a book that contains important issues such as freedom (or the lack of it), paranoia, propaganda, idealism vs. reality, standing for right (or not).


Here are some thoughts I had as I read:

• I think Yelchin does a very admirable job of tackling his subject from a naive ten-year-old's perspective. It's a genius approach, reminiscent of Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, where the limits of the young protagonist's understanding and maturity throws a spotlight on the horrors going on around them. What Yelchin seems to steer away from are Sasha's emotions. Deliberate devise or not, I think it's genius to downplay them, because again, it throws the spotlight onto the world in which he lives. The buildup of paranoia and hysteria that exists in the book -created by living in such a system- engulfs the reader in their own emotions. I think it would be completely overwhelming if we had to deal with both sets of emotions at once, especially for the targeted reading age group.
• In the beginning, Sasha is the perfect little Communist, just as he's been trained from baby-hood. Even as people are betraying his family, he doesn't feel a sense of betrayal, rather he admires their patriotism. There are also a few instances where Sasha has to choose to take a stand for right, and you can't help having empathy for his choices. (You will have to read the book to understand this in context.) I think it's a credit to Yelchin's writing ability that he can make us empathize with a boy with whom we have ostensibly very little in common.
• It's interesting to me how the author subtly shows the disconnect between child and adult. Here is Sasha's father, who has trained him to be a good little Communist from birth, and yet somehow expects him to know where the inconsistencies lie between the dogma and reality. It's a mistake we parents frequently make: assuming that our young children can see and understand those subtleties and inconsistencies.
• Yelchin, through young Sasha, gets to the heart of why this period of Russian history is known as The Great Terror: what happens to society as a whole and the individuals within it when every infraction is treated like it's the very worst possible crime? What happens when people are kept in such a state of terror and propaganda that they don't even realize they are the victims?
• The illustrations are dark, and have an exaggerated quality that perfectly accompanies the exaggerated paranoia. (There's an ironic one on pages 106-107 depicting the principal as Hitler.) The illustrations are reminiscent of Communist propaganda posters from the era. The other interesting thing to note is that we only see Sasha from the back or side -always turned away from the viewer- throughout the book, until we finally see his face for the first time on p. 137, just before the end.
• This book would make an excellent accompaniment to history lessons about that era for children age 10 and up. I'd have high schoolers read it as part of a Russian history unit. I think it would also make excellent book club reading.

Book Review: Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant

I first read Sacred Hearts in September of 2009, and decided to re-read it this year. The following review is adapted from my 2009 review.

During the late 1500's, it had become so expensive for families to give their daughters in marriage (the girls were supposed to enter marriage with a good dowry) that most families -even wealthy ones- could only afford to marry off one daughter. And generally the only option left for the remaining daughters was the convent and life as a nun, bringing with them a small dowry.

This story takes place in the year 1570, and Serafina (the name given her as a Novice) is endowed to the convent of Santa Caterina at sixteen years of age. Her hysteria at finding herself in this position brings her under the care of Suora Zuana, the Dispensary Mistress, a middle-aged nun whose advent into the convent years before was due to her physician father's death.

The story revolves mainly around these two women (although other nuns play large roles) and takes place solely within the walls of the convent. It is a story of convent politics, religious fervor, boredom, intrigues, and relationships within those walls.

The author does not sentimentalize the lives of these women; in fact, the narrative is quite bleak and harsh. I almost quit reading in the first quarter of the book. I'm glad I persisted, because against this bleak backdrop, the humanity of these women shines through.

The author pulled me so deeply into the story that every time my kids pulled at my sleeves to get my attention, I had to shake myself to get back into my life and time. It was a hard book to read from that standpoint. I came away with a new respect and empathy for these women who had no choices in life, yet who made the most of the life that was given them.

Here are some thoughts I had as I read.

• Did the girls' families know what life would be like for their daughters inside the convent? I somehow doubt it. It was considered an honor to have a family member who was a nun or priest. Although families got to visit the nuns occasionally, I doubt that the life they led was ever discussed, probably out of loyalty to the church. I think it is human nature not to want to discuss the problems of your religion, out of a feeling of self-preservation, if nothing else. And even if the families did know, what else was there for the daughters?
• The nuns could, under a good abbess, be put where their strengths would serve the convent best. And where else in that day and age could you have women apothecaries/healers freely able to work without a man's supervision?
• As powerful as the nuns were within their own community, still they had to answer to and obey the priest. It's sad to me that in this day and time, for all our progress, male patriarchy dominates in religious communities.
• I think the author excellently depicted the religious fervor that can grip a community that is so closed. Then again, you can see that same religious fervor even in communities that are not closed. Religion, by its very nature, incites fervor.
• Then there's the perennial question: do the ends justify the means? (You'd have to read the book to understand why I ask this.)
• The author does not divulge Serafina's real pre-convent name until almost the end of the book. I thought this was a master stroke since -as she says through her characters- names have power. (Again, you would have to read the book to understand this in context.)

Book Review: Chime by Franny Billingsley

Briony lives with her mentally challenged twin sister and her detached clergyman father in the small town of Swampsea. Her world is full of dichotomies. Progression, in the form of trains, automobiles, and gas lights, stands in sharp contrast to the ancient supernatural beings -the Old Ones and their ilk- that inhabit the Swamp and still hold sway over the villagers. Briony has always been able to see and talk to the Old Ones and she thinks this means she is a witch, a secret that only she and Stepmother knew, since witchcraft is a hanging offense in her village. Not only that, but sometimes her passions and jealousies wreak havoc on those she loves best.

As the book opens, it is several months after her beloved Stepmother's death. Briony believes -because it is what Stepmother helped her to understand- that she is responsible for the many bad things that have happened in her family, including her sister's mental condition and her stepmother's injury and subsequent death. The dreams Briony once had of education and a life of her own are buried under the guilt and self-loathing she feels, as she cares for the sister she feels responsible for. To a certain extent, Briony has withdrawn mentally from the world around her, in order to protect her family from her wickedness. When Eldric -the son of the engineer sent to oversee the draining of the Swamp (in order to advance the railway line)- comes to stay at their house, he befriends her and accepts her for who she is, without any pressure. Little by little Briony's frozen mind begins to accept his friendship.

When the Old Ones' anger erupts at the draining of the Swamp, Briony must strike a deal with the Old Ones to save her sister from becoming their next victim. But saving her sister is going to mean revealing her own wickedness.

Told in first person, past tense, Billingsley's writing style reflects Briony's mind. It is self-deprecating, at turns humorous or serious, jumpy, a bit muddled (because Briony knows things that we, the reader, aren't privy to yet) and a bit like actually being inside her head, listening to her stream-of-consciousness thought. Sometimes this got a little frustrating and sometimes I had to go back and re-read the passage because I thought I'd missed something. Still, the story moves along at a good clip, and I really didn't want to put it down. I found it interesting and compelling. I wasn't surprised by the reveal; I don't think you're meant to be, because you pick up little clues all along, but I was completely invested in the story and anxious to see how she would come into her own truth. (Am I sounding really vague? I'm trying not to give too much away.)
There is a somewhat dark, oppressive tone to the story, not only because of Briony's guilt, but because of the Swamp inhabitants, who are not very nice. And yet there are lighter moments in the interplay between Briony and Eldric, and there is the seed of hope, that surely Briony will not be left to wallow in her misery forever, surely she is not as wicked as she thinks she is.

Book Review: All Their Names Were Courage by Sharon Phillips Denslow

All Their Names Were Courage

Written by Sharon Phillips Denslow

Historical Fiction
Ages 7 and up

An historical novel, set during the Civil War, told in the form of letters over the course of three years, as eleven year old Sally Burd corresponds with her brother William, a Union soldier away at war. Sally writes to her brother that she and her friend Isaac have decided to write a book about the horses of Generals fighting in the war, illustrated by Isaac. She writes a letter of introduction and sends copies off to 19 generals, on both sides of the war. Here is an excerpt of that letter:

"Dear Sir,

My friend Isaac Mills and myself, Sarah McAlister Burd, both eleven and one half years,  of Brewers Mill, Kentucky, are writing to generals with regard to your fine horses. We mean to make a book of horses with pictures drawn by Isaac and letters from generals, such as yourself, telling us some about your favorite horse. We feel that the courageous warhorses and their stories and daring should not be lost."

When I saw this book on the library shelf, the title intrigued me. Then when I realized it was an epistolary book, I had to check it out: I'm a sucker for books in the form of letters or journals.
As I started to read, I quickly got hooked by the story. I appreciated that the focus of the book isn't on taking sides in the war; rather, it's about the life of a family, seen through the eyes of a young girl, when a son and brother are away at war; it's about the relationship between brother and sister, and their joint interest in the project that Sally and Isaac have undertaken. And even though I am not a horse person, I was intrigued by the project they undertook. I have never really considered before just how important horses were in the Civil War. I now have a better understanding and appreciation for those gallant warhorses and that all their names were, indeed, Courage.



Book published in 2003 by Greenwillow
This copy borrowed from the library.

Two Excellent Books About Hitler's Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

Written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Non-Fiction, Newbery Honor
Ages 9 and up

An excellent, clearly written,  powerfully impactful book on real youth in Hitler's Germany. Chockful of photographs, this compelling book gives an in-depth look at the Hitler Youth organization itself, and real teens who both supported or opposed it, even to the sacrificing of their own lives.

A must-read if you want a clearer understanding of the youth of Hitler's Germany, the appeal of Hitler's message, and the courage of those who opposed it.

The Boy Who Dared

Written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Middle grade/YA Biographical Novel
Ages 9 and up

Helmuth Hubener is an ordinary young man caught up at first in the National emotional fervor for the Fuhrer. But when his eyes are opened to the horrors he sees going on around him, will he have the courage to take a stand?
Compelling and powerful, this is "a novel based on the true story of a Hitler Youth." In reading it, don't be surprised to find yourself pulled into Helmuth's life. I couldn't put it down, even though I knew (having read another account of Hubener) what ultimately happens.

And don't forget to read the author's notes in the book.

Book Review: The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt

The Water Seeker

by Kimberly Willis Holt

Ages 14 and up

Genre: Historical fiction

When Amos Kincaid was born, his mother died, and his trapper father, away most of the year, came home to the surprise of his existence. He took baby Amos to his brother and sister-in-law to raise. Years later, after much has befallen young Amos, his father returns with a new wife, to reclaim Amos.

This is a book that is hard to describe or summarize. It is a book about love and loss, the harshness of frontier life, learning to accept people for who they are, about family and what that means. At its heart, this book is a coming-of-age story set during the days of frontier life, in which Amos grows from baby to man, and the important events that contribute to the "making" of him.

I borrowed this from the library, attracted by the beautiful cover and intriguing title, but not really knowing what to expect. The inside cover of the book is quite cryptic:

"What would you do if you knew you had a special gift -a sixth sense- that was passed down from one generation to the next? A gift that could help people in times of need, but one your father often saw as a trap. Would you use that gift? This is the story of Amos Kincaid, the dowser's son."

The subject of dowsing is mentioned right away in the book. We learn that Jake Kincaid -Amos' father- has the inherited the "gift" of dowsing (finding water deep in the ground through the use of a "divining rod"), but that he never-the-less prefers the life of a trapper. Despite the title and provocative book cover blurb, dowsing doesn't seem to play a major role in the book. After having read the book, the questions posed on the inside book cover don't seem really relevant. The cover makes it sound like that is what the story is about, but I felt like the dowsing was just part of who they were, not a central driving element of the story. Amos himself never really seems to dwell on those questions.

I spent the first third of the book wondering where the story was going, but I couldn't bring myself to put it down! I had to find out what was going to happen with Amos. The book has a melancholy feel, and yet is also full of the resilience of hope. I ended up really liking it. I'm so glad I read it. And, since this author is new to me, I will be checking out her other books.

(My library has categorized this as Young Adult. I would agree with that. There are a lot of mature themes in this book.)

Book published by Henry Holt and Company
Copyright 2010
309 pages
This copy borrowed from the library

Also check out these other reviews:

Becky's Book Reviews

Waking Brain Cells

Willow Lane Reviews