Historical Fiction Book Reviews

 

 

Brubaker Bradley, Kimberly. 2015. THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE. New York: Puffin Books. ISBN: 9780147510488

Plot Summary: Set in London during World War II, young Ada is not only fighting to survive a war being fought around her, but also battles a mother that doesn’t want her.  Ada’s mother is embarrassed by Ada’s crippled foot and keeps her locked in their one-bedroom apartment day in and day out.  Ada spends her time taking care of her brother, Jamie. When Jamie leaves, Ada decides it’s her turn, too.  Susan Smith is forced to take the two kids in where Ada begins to learn the true meaning of the word “home.”  While there, Ada learns how to read, ride a pony, and watch for German spies.  Ada and Jamie are enjoying their new life with Susan when they are forced to return to London with their abusive mother who quickly returns to her old ways of abuse and anger.  Bombs in the city and country reunite Susan, Ada, and Jamie and they conclude that this war saved all of their lives.

 Critical Analysis: It’s obvious why this story is a Newbery Honor book.  Bradley offers a moving story of a young girl battling what some would consider the unimaginable and manages to make it out of a terrible situation.  Religious themes along with abusive relationships and finding one’s place in the world guide the reader through an incredible World War II story. 

            Touching on the disability issue is important for young adults. Schools today are full of diverse kids.  Realizing there’s more to kids than what meets the eye is important.  Our main character still manages to take care of her brother while battling her disability and feeling the wrath of her abusive mother.  She was strong, brave, and resilient.

The only concern I can see with this book is amount of violence that might be too mature for some readers.  The abusive mother is an issue that might scare or make some young readers nervous.  Understanding what was going on during World War II and why innocent people had bombs dropped on their homes could be difficult for some readers.

Review Excerpts:

Kirkus Starred Review: “Set against a backdrop of war and sacrifice, Ada’s personal fight for freedom and ultimate triumph are cause for celebration.”

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review: “Proving that her courage and compassion carry far more power than her disability, Ada earns self-respect, emerges a hero, and learns thot e meaning of home.”

 Connections: The War that Saved My Life could be great start for readers to do some research on not only World War II, but what has happening to children during this time.  A lot of students look at historical events as boring.  A story like this where the main character is a young child gives a connection for a lot of readers to begin learning about the past. 

            Students might also want to continue their adventures with Ada in Bradley’s novel The War I Finally Won.  Bradley picks up right after the events in the first novel and adds some new enticing characters.

 

 

Holm, Jennifer. 2006. PENNY FROM HEAVEN. New York: Random House Children’s Books. ISBN: 9780329646608

 Plot Summary: Penny is a young girl navigating adolescence all while trying to figure out how her father passed away.  Since her father died, so long ago that Penny barely remembers him, she is the only family link between her mother’s and father’s feuding families.  Her father’s family is a large Italian family who are not strait-laced versus her mother’s family who are very conservative to the point where Penny’s mother is afraid that she will get Polio from the lake.  Penny befriends all her family members, including the uncle that lives in his car, and starts to accept her mother’s new boyfriend along the way.  Along the way, she develops her own ideas and beliefs of life, death, and mortality. 

 Critical Analysis: Another Newbery Honor, Penny From Heaven gives young readers a story in which they can relate.  Even though it is set in the 1950’s, the concepts of feuding families, a close family member’s death, and struggling with your own beliefs are what a large percentage of our young adult population struggle to process during adolescence.  Since Holm’s uses her personal experience when sharing this story with the world, readers are more likely to connect to her characters and events.

 Review Excerpts:

Kirkus: “Holm has crafted a leisurely, sprawling period piece, set in the 1950s and populated by a large cast of offbeat characters.”

Goodreads: “And Holm tells it with all the richness and the layers, the love and the laughter of a Sunday dinner at Nonny’s. So pull up a chair and enjoy the feast! Buon appetito!”

 Connections: This book can lead to research and discussions on the Italian-American Internment, which isn’t spoken of in a lot of history classes or books.  Students could check out books like Una Storia Segreta: The Secret History of Italian American Evacuation and Internment During World War II by Lawrence Distasi or The Unknown Internment: An Oral History of the Relocation of Italian Americans During World War II by Stephen Fox.  Students hear a lot of about Jewish people being moved to camps and being forced to leave their homes, but may be unaware of events similar to this that occurred in the United States. 

            Penny’s mother’s fear of contracting Polio from the lake could spawn some Science research on this disease from the past including how it was contracted, results when you got it, and how scientists created the vaccine.

 

Frost, Helen. 2020. ALL HE KNEW. New York: Macmillan Publishing Group. ISBN: 9780374312992

 Plot Summary: Henry is a young boy who is growing up in the 1930’s and 1940’s and becomes deaf due a fever at the age of four. His school labels him as “unteachable,” and he’s sent to an institution where he is treated very harshly.  While at the institution, Henry is introduced to Victor, an objector to World War II and is offered a job at the institution as a replacement for being drafted into the war.  Victor sees more of Henry and realizes he is far from “unteachable.”  Readers are privy to different viewpoints when the author offers writing from Henry’s sister who speaks of the struggles to just visit her brother due to finances.  Victor helps Henry see that things can change for the better.

 Critical Analysis: Frost offers a new way of sharing rarely heard historical events through free-verse poems therefore combining Historical Fiction with Poetry.  Most young adult readers will find this to be an easier read because of the writing style.  A lot of World War II lessons and books don’t showcase what happens to those who might resist the war.  Frost’s story offers another perspective into what was going on during this time period besides Jewish concentration camps.  It does serve as another look into not judging someone based on a disability or learning difference.

 

Review Excerpts:

Kirkus: “An engaging, emotional read that tells an important story—with caveats.”

The Horn Book: “This is a quick read, full of historical richness and glimpses of the cruelty and abuse so common in the institutions of the era.”

Connections: Readers can find a connection to the very popular novel Inside Out & Back Again by Thannha Lai.  Lai’s book is written in very similar form, through the free-verse poetry, which makes both books very easy reads.  Both use child characters that young adult readers can easily relate and learn about possible historical events.

            Readers may also find interest in American Sign Language after reading this award-winning novel.  Students might even seek out deaf people within their communities to interview and get a clearer picture on what life is like for the deaf.

 

Reilly Giff, Patricia. 1997. LILY’S CROSSING. New York: Delacorte Press. Audio Book: Narrated by : Mia Dillon. Audio Book Released: 2008.

Plot Summary: This is a story about Lily and her friend, Albert, who come together in mutual grief and they help each other during the summer in the 1940’s.  Lily lives with her father and grandmother since her mother passed away when she was when she was very young.  The story starts with the end of the school year and Lily looking forward to the summer.  Her father has to leave to go fight the war overseas, and Lily’s friend Margaret moves away, which leads Lily to Albert.  Albert shares his stories with Lily of being a refugee from Hungary. Albert tells of his sister that he longs for who was left behind because she had Measles and couldn’t escape with him.  Lily and Albert form a strong bond and continue their friendship at the end of the story.

 Critical Analysis: I enjoyed the actual story and themes throughout the story, but the audible version wasn’t the best.  Mia Dillon’s reading was a little slow to start and the voice was a little monotonous.  As the reader works through the story, Lily’s habitual lying comes into play as it puts some people in danger.  She also is a recurrent daydreamer.  For young adults, these are two qualities that young adults can relate.  Giff does a great job of showing her readers World War II experiences through the eyes of a young adult along with common adolescent life.

 Review Excerpts:

Publisher’s Weekly: “Exceptional characterizations and a robust story line turn this WWII homefront novel into far more than a period piece.”

Compass Book Ratings: “This is an insightful and lovely story that brings both the pain of World War II and the innocence and shelter of childhood to life at the same time, in a way that only Giff can do.”

 Connections: This book is a great discussion starter for not only the importance of friendship, but also learning how to handle loss at a young age.  Not only is Lily learning to live without her mother, but has to deal with a close friend moving away and her father leaving her to go fight in a way.  Important questions of how she handles the losses and changes can be discussed along with what else could she have done in these situations.