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Blue
by
Joyce Moyer Hostetter (Goodreads Author)
With her father away at war to fight Hitler, a young girl gains strength by joining her community in battling polio in this Parents' Choice Silver Honor Book based on the 1944 epidemic and the "Miracle of Hickory" Hospital in Hickory, North Carolina. Ann Fay Honeycutt accepts the role of "man of the house" when her father leaves because she wants to do her part for the war...more
Hardcover, 197 pages
Published
March 1st 2006
by Calkins Creek Books
(first published January 31st 2006)
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This book really taught me how a family sticks togethor even after their father goes to war and a family member dies. I deffinitely recommend this book to young adults. Also since I'm from Hickory I could picture all of these things happening. From the Polio, to the story members southern drawl. This book is deffinitely in my top 10 list.
'If you ask folks around here what they remember about the year 1944,
A child might say, "That was the year my daddy went off to fight Hitler."
A mother might look off towards Bakers Mountain and whisper that
polio snatched up one of her young'uns.
And the Hickory Daily Record will say that my hometown gave
birth to a miracle.' (pg9)
It is January 1944. Everyone in Hickory, NC is focused on the war, including Ann Fay Honeycutt’s family, especially now that her father is off to war to fight Hitler. B...more
A child might say, "That was the year my daddy went off to fight Hitler."
A mother might look off towards Bakers Mountain and whisper that
polio snatched up one of her young'uns.
And the Hickory Daily Record will say that my hometown gave
birth to a miracle.' (pg9)
It is January 1944. Everyone in Hickory, NC is focused on the war, including Ann Fay Honeycutt’s family, especially now that her father is off to war to fight Hitler. B...more
"Blue" is a lovely, small book that is both heart-warming and informative. Written about the great Hickory, NC Polio Epidemic of 1944, during WWII, the story involves a sweet, naive family whose father has left for war and who are left to carry on in a harsh and inprotected environment.
The eldest daughter, just barely a teen-ager, Ann Fay, is given a set of overalls and instructions by her dad to be the "man of the house" while he's away...a daunting task for any child. It is Ann Fay who takes...more
The eldest daughter, just barely a teen-ager, Ann Fay, is given a set of overalls and instructions by her dad to be the "man of the house" while he's away...a daunting task for any child. It is Ann Fay who takes...more
This story is about a year in the life of Ann Fay Honeycutt, a 13-year-old from Hickory, North Carolina in 1944. Her dad is sent to war in the beginning of the book and he gives her a pair of overalls so she can be the "man of the house" while he's gone. This proves to be more responsibility than anyone bargained for. Her initial jobs are to plant and care for their garden, watch her 6-year-old twin sisters and 4-year-old brother, Bobby, (and try to get them to help with chores) and help their m...more
Really liked this story based on the true story of a hospital for polio patients in Hickory, NC in the 1940s. The characters were realistic as were their struggles and issues(illness, death, friendship, racial segregation, responsibility, rationing, WWII). It was refreshing to hear the tale through the eyes of a 13 year old girl who was ecstatic to be left as "the man of the house" where her father left to fight WWII, although no child should ever have to go through what she went through. Unfort...more
Such a heartfelt story... it made me cry so many times. I loved following Anna Fay's journey through all sorts of tough n' rough spots, tragedy, heartbreak, love, and friendhship.
"But if you ask me what I remember (about 1945),
I will say it was the year Franklin D. Roosevelt died and I got one of his flowers.
I will tell you that yellow rose give me the courage to do the right thing even if it was hard.
I will say it was the time in my life when I learned all of us is fragile as a mimosa bloss...more
"But if you ask me what I remember (about 1945),
I will say it was the year Franklin D. Roosevelt died and I got one of his flowers.
I will tell you that yellow rose give me the courage to do the right thing even if it was hard.
I will say it was the time in my life when I learned all of us is fragile as a mimosa bloss...more
Overall, I was drawn into the story. However, I was expecting a little more about the friendship at the end. But, if the intent was a story about polio outbreaks during WWII, then this was a pretty good story concerning polio. This book was also placed in the Young Adult collection, but I can easily see middle schoolers reading this book. I mainly associate Young Adult books with high schoolers or older, either in subject manner or reading level. This book does slightly deal with the racial inte...more
this book was really good. some parts were really sad but i got through it. and the book was good when the family got a little sperated. and when booby got polio ann fay had a lot of responsibelite to do just to have to go through the sturggle.and when they could talk the had a distance away. when ann fay and the twins wanted to see there mom the asked junior to take them . the tak wsas a little hard but the went and got to see there mom for a little while. so near the end ann fay got polio. so...more
This book was just wonderful. The writing is lovely, and the story is compelling. **Alamance Reads 2009 Selection**
INCREDIBLE!!
I already knew from watching the book trailer and talking to a friend who had read it that I would enjoy this book; but I was not prepared for just how much I would fall in love with Ann Fay Honeycutt, Junior Bledsoe, Imogene Wilfong and Joyce Moyer Hostetter's captivating writing style. If I had a full afternoon to devote to reading, this book would have been read in three hours--I did NOT want to put it down!
Blue presents not only survival during the atrocities of WWII and the deva...more
I already knew from watching the book trailer and talking to a friend who had read it that I would enjoy this book; but I was not prepared for just how much I would fall in love with Ann Fay Honeycutt, Junior Bledsoe, Imogene Wilfong and Joyce Moyer Hostetter's captivating writing style. If I had a full afternoon to devote to reading, this book would have been read in three hours--I did NOT want to put it down!
Blue presents not only survival during the atrocities of WWII and the deva...more
1 like · like · see review
I enjoyed reading this book. I learned that polio was a very dangerous disease. It killed many people and because of it many families had lost many people. In the book Ann Fay's dad left for the war and told her she was going to be "the man of the house." While her dad was gone she had to do most of the work. Also her brother died of polio. She also got polio and was send to the hospital, there she noticed that many people had polio also that even colored people were in the same place she was. F...more
Blue was wirten by Joyce Moyer Hostetter. The book takes place in Hickory North Carolina during WW2. The girls (Ann Fay) futher was sent 2 war. So as hes leaving he gives Ann some blue overalls so she could be the man of the house why he was away. Will he is gone Anns little brother Bobby gets polio and now the polio acidemic has started. Ann goes through some rough times but she finds the strength 2 get through it all. I highly recomend this book to any one that likes to learn about history or...more
Mar 16, 2009
Katelyn Bowman
added it
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
(4.5 stars)
This was an amazing historical fiction story that was well written and often brought me to tears. It was about a 13 year old girl named Ann Fay whose father gave her a pair of overalls and deemed her "the man of the house" while he went off to fight in the war. Ann Fay had her own battles to fight: helping with the household chores, planting and caring for the crops, and helping her family make it through the polio plague. I am not normally a fan of historical fiction, but I loved thi...more
This was an amazing historical fiction story that was well written and often brought me to tears. It was about a 13 year old girl named Ann Fay whose father gave her a pair of overalls and deemed her "the man of the house" while he went off to fight in the war. Ann Fay had her own battles to fight: helping with the household chores, planting and caring for the crops, and helping her family make it through the polio plague. I am not normally a fan of historical fiction, but I loved thi...more
Reviewed by Julie M. Prince for TeensReadToo.com
Ann Fay Honeycutt is only thirteen, but she's already the man of the house. This is thanks to her daddy leaving to fight in the war against Hitler and leaving his blue overalls for Ann Fay to fill.
Trying to keep the wisteria she loves from choking the vegetable garden she's been charged to tend is nearly a full-time job, and that's without counting the extra work of taking care of her baby brother and twin sisters.
Ann Fay thinks these will be her...more
Ann Fay Honeycutt is only thirteen, but she's already the man of the house. This is thanks to her daddy leaving to fight in the war against Hitler and leaving his blue overalls for Ann Fay to fill.
Trying to keep the wisteria she loves from choking the vegetable garden she's been charged to tend is nearly a full-time job, and that's without counting the extra work of taking care of her baby brother and twin sisters.
Ann Fay thinks these will be her...more
this book is a polio epidemic and it tells the struggles one family goes through as they are ravaged by several polio cases. Some of the characters are Ann Fay, Imogene, Bobby, and Junior. Ann fay meets Imogene in the polio hospital of Hickory and quickly becomes friends with her. despite segregation they continue to bond in times that were dark and had a friendship that was stronger than hickory wood itself. this book is about friendship loss and love.
I am going to hear the author speak in November so I wanted to read this first. It was the Alamance Reads book for 2009. Somehow I missed it when it was reviewed a few years ago. I always enjoy historical fiction and the kids in my previous bookclub at Peace Dale Library would love it. Set in North Carolina during World War 2, Anna Fay narrates her family's struggles on the Homefront and the polio epidemic. It was similar in tone to many of the other children's historical fiction set in this tim...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I really liked this book because it has real life events in it and its easy to understand and comprohend. This book is filled with many different events that result in many different things that are not all good or bad. This book is about a girl named ann fay and theres a polio epidemic going on and she has to go through a lot like becoming the man of the house when her dad goes to the war. Read the book to find out more!!:)
Mar 20, 2009
Tyshona Knight
added it
I learned that you need to be grateful for everything that you have because know matter how bad you think your life is, there is always someone in the world whose life is going a whole lot worse than yours. I also learned that you need to be grateful for your parents if you have them around because there are people who have to live with the fear that their mom or dad might not come back home ever agian.
This book was about how thirteen year old girl survives during the Polio epedemic and World War 2. When Ann Fay's dad goes away to war she has to help her mom take care of thier garden and family. She has to over come the fact that her little brother gets Polio and dies. But the hardest part is when she comes down with Polio too. She gets better and her Dad comes back but her life won't be the same.
Set in 1944, this is the story of 13-yr-old Ann Fay, the oldest of four children in her family. When her dad is sent away to the war, he asks her to take care of the rest of the family. Polio becomes a big issue for all of them, and Ann Fay experiences racism in her town for the first time. There is even a heartwarming dog. I'm looking forward to reading its sequel, which just came out this year.
When Ann Fay's father must go off to World War II, she becomes "the man of the house," hard enough work with physical labor and caring for her younger siblings. A polio epidemic changes the fabric of their family's life even more. A gentle story of a little-told experience in American history with a likable, resourceful character who learns about courage, racism, and doing the right thing.
Mar 16, 2009
Rose luna
added it
What i liked from this book was how Ann Fay and her friend Imogene never lost faith about being able to see each other again. This book is real interesting to read cause it shows you what Ann Fay had to go through with all her family.I feel sorry for her mother and for the lost of her brother Bobby.Her father had to go to war.This is also another book i would recommand you to read.
I think this book is awsome and touching you should read this book so you can tell how people suffer when they are in poverty. In this book I learned that no matter what happens as long as you are happy with what you have there will be nothing missing in your life.If you think you life is bad you should read this book and really compare your life and truly see if your life is that bad.
This book was awesome. I read it at the beginning of the school year and i finished it in a couple days. It was very inspirational; it made you go back and think about how things must have been at the time. One of the best book ive ever read. It took place in North Carolina too so it gave you a sense of pride knowing that NC played such an important role during the polio epidemic.
An interesting WWII home front story told with an authentic 12-year-old voice. The book encompasses so much more than the usual victory garden variety topics, though of course there is victory garden. The outbreak of polio in Ann Fay's community really becomes the focus as the epidemic strikes in her small southern town. With this backdrop, the story of resilience and friendship evolves. Hostetter does a great job crafting the evolution of this child from merely a responsible child to a deep and...more
On my continued quest to read all the young adult books I’ve missed during my youth, I picked up this book mainly based on it’s cover which made me think of “To Kill A Mockingbird.” Set in North Carolina during the polio epidemic and WWII of 1940s, the author actually transports you to the era with her words. It’s a really fast, well researched, yet emotional read.
Mar 16, 2009
Lacey Smith
added it
I really liked this book, it was very exciting and it had some very good details about the polio disease.I loved how it told a story about a black and white girl becoming best friends. Anne Fay came down with polio and her brother died from polio a few weeks before Ann Fay got it. She survived the polio disease. I really like this book, maybe you should read it.
My daughter read this book in school and BEGGED me to read it also. I'm so glad that I did read it. I was fascinated reading about polio. I hadn't ever read a book that described what living through a polio epidemic would be like. It was such fun and informative reading. I highly recommend it. Also great to read to your older elementary age children.
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“But if you ask me what I remember (about 1945),
I will say it was the year Franklin D. Roosevelt died and I got one of his flowers.
I will tell you that yellow rose give me the courage to do the right thing even if it was hard.
I will say it was the time in my life when I learned all of us is fragile as a mimosa blossom.
But the miracle of all is,
When push comes to shove, we can be just as tough as Hickory.
It mostly hurts at first. After a while it starts to feel better.”
—
2 people liked it
More quotes…
I will say it was the year Franklin D. Roosevelt died and I got one of his flowers.
I will tell you that yellow rose give me the courage to do the right thing even if it was hard.
I will say it was the time in my life when I learned all of us is fragile as a mimosa blossom.
But the miracle of all is,
When push comes to shove, we can be just as tough as Hickory.
It mostly hurts at first. After a while it starts to feel better.”
Mar 18, 2009 10:49am