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Mar 08, 2009

Christy rated it:

Notable Book for the English Language Arts (BELA) 2004
Notable Social Studies Trade Book (NSSTB) 2004
Based on true events, Boxes for Katje tells the story of a tiny Dutch town after World War II. Many American charities such as the Children’s Aid Society packed boxes filled with necessities for Europeans after the devastation of World War II. In the author’s note, Fleming explains that her mother sent a box of necessities to a family in Europe and learned the oldest daughter wa More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Nov 04, 2008

Lana rated it:

"After a young Dutch girl writes to her new American friend in thanks for the care package sent after World War II, she begins to recieve increasingly larger boxes."

This is an enjoyable story with a heart warming lesson about kindness. The author is able to show Katja's character through her actions. Children can learn the goodness that comes from sharing with others by reading Katja's story. Children can also learn about charity and the satisfaction that comes from being More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Jan 30, 2012

Laura rated it:

A beautiful story demonstrating the selflessness of an American family and a young lady from Holland. Katje is living in Holland during the World War II era. Like all Dutch families at this time, she is very needy with threadbare clothing and no sugar, milk, and other basic supplies. Rosie from America sends a few items (socks, soap, and chocolate) to Katje. Katje selflessly shares her chocolate with others. Katje in turn writes a letter to tell how much they appreciate the kindness since s More...

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Oct 21, 2011

Kathryn rated it:

What a wonderful story! I'm giving this book five stars, even though I was not a huge fan of the style of illustrations (though I appreciated all the details and the warmth portrayed in them) because the story is so important and made even more powerful and touching because it is based on a true story involving the author's mother.

After WWII, when much of Europe was devastated and her people struggling with threadbare clothing and not enough food, organizations in America such as the C More...

9 comments like (8 people liked it)

Aug 29, 2011

Carolynne rated it:

This book got an extra star because I used to live in the Netherlands and it rang really true for me. By the time I lived there, the war had been over for more than 20 years, and there was plenty of chocolate, wool, and soap, but people still remembered the privations of the War years and those right afterwards, when this story takes place. The people I knew were careful of whatever they had and made do with modest collections of supplies.

This book is based on the experiences of Fle More...

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Nov 03, 2010

N_Allie rated it:

Set in a tiny Dutch town of Holland right after World War II, Boxes for Katje is the perfect example of a historical fiction tale. Due to the ending of the war, all of the people living in the town of Olst had very little to survive on. Most of the necessities they needed were scarce.

We meet a little girl named Katje very early on in the story. AS the postman comes by on his bike, he shouts out, "I have a box for Katje- a box from America!" As soon as Katje opens the box she More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 30, 2010

N_Colleen rated it:

Candace Fleming’s Boxes for Katje is an inspiriting story that is great for readers aged 5-10. The illustrations seen on every page are packed with color, pattern and historical detail done in mediums such as colored pencils, oil pastels, and acrylic. Based on true events that happened in May of 1945 Katje, a girl from Holland receives a letter and a small box sent from America. After World War II Katje’s family and town is left with very little. When this box arrives with soap, socks, and choco More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Dec 30, 2009

Sarah-Greenbeanteenqueen rated it:

Boxes for Katje is an incredibly heartwarming book. While the book is based on a true story, the author has taken artistic liberty and made the characters children instead of adults as in the real life story. It was actually Katje's father who wrote back asking for supplies, not Katje herself. Although the book may not be entirely factual, the story does maintain its uplifting message of generosity.

The artwork is colorful and the reader is transported to Holland through Dressen-McQu More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 07, 2009

(NS) Mary rated it:

Recommended for ages 5-10

From Booklist
K-Gr. 3. In May 1945, a Dutch girl named Katje is thrilled to receive a letter and a package of socks, soap, and chocolate from Rosie, a girl she doesn't know who lives in Mayfield, Indiana. The kids start to exchange letters, and when Rosie's family members learn of Holland's severe post-war deprivations, they enlist Mayfield residents to send food and clothes to Katje, who generously shares the gifts with others in her community. The sense o More...

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Nov 01, 2009

Laura rated it:

Summary-
Boxes for Katje is a picture book for K-3rd grade readers. It features the main character, Katje, a girl that lives in the tiny Dutch town of Olst in 1945. Times are hard after the war, and the people in her town do not have a lot of clothes or food. One day Katje receives a package from America. The mailman explains that The Children’s Aid Society is helping Americans send packages full of important items to people overseas in need. She is happy to get the package and she gen More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Oct 28, 2009

Amanda rated it:

Summary: This story is inspired by a true story of the author’s mother after World War II and it is in Holland. Katje is a girl whose family is not going without many necessities. Once it is spring, Katje gets a delivery from America. Thing in the box included: soap, wool socks, and chocolate. The package came from a girl named Rosie in Indiana in an effort to help the people in need in Europe. After sending a thank you note, Katje then gets another box in return. This one is filled with su More...

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Oct 27, 2009

(NS)Jennifer rated it:

One day, a Dutch girl named Katje, recieves a letter and a package filled with socks, soap and chocolate. The package is from a girl named Rosie who she doesn't know from Mayfield, Indiana. Katje and Rosie become pen pals and exchange letters back and forth. Rosie learns that Holland is having severe post-war depression. She decides to do something about it. Rosie has people from home send food and clothes to Katje. Katje then shares the gifts with other people. This moving story tells th More...

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Nov 04, 2010

N_katiebernard rated it:

The story tells of a young girl, Katje, who lives in Holland after World War II. Upon the end of the war she receives a box from a girl in America, who donates chocolate among other things to help those in need after the war. Responding back with much thanks, Katje and her family are extremely appreciative of the gifts. Throughout the book, the girl from America continues to send more and more gifts. Her hometown sends many boxes by the end of the book, wanting to help the families in Holland. More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Nov 01, 2011

Abigail rated it:

In this moving tale of the time just after WWII, when Europe and its people were still reeling from the after-effects of that bitter conflict, and suffering from widespread food shortages, and the lack of proper clothing and shelter, as a bitterly cold winter approached, a cross-Atlantic friendship develops between a young Dutch girl, and her village, and a young American girl, and her town. Katje, living in the small village of Olst, is surprised to receive a package out of the blue one day, an More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 25, 2010

CH - Marvin rated it:

Author: Candace Fleming; Pictures: Stacey Dressen-McQueen; Grade: 1-3; (Print)
This is about a little girl named Katje from Holland, after the war when normal items and food was very limited and scarce. Katje is sent a package from an unknown pen pal from Indiana. She sends Katje socks, soap, and chocolate. The people of this Holland town are experiencing their own little depression, and the pen pal Rosie, along with other begin to send them many boxes filled with essentials and treats. More...

1 comment like

Nov 05, 2009

(NS) Laura rated it:

This is a wonderful story about a long distance friendship. Katje is a young girl who lives in Olst, a small town in Holland. There is very little available to Katje and her family because of World War II. They have to mend their own clothing, and survive on very little food and other resources. One day Katje receives a package from America. As she looks inside she finds soap, socks, and chocolate. These were all items that Katje hadn’t seen in a long time! Katje also found a letter written by a More...

1 comment like

Jul 29, 2011

Sandybear76 added it

i traveled near Olst when I was in Netherlands. I missed this town. I loved the story. I plan to read later this week to 3rd graders and show a few Netherlands pictures. I'll let know what they thought of it. i loved it. I may read it to another grade. Our school is doing service learning and I think this book would fit into service learning pretty well. As our school is getting to that time of year when we collected canned goods and hang mittens on the mitten tree, I hope the students will rem More...

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Jun 10, 2011

Eva rated it:

So, we have the most idiotic, in your face stupid children's books win awards all the time and this gets nothing? Explain please.
Is it because this actually has meaning? Because there is a story here? I don't get it.
Julia wasn't as into this as I thought she would be but she did listen and she did enjoy it and she was even more interested once I read her the little 'true story' the author included in the back.
This put a lump in my throat more than once. Mostly when the boxes w More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 14, 2011

Karolinde (Kari) rated it:

This is a wonderful book based on a heart warming true story. One small act of kindness grows and literally blossoms blessing the lives of two girls and the towns they live in.

The book is set in Post-WWII in both Holland and the U.S, although most of the action is in Katje's home in Holland. The author and illustrator do a good job explaining the hardships facing those in Europe following the war.

There are two valuable lesson in the story for children and adults alike:
More...

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Dec 24, 2009

W.H. added it

Katje, living in war-devasted Holland in 1945, gets package from Rosie, who lives in America. As their long-distance friendship grows, their communities come together.

This isn't really a Christmas book, but I love to read it aloud this time of year because of the themes of giving and helping others.

5th Grade Lesson Notes

Find Indiana and Holland on the globe.
Read the setting on the inside cover. What was going on in the world in 1945?
Show pictures o More...

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Mar 01, 2011

Dolly rated it:

This is such a sweet and heartwarming tale about relief efforts following WWII. Based on a true story, this tale follows a small town in the Netherlands and the people who lived there. They were so devastated by the war and had very little to eat, and clothes worn thin and ragged. Due to the efforts of American charities, packages of badly needed items were delivered all over war-torn Europe and this tale focuses on the pen-pal friendship that develops between two little girls, Katje and Rosi More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jan 30, 2010

Heidi rated it:

2003 Notable Book for a Global Society Award (IRA)
Format: Audio
Although appropriate for grades 2-6, perhaps even older, the audio recording is clearly geared for younger readers. The narrator is overly expressive and the pace is appropriate for younger readers to follow along. It includes a beep at the end of each page to indicate a page turn. Music plays in the background, adding to the more juvenile feel. The story, however, is moving in that is based on the true story of the aut More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 24, 2009

Janna added it

This story is representative of many stories that could be told from Europeans that received necessary items from the U.S. after World War II. My hometown of Worthington, MN adopted a whole city to support during this time so I connected very well with this story. Since this is a good part of history that showed care and generosity between countries I think it is great to share this with children. In this book the format of letter writing can also be observed by children. The inspiration of More...

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Apr 30, 2011

Addie rated it:

One day after the war Katje recieves a box from America, and as Katje explains to the sender the hardships of her country to boxes keep getting bigger and more and more arrive.
I loved the whole message of this book. It teaches that no matter how far away someone lives you can help even if it's something as small as a bar of soap or even chocolate. It also shows the importance of sharing, although Katje has nothing herself she always shares what she gets in the boxes. It also teaches the im More...

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Jan 05, 2011

Jasmine rated it:

Boxes for Katje
Written by Candace Fleming
Reviewed by Jasmine Lee

Imagine in a country of Holland after World War ll there is a poor town called Olst. One day in Olst, a wonderful surprise was waiting for Katje. An American girl named Rosie sends her a box with socks, a cake of soap and a bar of CHOCOLATE. Katje shares these gifts with her mother and a mailman, but do you think this is the end of this exciting story? Of course not!!! After sharing with her mother and mailm More...

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Dec 19, 2009

Judi rated it:

I LOVE this picture book. Katje is a little girl living in Holland just after World War II. Her village is poor, and her family has little food or warm clothing. One day, Katje receives a package from a far away place called Indiana--and inside are candy bars, canned food, and WARM SOCKS! When she writes a thank you note, she receives even more wonderful things from America--and saves her village. You'll love to see how the people of Holland thanked their friends in Indiana for their kindness. G More...

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Feb 19, 2010

Amanda rated it:

Katje and her community celebrate in the kindness of Katje's friend, Rosie, and her community's generosity.

This book would be wonderful for a Social Studies unit, especially when discussing the the devestation to European countries after World War II. The text is placed in an entertaining way on the pages and alternates between narration and letters between Katje and Rosie. This historical fiction book makes the idea of poverty very understandable for younger children.

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Aug 02, 2010

Kathy rated it:

After WWII, there is little left in Katje's town of Olst in Holland. Her family must go without soap, milk, and must patch and repair their old, worn clothing. Then one spring morning, when the tulips bloom thick and bright, Postman Kleinhoote pedals his bicycle down Katje's cobbled street to deliver a mysterious box from the "land of plenty"--America.
Lesson ideas: Read for the Christmas drive.

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Oct 18, 2011

Bethany rated it:

This is a touching story about giving. A girl in Holland recieves a box from an American girl full of supplies needed after a hard time. They become pen-pals and send letters and boxes of goodies to each other. In the end everybody in the little girls city of Holland is blessed by the boxes of gifts from one little girl and her community in America. It is a compelling story.

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Oct 03, 2011

Jennifer rated it:

This is an adorable true story about how a girl in Indiana ends up helping a town in Holland after WWII. She starts by sending her small items but realizes how much Katje is in need of these basic items around her house. She ends up recruiting her whole town to help, and even though they are a world apart, they connect through the compassion of this young girl.
I love that this book gives a sad historical perspective but also helps students realize the effect of humanitarian efforts.

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