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50th out of 108 books
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The Last Mission (Laurel-Leaf Historical Fiction)
by
Harry Mazer
In 1944, as World War II is raging across Europe, fifteen-year-old Jack Raab dreams of being a hero. Leaving New York City, his family, and his boyhood behind, Jack uses a false I.D. and lies his way into the U.S. Air Force.
From their base in England, he and his crew fly twenty-four treacherous bombing missions over occupied Europe. The war is almost over and Hitler...more
From their base in England, he and his crew fly twenty-four treacherous bombing missions over occupied Europe. The war is almost over and Hitler...more
Paperback, 192 pages
Published
December 30th 2008
by Laurel Leaf
(first published 1979)
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The story of a 15-16 yr old jewish american boy who assumes his brother's identity to train and fly as a gunner in a bomber against germany during the end of WWII. By the time he has flown several missions the young man has a different view of the realities of war from the air. By the time the concentration camps are freed he has a changed view of revenge and offers his last piece of bread to a german adolescent who is wild with hunger in the street. By the time the news breaks about the bom...more
If the book were a movie it would rate an R or PG 13 rated because of war/violence and also because of language--much use of the F word, fitting to the picture of the combat fliers and their way of life; smoking is casually taken for granted, as it was at the time. Jack Raab, a New York Jewish boy irate because of what he hears about Hitler and his war, lies about his 15 year old age and uses his older brother’s birth certificate to join the Air Force. From their base in England, he and his ...more
The Last Mission was a pick from my book club for the History/Historical Fiction month. One of our members is working on a biography of her father who flew in WWII and was a POW for several years. Her hope was to pick up something from this book that would help her on her way. Alas, there was little to be gleaned from this volume. Mr. Mazer has written many young adult books on WWII, but sometimes I wonder if he really decided to whom he was writing. This book, for example, seems to swing w...more
First read this back in the 7th grade, one of the hundreds of books I plowed through during my junior high years. Stuck with me for a long time, and was maybe the first book I ever read about WWII that conveyed the changes wrought on the people who fought it.
Written from the point of view of an eager 15-year old, the author does a very good job of capturing the flighty, goofball way that 15-year old boys think and how that testosterone-fueled innocence is pounded into sand by the re...more
Written from the point of view of an eager 15-year old, the author does a very good job of capturing the flighty, goofball way that 15-year old boys think and how that testosterone-fueled innocence is pounded into sand by the re...more
Jack is tall for his 15 yrs (and Jewish). He sneaks into the US air corps during WWII as a mid-tail gunner. His older brother is 4F, so he steals his identity and uses it to enlist. The premise is that his father at 15 had gone west by himself to earn a living, and this is the story he tells his parents. As a result, he is unable to write home to tell them about what he is in fact doing for fear they'll come and get him.
Jack serves for about a year, Most of which goes by relatively u...more
Jack serves for about a year, Most of which goes by relatively u...more
Monica!
rated it
I was startled by this book -- it's tiny, but it packs a huge emotional punch in realistically portraying the terror... and boredom... and terror... and comraderie... and terror... of a fifteen-year-old fighter pilot during World War II.
Protagonist Jack smokes, swears, watches his best friends get blown away, and quickly gets over the initial shiny thrill of fighting. Warn kids about the language first, but then definitely have them read it. It's a rare book that manages to drive...more
Protagonist Jack smokes, swears, watches his best friends get blown away, and quickly gets over the initial shiny thrill of fighting. Warn kids about the language first, but then definitely have them read it. It's a rare book that manages to drive...more
It is a great war story for boys. Jack Raab is a fifteen-year-old Jewish boy who uses his older brother's birth certificate to lie about his age and enlist in the Army Air Corp during WWII. The book tells the story of his training, his war experiences, and his homecoming. A great look at the effects of war on the soldiers involved. There is some serious profanity in this book; but it is typical of that used by soldier's in theater and not used for shock value.
I first read this book for 9th grade English class, and for ages I have been trying to remember what it was called. I remembered something very specific that I thought was from the book. Anyway, I recently found a list a wrote in high school of all the books we read, and as soon as I saw it, I knew this was the one I was thinking of.
After I found out the title, I thought I should read it again. The thing I thought was in the book, actually wasn't (I can see how it was a related as...more
After I found out the title, I thought I should read it again. The thing I thought was in the book, actually wasn't (I can see how it was a related as...more
I just re-read this book as an adult. I keep the five stars for the impression it left on me at the age 10 though now that I'm older I can see the major flaws. Still a stunning adventure for any youth. But be mindful of the cursing.
Excellent and fast-paced account of a young soldier in WWII. Read this as it was on many teen-boy recommended lists and am compiling a list for summer reading. Honest and authentic.
This book is awesome so far. I can kind of relate to this book. because i have read a lot of war books. Because i have read those books i know what is going in the book.
Mr. Boleen's SURF Class
is currently reading it
The setting of the book is in the military and they are all ways moving around to different places.(cr2842)
Fantastic coming of age story for YA boys.
My favorite book growing up!
I was looking for a book to recommend to high school boys, and I think I found one! The pace of this book sweeps you off your feet and along for the ride. I couldn't put it down! Though Jack is a bit of a sissy (more so than any real 15 year old will ever admit) at the beginning of the novel, he is real and grows a great deal (what boy wouldn't when faced with war?) by the end of the novel. It feels a bit rushed at the end, but then perhaps because the book's pace never really slows.
best book.halarius
This book is about a boy named Jack who lied about his age and used his brother's papers to get into the military. Jack trained until he could go overseas. When they left the United States, they went on their first mission. Their plane was hit, and the whole group survived, but the bomb bay doors wouldn't close. When Jack went to close them, he fell out of the plane. The plane was hit again, and the rest of the crew died. Jack was caught by the Germans.
This is my all-time favorite book. I read it at least every few years. I admit it was better as a child, but it still holds up.
Though it's by no means the same story, I equate it to the movie "Toy Soldiers" (with Sean Astin) - which happens to be amongst my favorite movies of all time.
Though it's by no means the same story, I equate it to the movie "Toy Soldiers" (with Sean Astin) - which happens to be amongst my favorite movies of all time.
good its a book for people who like the air force and like hearing about kids braking the rules. Its a book that has a lot of suspicion in the book it keeps you wondering and that keeps you reading page by page you will be drawn into the story.
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April
rated it
Recommends it for:
teens
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I read this while in the 9th grade just wasting time in study hall. It was a quick read, and even though it has been about 15 years, I can still remember reading it, and specifics of the book. It is a good book for young adults.
Matthew Johnson
rated it
Recommends it for:
people who like to read about war
Recommended to Matthew by:
found it on a shelf
very specific not being in war i think this is the closest ive read
Depressing book, but it's good, everyone should read it!
week ending
Dbussman
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Harry Mazer is an American author of books for children and young adults, acclaimed for his 'realistic' novels. He has written twenty-two novels, including The Solid Gold Kid, The Island Keeper, Heroes Don't Run, and Snow Bound, which was adapted as an NBC After school special, as well as one work of poetry and a few short stories.
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