World War II U.S. Homefront: A History Perspectives Book

History Perspectives

by Martin "Marty" Gitlin

This book relays the factual details of the U.S. homefront during World War II. The narrative provides multiple accounts of the event, and readers learn details through the point of view of a female bomber plant worker, an African-American worker, and a Japanese-American business owner. The text offers opportunities to compare and contrast various perspectives in the text while gathering and analyzing information about a historical event.

Genres: Historical Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2009

About the author

MARTIN (MARTY) GITLIN is a freelance book writer and journalist based in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to Diana, Princess of Wales (Greenwood 2008), he has written several history books for students, including works on the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, Battle of The Little Bighorn, and Stock Market Crash of 1929. He has also written biographies of NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.

Gitlin worked for two decades as a sportswriter, during which time he won more than 45 awards, including first place for general excellence from Associated Press. That organization also selected him as one of the top four feature writers in Ohio.

Reviews

[Gail DiVico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another very interesting interactive book. This one being about World War II. You are given a brief introduction, then you choose which route you want to take going forward. I chose to be a woman married to an American soldier fighting overseas. Also included is a book list about World War II,
internet sites to check out, a glossary and a bibliography. Highly recommend to students in middle grades and above and adults, too.

[Jim Collett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice little interactive book that gives you a look at some of the challenges faced on the home front, including those by minorities.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was quite interesting.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a similar style to the "You Decide" books that send readers off in several directions depending on their responses, this one asks readers for their reaction to a scenario during WWII--without using an expedition file and relying only on their feelings of what the right thing to do might be--and then sends them in three different directions. After providing some background on the war, the text allows readers to choose to be the wife of an American solider serving oversea, a 12-year-old boy in San Diego faced with his classmates turning against their Japanese American classmate, or a black war veteran living in the segregated South. I liked how there were so many choices, no matter which character I chose, and there were no right answers, just choices. The scenarios helped bring the war home, and middle graders should enjoy this glimpse of the way it was.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4 stars