1941 Windy Hill, NY and Brooklyn. The story alternates between Brick and Muriel both of whom have suffered tragic events. The applegr 4-6 168 pgs
1941 Windy Hill, NY and Brooklyn. The story alternates between Brick and Muriel both of whom have suffered tragic events. The apple orchards of Brick's family and of his neighbor Claude were badly damaged by lightning. Muriel contracted polio when she was four years old and has never known her mother. Muriel was adopted by a nurse Loretta and loves her, but longs to know about her past. When Brick is sent to live with Loretta, a friend of Brick's mother, he is determined to return to Windy Hill and help Claude harvest what's left of his apples. Muriel also wants to return to Windy Hill. She hopes to find out more about her past by visiting the polio hospital, where she was treated, in Windy Hill.
The story includes a lot of baseball references since a lot of the characters are baseball fans and also some information about polio. I would recommend this story to someone who enjoyed "So B. It" by Sarah Weeks or "Becoming Naomi Leon" by Pam Munoz Ryan...more
1889 San Juan Islands (Pacific Northwest) 13 year old Clementine "Clemmy" one foggy day is out in her boat "The Fisherbird" when shegr 4-7 146pgs
1889 San Juan Islands (Pacific Northwest) 13 year old Clementine "Clemmy" one foggy day is out in her boat "The Fisherbird" when she hears something heavy fall into the water. When she gets closer, she discovers that it is a big burlap sack and a person is inside! She pulls the burlap sack into her boat and rescues Tong-Ling. Tong Ling was trying to re-enter the United States after returning to China. Because of the Chinese Expulsion Act, Tong-Ling was being smuggled in. Tong-Ling asks Clemmy for help to get to the mainland and Clemmy agrees. With the help of Sarah and Jed, Clemmy must make the 3 day journey while hiding from the Border Patrol and whoever threw Tong-Ling overboard.
I would recommend this book to a reader looking for an adventure story ...more
Culverton, England 1941. 11 year old Doreen Dyer has finally got a room to herself now that her older sisters have moved out (One'sgr 4-7 112 pgs
Culverton, England 1941. 11 year old Doreen Dyer has finally got a room to herself now that her older sisters have moved out (One's marriend and the other's in the WAAF). Now she finds out her family will be hosting an evacuee from London and she'll be sharing Doreen's room!
A nice quick read about the children of hosting families and what it was like to have to share your space with stranger. ...more
mostly summer 1944 Rockaway 11 year old Lily lives with her father "Poppy" and her Gram. Every year Lily looks forward to spending thegr 5-7 180 pgs
mostly summer 1944 Rockaway 11 year old Lily lives with her father "Poppy" and her Gram. Every year Lily looks forward to spending the summer hanging out with her best friend Meggie. But this year is different. Poppy is joining the war effort. Meggie and her family are too by moving to Willow Run, Michigan where her parents will work to build B-24's. Spending the summer with only her Gram (who makes her crazy) and a Hungarian refugee Albert is the last thing that Lily wants to do, but she discovers that maybe she and Albert aren't all that different.
I would recommend this story to someone who likes good friendship stories. ...more
1899 Vermont. 10 year old Robbie feels like his is always being held to a higher standard since he is the son of a preacher. When hegr 5-8 168pgs
1899 Vermont. 10 year old Robbie feels like his is always being held to a higher standard since he is the son of a preacher. When he hears that the world will be ending on December 31st, he decides he needs to make the most of his time and being a good Christian will just slow him down. When one of his pranks goes awry, Robbie must decide whether or not to do the right thing to fix it.
I think this story had a nice balance between Robbie's antics and the setting. This was just as much a story about a mischievous boy as it was about a town dealing with their fears about the new century....more
April 1942-Jan 5, 1943 Seattle, Washington/Puyallup Assembly Center/Camp Harmony.
14 year old Louise and her best friend 14 year oldgr 5-9 88 pgs
April 1942-Jan 5, 1943 Seattle, Washington/Puyallup Assembly Center/Camp Harmony.
14 year old Louise and her best friend 14 year old Dottie are separated when Dottie's family is forced to relocate to Puyallup Assembly Center and later to Camp Harmony. Louise starts a scrapbook (the book is formated like a scrapbook) to share with Dottie once she is allowed to come back. The scrapbook also includes letters written between the two friends. By reading the scrapbook, you learn about what life was like American teenagers during WWII including those living in internment camps.
I think this scrapbook format would appeal to someone who is interested in a quick read about this time period....more
1941 California/Gila River Camp, Nevada. After Pearl Harbor, 12 year old Tetsu, his younger sister Kimi and his mother along with othergr 5-7 258pgs
1941 California/Gila River Camp, Nevada. After Pearl Harbor, 12 year old Tetsu, his younger sister Kimi and his mother along with other people of Japanese descent are forced to leave their homes and be relocated. Tetsu's father is sent to a different camp, so Tetsu feels it is up to him to take care of the family until his father is reunited with the family. At Gila River Camp, Tetsu misses his home, his dog Lefty, his friends, and most of all baseball. When one of his friend's fathers starts up a baseball team, Tetsu finally finds something to look forward to.
The story begins when they are being relocated and ends when they will soon be leaving the camp. I would recommend this story to someone who wants to know more about what it felt like to be forced to relocate and live in an internment camp. I would also recommend this book to someone who loves baseball....more
Saipan 1944. 12 year old Joseph is tired of all the restrictions that the Japanese place on hisSLJ gr 5-9 (but I would say it's gr 6-8) 138 pgs
Saipan 1944. 12 year old Joseph is tired of all the restrictions that the Japanese place on his people. Unlike his father, Joseph wants to fight back when they insult him. As the American forces come nearer to the island in their fight with the Japanese, Joseph finds himself and his family caught in the crossfire. It is up to Joseph to find a way to help himself and his loved ones survive.
I thought this story did a good job of making the reader feel, just like Joseph, that they were caught in the middle. I would recommend the story for older readers because the story does include a scene at Suicide Cliff....more
1868/1869 San Francisco. Chin Jin Mun works hard to help deliver the clean laundry to his father's customers, but he is always dreaminggr 3-5 52 pgs
1868/1869 San Francisco. Chin Jin Mun works hard to help deliver the clean laundry to his father's customers, but he is always dreaming of the day he can go traveling to see the mountains. His Older Brother is working on the railroad and his letters are full of descriptions of the mountians where they are working. On one of his deliveries Jin Mun meets Lew Wai Hing, a slave. Jin Mun can't stop thinking about her and is determined to find a way to free her.
A quick read with lots of historical information about the time period. I would recommend this story to a reader who enjoyed the American Girl books...more
1945 Toronto. 10 year old Gavin can't remember his life in England before he was sent away. He was only 5 years old**spoiler alert** gr 5-8 201 pgs
1945 Toronto. 10 year old Gavin can't remember his life in England before he was sent away. He was only 5 years old when his parents sent him and his older sister to Canada where they'd be safe from the war. Now that the war is ending, Gavin is afraid to leave Aunt Florence and Aunt Mary, his friends, and his life in Toronto. Norah can't wait to see their parents again.
When they receive the terrible news that their parents died in a bombing, Norah is devastated, but determined to return and be live with their grandfather. Gavin doesn't know how to feel. He can't remember his parents or his grandfather. When Aunt Florence suggests she might adopt Gavin so that he could stay in Canada, Gavin must decide should he stay or go?
Although this is the third book in the trilogy, I think you could read this one on its own. The first two books are from Norah's perspective while this one is from Gavin's. Reading the first book might be helpful. I would recommend this book to someone who has read the first book or the first two books and wants an idea of what it was like for the "war guests" once the war was over....more
August 1801 New York State. A very brief glimpse of Charles Wilson Peale's work to uncover the bones of a mastodon. The story is toldgr 4-6 51pgs
August 1801 New York State. A very brief glimpse of Charles Wilson Peale's work to uncover the bones of a mastodon. The story is told through the perspective of 11 year old Will. Will has lived with his uncle, aunt, and cousins since his mother died in a fire. His relatives look down on Will for being small and not as strong as his cousins. When his father unexpectedly visits, Will is thrilled to hear his father needs his help. His father, a carpenter, is going to help Mr. Peale with the dig. Will can't wait to prove how useful he can be.
I would recommend this quick read to someone with an interest in dinosaurs....more
1818 Michilmackinac Island. 18 year old Mary has returned to her farm and the island she loves. She finds herself caught between Whitegr 4-6 185 pgs
1818 Michilmackinac Island. 18 year old Mary has returned to her farm and the island she loves. She finds herself caught between White Hawk and Lord Lindsay, who has followed her from England, who both want to marry her.
In order to appreciate this conclusion to the trilogy, I think you have to have at least read the second book. I would recommend this book to someone who read the second book. The story does provide some information about the time period....more
Summer 1943 Gairloch Canada. 13 year old Norah and her 8 year old brother Gavin are still living as war guests with the Ogilvie family.gr 6-8 212pgs
Summer 1943 Gairloch Canada. 13 year old Norah and her 8 year old brother Gavin are still living as war guests with the Ogilvie family. Every summer, the Ogilivie clan gathers at the family summer home "Gairloch". Norah still misses her parents and England, but this summer her thoughts are filled by Andrew, her 19 year old "cousin", who has come to spend the summer at the cabin along with the rest of the family.
I would recommend this book to someone interested in coming of age stories or stories about a preteen's first crush. Since this story has Norah experiencing puberty, I'd recommend this story to gr 6+. You don't have to have read the first book in the trilogy to enjoy this book....more
1940 Ringden, England. 10 year old Norah and her 5 year old brother Gavin are forced to leave their tiny village because their parentsgr 4-6 248pgs
1940 Ringden, England. 10 year old Norah and her 5 year old brother Gavin are forced to leave their tiny village because their parents want them to go to Canada where they will be safe from the war. Norah is furious with her parents for sending her and Gavin is too young to understand. When they arrive in Canada, they are sent to live with Mrs. Ogilive and her adult daughter Mary. Mrs. Ogilive spoils Gavin who reminds her of her son Hugh who died in WWI, while Norah feels that all Mrs. Ogilive does is order her about. Norah's adventurous spirit is always getting her into trouble with Mrs. Ogilive. Norah can't wait for the war to be over so she can go home!
Great story about "war guests" in Cananda. I would recommend this story to someone interested in WWII....more
1816 London, England. 16 year old Mary O'Shea is invited to London to visit her sister Angelique and her new husband. Used to taking caregr 4-6 200pgs
1816 London, England. 16 year old Mary O'Shea is invited to London to visit her sister Angelique and her new husband. Used to taking care of herself living on her farm, Mary finds herself at odds with the crew of the ship she travels on and with her sister's new in-laws who expect her to behave like a lady. On her trip there is one person, Lindsay, that she meets to doesn't mind her behavior. As their friendship grows, Mary wonders would she be happy with Lindsay or will she return to her island home where White Hawk waits for her?
I found a number of the situations that Mary got herself into very amusing. Especially on the ship. I think that you could read this story withouth having read the first book. I would recommend this story to someone who enjoys stories with independent women....more
1812 Mackinac Island. When the British invade the island, the greatly outnumbered American forces surrender. Mary's father refuses togr 4-7 184pgs
1812 Mackinac Island. When the British invade the island, the greatly outnumbered American forces surrender. Mary's father refuses to take an oath of allegiance to England, so he leaves to join the American forces in Detroit. 12 year old Mary, her brother Jacques (15 year old)and sister Angelique (16 year old) are left to run the farm while they are away. Unlike Mary who loves the farm, Angelique wishes to be a lady and flirts with the British soldiers. Jacques is eager to leave the farm too working as a fur trapper or fighting for the Americans. It is up to Mary to keep the farm running and her family together until her father returns.
I haven't read a lot of books set in during the war of 1812, so I found it very interesting especially the interactions between the British and the islanders. I would recommend the story to someone who was interested in the time period....more
1814 Washington. Virginia is a slave for the Madison family. When she is sent to Washington to serve the Madisons at the White House,gr 4-6 147pgs
1814 Washington. Virginia is a slave for the Madison family. When she is sent to Washington to serve the Madisons at the White House, Virginia is excited, but worried when she discovers that they don't know she is coming. Instead one of the older slaves, Tobias, has arranged to have her come and help. Tobias, along with some other slaves, is part of a group helping slaves escape the slave market in Washington and they need Virginia's help. Virginia agrees the help, despite the risks, and finds herself in even more danger when the British threaten to invade Washington City.
This story provided a look at glimpse of what it might have been like to be a child slave at the White House. ...more
1957? Maple Hill Farm, Pennsylvania. 10 year old Marly, her parents, and older brother Joe leave Pittsburgh to live in the country whilegr 3-5 180pgs
1957? Maple Hill Farm, Pennsylvania. 10 year old Marly, her parents, and older brother Joe leave Pittsburgh to live in the country while their father is recovering from his time as a POW in WWII. Although there is one or two brief mentions of father's experiences, most of the story is focused on nature and the changing of the seasons.
I would recommend this story to someone who enjoyed The Little House books or the American Girl books....more
1947 Huxley Illinois, 12 year old Willa Mae Clark loves her grandparents who have raised her since she was little, but there are a lotgr 5-9 228 pgs
1947 Huxley Illinois, 12 year old Willa Mae Clark loves her grandparents who have raised her since she was little, but there are a lot of questions about her past that they won't answer. What was her mother, who died when Willa Mae was little, like, why hasn't her father come home from the Navy, who is the Clark baby in the cemetery. When Willa Mae's father, will she finally get her answers?
I would recommend this book to somone who read and enjoyed "So B. It" or "My Name is Naomi Leon". The story included a lot of information abotu life in post WWII ex electricity. ...more
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