For Ray, it's his first battle. For Hideki, it's his homeland. Both of them are young to fight in a battle, but each one is given a grenade and charged to use it. The two of them fight their way through the battle of Okinawa, the last battle of World War II. When they collide, nothing will ever be the same. I know a lot about World War II, but as with any subject, there is always much more to know about any subject. Okinawa was an important battle fought by the Japanese, Americans, and Okinawans. Okinawa was taken by the Japanese hundreds of years ago, but the people still saw themselves as Okinawans, still had a language. They were also not treated as full Japanese citizens. As Gratz delves into the transformative nature of war, no one people are full heroes and no one people are full villains. All of them are humans with frailties and strengths. The book ran a little slow after Part 2 began for me, but I believe it's a book well worth finishing.
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Moishe Moskowitz struggled with fitting in as a Jew in Kielce, Poland. This was even before the Nazis invaded. Then when they came in 1939, there were more rules and regulations and finally work camps that were then concentration camps. Moishe is separated from his family as the wolves draw closer to take away everything he holds dear. I have read many Holocaust survival stories, but this one is in verse. Each scene a short poem that conveys the different emotions and pains Moishe experienced during this time. The story that brings the title of warm bread does not come until the end, but it reminds us that even in the darkest places, there is hope. Somewhere there are people that care. This short story is worth reading even if you have read several Holocaust stories. Dee knows that today will be the day, not just any day, but D-Day. The Allies are invading France. Dee is just one of the many characters in this story. Samira tries to stop the Germans and save her family at the same time. James leaps from an airplane and finds himself in the middle of the unknown. Henry searches for lives to save as so many die on the beaches. Each one of them play a part in a struggle where many did not survive. It was hard to get to know each character with many switch backs. However, Dee is a central figure that seems to hold the book together. There were a few stories that I felt did not get as fleshed out as they could. However, Gratz writes an exciting account of all the people who played a part in this day. Taylor was not in Vietnam to fight. He was there to have fun while he visited his dad, a high level official working on the Vietnam War. While Taylor tries to get away from his parents, the Tet Offensive happens, and he is kidnapped by NVA fighters and taken along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, also known as Blood Road. This was a hard book to read. I started it some time in late 2020, but it took me a long time to finish it. The devastation the Vietnam War caused on all those who fought and those who just lived in the surrounding areas of Vietnam is immeasurable. The author seems to present both sides of the war while at the same time saying, it was a horrible war no matter what side you were on. This is a difficult book to read with all the tragedy but one I needed to read. William lived with his parents and six sisters in the village of Wimbe located in Malawi. His family struggled with famine and poor crops. William's father could not afford to send him to school. But William had a dream. A dream that started by picking up a library book and realizing he could use the wind for power. His experiments with wind were not without problem, but finally he was able to build a windmill that could power a light bulb. I love a great true story, and this is one of them. The Young Adult version that I read was easy to read and told a compelling story of a boy who overcomes odds to help his family and his village. I love William's humor and his scientific mind. He never lets anything keep him down and is willing to try new things until he finds a solution. I highly recommend William's TED Talks to learn more about his story along with the movie, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, to learn more about his story. Granted I watched the movie first, and I was a little disappointed that more about his sister (or actually six sisters) was not in the book. However, the book adds a lot to your understanding of how he was able to develop the windmill. Sungju Lee was a child of privilege in North Korea, ready to serve Kim Il-Sung. Then life changed at the age of eleven when his family is sent away from the capital of Pyongyang. Sungju realizes that people are starving outside the capital in the 1990s North Korean famine. He learns how to survive by forming a gang with a group of boys who soon become the only family he has. This is not an easy story to read. Knowing that is all true (with the exception of names) is hard to consider. These boys are left orphans as their parents go to find food. The lengths which they go to find food makes you want to cry. He survives to write this story, but it is not easy. It makes me realize again how much we take for granted. Enola is not an only child, but her brothers are much older than she is. Her brothers are also more well-known than she is. They are Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes. When her mother disappears, Enola is determined to find her, even before her older detective brother. Along the way, she stumbles along another mystery that does not slow her down. I had plans to read this book earlier when I saw it in the media center, but I never got around to it. The Netflix film spurred me on to read it. I have to admit I enjoyed the Netflix film and liked the changes they made to the plot. Yes, sometimes the film might be better than the book. However, the book had its own gems that help you appreciate the movie even more. This is the sequel to Impostors, and you will want to read that book before this review if you don't want to spoil anything. Frey made a choice. She will stay behind for Col, the boy she fell in love with when she pretended to be her sister. She is choosing once again to be Rafi, the girl next in line as ruler. Can she fool everyone, even her own father? I wanted to like this book as much as the first one, but it left me a little lost with its jump in the action. Now there is nothing wrong with an action packed book. However, I would prefer a little more character development. There is a third book, and I don't know if I will pick it up. What if Germany and Japan won World War II because they had created a super soldier? That's the concept of this YA book. The United States no longer exists. Germany controls the Eastern American Territories, and Japan controls the Western American Territories. But not all Americans are willing to accept their conquerors. A resistance is brewing, and Ren finds himself in the middle of it with a plan to infiltrate the prison. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. From the beginning, Richmond pulls you in with each new page and revelation of Ren's life. Some twists I saw coming, but others were a surprise. There are some parts that are hard to read, and the violence might be a little intense for some. However, this book makes you think how much we have when we consider the freedoms of America. Like Ren, we can say that America was not perfect and is not perfect now, but the founders and people of America created a set of ideals that we can try to live up to each day. You'll want to read Freak the Mighty before reading this review. Max struggles with life after "Freak the Mighty." Kevin's death has left him floundering with no purpose. Then he meets Worm, a girl lost in her own world of books. When he realizes Worm is a damsel in distress, he becomes "Max the Mighty" and tries to save her. However, now people are out to find him. Can he help Worm get to her father without being arrested? Max the Mighty is a great story to continue on the legacy of Freak the Mighty. However, I still love the first book more. It's such a sweet story with great characters, allusions to King Arthur, and a plot that leaves you turning the pages at the end. This story also has some interesting characters (one drives a bus). At the end, I was still turning the pages. The last few chapters, I kept hoping everyone would pull through, but you'll have to read the rest of the story to see. If you like Freak the Mighty, you should try this book out. |
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June 2021
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