 In 1915, ten-year-old Aileen Rogers’ father, Lawrence Browning Rogers, enlisted in the Fifth Canadian Mounted Rifles. Aileen, left in Quebec with her mother and younger brother, sent her precious stuffed Teddy bear to the front lines in Europe to protect him. Teddy came home to the Rogers farm. Lieutenant Rogers did not. He was killed at the battle of Passchendaele in Belgium. In 2002, Lawrence’s granddaughter found Teddy, letter, and war memorabilia in a family briefcase. This moving story, narrated by Teddy, is accompanied by family photographs, newspaper cuttings, and warm oil paintings. Today Teddy lives in a glass display in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Canada. mjw |
| Title: A Bear In War Author: Stephanie Innes and Harry Endrulat Illustrator: Brian Deines Publisher: Pajama Press, reprint edition Copyright: 2013 Original language: English Original publisher: Key Porter Books Limited, Canada Original copyright: 2008 ISBN: 978-1-927485-12-5 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 6-9 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Canada Author’s residence: United States, Canada Illustrator’s residence: Canada Awards: Silver Birch Award Shortlist, 2009 Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable Information Book Finalist Subjects: Canada, Father and child, North America, Soldiers, Teddy Bears, World War I |
A Bear In War
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Kato, a young Ugandan boy, carries two jerrry cans of water every day from the village well to his family. He passes cattle fields, soldiers standing guard, and an aid worker’s truck that is filled with colorful shoes. He finds a white poppy in the field and trades it for brand new shoes. The poppy is a symbol of peace and goodwill. Bright, geometric digital collage pictures provide a snapshot of Kato’s war-torn village life. mjw
Toda is forced to flee her village as war escalates in her unnamed country. When her father, a pastry chef, leaves to defend his country, she is sent to live with her mother across the border. Her journey is frightening and fascinating and filled with struggles, misunderstandings, and hope. Fear never overwhelms innocent and frank Toda as she tries to make sense of the war-torn world around her. The author uses Toda’s off-beat sense of humor to point out the absurdity of war. Gentle line drawings offer comic relief and further insight into what this young refugee goes through. mjw
Eleven-year-old outspoken and likeable Billie Templar lives in a military town called Merchant Stanton. Her dad is serving with the army in Afghanistan and Billie desperately wants him home so they can defend their four-year record of winning the three-legged race at the school carnival. She plans to ask the Queen to give him permission to return home, but getting to see the Queen is tougher than she thinks. With the help of sweet, crazy friends and old age pensioners, she stages a military tattoo to get the Queen to visit during the Jubilee celebrations. The story is heart-wrenching, hilarious, and has a feel-good surprise ending.mjw
In 2002, ten-year-old Enaiatollah Akbari’s village in Afghanistan fell prey to the Taliban. His mother sent him alone to fend for himself. Dangerous border crossings, trekking on foot across snow-covered mountains in Turkey, hiding in a false bottom of a truck, and steering an inflatable dinghy to Greece are some of the seemingly insurmountable and unimaginable obstacles he faced on his five year journey to Italy, where he sought political asylum. This is an incredible story of courage, hope, and survival reconstructed from Eniat’s memories by Italian novelist Fabio Geda. A map of Eniat’s journey is included. mjw
Two narratives, one past and one present, are told side by side in this clever, powerful novel. Tony and Alice escape the London Blitz and befriend fascinating old Mrs. H. who has sketched a portrait of a young girl holding a rabbit. Teenage Mallie lives in present day London, works in a pet shop, attempts to find romance for her mom, and purchases the sketch in an antique shop. This story of hope and change is pulled together by the mysterious sketch. A brief biography at the back of the book reveals the famous mystery artist. mjw
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