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Lessons from War
By Holly E. Newton
Lessons from
war can be great — and sad. The subject matter may be touchy
for young children, but the history that surrounds and brings about
war is too valuable to be missed or forgotten. Here are books
that are filled with memoirs, and memories, of those lessons. The
first two books are best suited for ages 10 through adult.
 Yellow
Star, by Jennifer Roy,
is set during the Holocaust. Here is a subject that is too horrific
for any to imagine. But Roy
writes in a beautiful free verse format and brings out the hardships
with a surprising delicate touch.
The author’s
aunt, along with many of her relatives, experienced this terrible
event. Some never made it through to the end of the war. But Aunt
Syvia told her niece all that she could remember before she would
forget. And this is her story.
Syvia was
4 years old when she first entered one of the worst camps in Poland. At that time, more
than 270 thousand Polish Jews had entered this prison. By the time
it ended, only 800 survived. Syvia was one of only 12 children
who survived. But you also get a glimpse of this child and her
family’s great love for one another even when life was barely manageable.
The name of the book comes from the sign of the Jew that all were
required to wear on their clothing upon entering this ghetto. Even
though wearing this sign cost many lives, it’s interesting how it
saved the remaining few when they were finally liberated. This is
a valuable book for 10 years of age through adult to read, remember
and never forget.
 When
Heaven Fell, by Carolyn
Marsden, is a mingling of cultures — Vietnamese and American. Nine-year-old
Bihn works hard selling fruit and soda from a cart to schoolgirls
in their nicely pressed uniforms as they walk to school. She
can’t go to school because her family can’t afford to pay. But
her world is about to change when she learns that 30 years ago her
grandmother had a baby girl. When the Vietnamese War ended and
the Communists took over, she sent her daughter to America since the father was
an American soldier. Now this daughter was coming for a visit.
The mixture and differences of these two cultures bring about an
appreciation and importance of family!
The next
two books are better suited for teens through adult because of the
subject matter. Disguised: A Wartime Memoir, by
Rita la Fontaine de Clercq Zubli, is a true account of a young Dutch-Indonesian
girl who was 12 years old when Japan
invaded what was then known as the Dutch East
Indies during World War II. Rita’s father was the head of
the postal, telegraph and telephone service. He was concerned about
the welfare of his wife, who had kidney and heart disease.
While everyone
else on the island evacuated for more safety, he decided to keep
his wife and three children there. He didn’t believe she would
survive the evacuation. Therefore, they waited for the enemy to
arrive. In the meantime, he felt that his oldest and only girl
was entering into a vulnerable stage of life and should be protected.
He made the decision to make Rita into “Rick” by cutting her long
dark hair into a boy’s haircut and having her wear the clothing
of a boy. Through the three long years of living in prison camps,
Rita rose above all obstacles to become respected and elevated in
the eyes of both the Japanese officers and her fellow inmates.
This is an amazing true story!
 I
Want to Live: The Diary of a Young Girl in Stalin’s Russia, by Nina Lugovskaya, is an account of a young 13-year-old
girl who is about to see her homeland change for the worse. This
diary was recently found in the archives of Stalin’s secret police
and is a testament of the atrocities that took place during the
reign of Stalin’s terror. Nina began writing in her journal in
1932. There is much to learn from her entries. However, Nina,
unlike Anne Frank, becomes more depressed as she witnesses how living
conditions worsen. This makes reading her account become a bit
tiresome from the middle of the book through to the end. There
are also some mild swear words and the Lord’s name written from
time to time. However, there is much to learn from during this
terrible time.
The rest
of the books are picture books and are perfect for all ages:
One
Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II, written
and beautifully illustrated by Lita Judge, is a true account of
how many Americans helped Europe following the war by sending shoes,
food and clothing. Judge found hundreds of tracings in her grandparents’
attic and began to unfold the mystery of how these paper tracings
were actually the sizes of people’s shoes. Her grandparents led
an effort to help those Europeans directly affected by the war by
asking for donations and then sending them much needed necessities.
This incredible picture book, simply stated, shows the powerful
effect of human kindness. This book is a winner!
 Ziba
Came on a Boat, by Liz
Lofthouse, and beautifully illustrated by Robert Ingpen, is based
on a true account of a family whose lives have been completely upset
in Afghanistan. Now, as they
flee for freedom on a boat filled with other refugees, Ziba thinks
back about her homeland and how sadly things have changed.
Small
Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O’Hara, by
Elvira Woodruff, and with gorgeous paintings by Adam Rex, shows
this spunky little girl who notices all the beauties around her
in Ireland. Unfortunately, it’s 1845, there’s
a famine, and everyone is starving. Now that Darcy has to leave
her homeland, how will she take these small beauties of her
homeland with her?
At
Ellis Island: A History in Many Voices, by Louise Peacock, and illustrated by Walter Lyon Krudop,
quickly displays what makes up America as this book portrays the
immigration movement at its height at the turn of 19th century.
Letters — some real and some not — make up the text, making
this book a prized possession!
Why
War is Never a Good Idea, by
Alice Walker, and brightly illustrated by Stefano Vitale, poetically
shows children why violence isn’t the answer to solving the world’s
problems
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Meridian Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
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