From the Trenches
RSSSara Grajek
Throughout history, wars have raised some countries to new heights and smashed others into oblivion. And in the process, individual lives have often been altered beyond recognition, including the lives of young people who have been sent into combat and their families who have been left behind. The following books present a realistic view of war and how it affects everything it touches. Gr 8 Up—Just after 9/11, instead of going to college, Robin Perry joins the army. He feels, as many others do at that time, that he needs to stand up for his country. Assigned to a Civil Affairs unit in Kuwait, he finds that the war isn't as clearly defined as he thought it was: schools are bombed, children are killed. Was this the glory that he envisioned as a soldier? As Operation Iraqi Freedom continues, he struggles with the many layers of war. REINHARDT, Diana. The Things a Brother Knows. Wendy Lamb Bks., 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-84455-3. Gr 8 Up—Boaz has returned from war, but he seems different. He's quiet and withdrawn, refuses to ride in cars, and isolates himself from his friends and girlfriend. One day, he announces to his family that he plans to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, but his brother, Levi, thinks there may be something else going on and goes with him. Trying to reconnect and draw Boaz out, the brothers go on a journey of self-discovery for Boaz and discovery for Levi. Reinhardt's novel shows the aftereffects of war, and the recovery process soldiers and their families may need to go through in a way that teens and those who haven't fought in wars can relate to. Additional titles featuring life in wartime: HUGHES, Dean. Search and Destroy. Atheneum, 2005. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-689-87023-1. Gr 8 Up. MCCORMICK, Patricia. Purple Heart. Balzer + Bray, 2009. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-173090-0. Gr 7 Up. MORPURGO, Michael. Private Peaceful. Scholastic, 2004. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-439-63648-3. Gr 7-12. PARK, Linda Sue. A Long Walk to Water. Clarion Books, 2010. Tr $16.00. ISBN 978-0-547-25127-1. Gr 5-8. POLACCO, Patricia. Pink and Say. Philomel, 1994. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-399-22671-7. Gr 4-8. This article originally appeared in School Library Journal's enewsletter SLJTeen. Subscribe here.
MYERS, Walter Dean. Sunrise over Fallujah. Scholastic, 2008. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-439-91624-0.
