The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt is about Holling Hoodhood and his 7th grade year at Camillo Junior High in 1967.  Holling is the only student in Mrs. Baker's class who does not attend Hebrew School or Chatechism on Wednesday afternoons.  Because Mrs. Baker loves it, Holling is assigned to read Shakespreare!  Little does he know his extra time with Mrs. Baker will lead to Holling playing a fairy in a community theater production, the escape of two giant rats, the entire class receiving fresh baked cream puffs from the local bakery, a new track star, and Holling learning more about himself and about life than he ever could have imagined.  All of this is set to the backdrop of the United States's war with Vietnam, the fight for civil rights, and America's favorite past time - baseball!

This book was awesome!  It was absolutely hilarious in some parts and sad in others.  Even though it is set during the 1960s, Holling deals with a lot of things kids are dealing with now - bullies, girls, homework, family, etc.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a funny book with a good message.

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson is set in 1971. Frannie is a 6th grader who goes to a school on "the other side of the highway". Almost everyone in the school is African American, and those who aren't are not white. That changes when a new boy arrives - he has long blond hair and claims his name is Jesus. He also claims he isn't white. This throws Frannie's whole 6th grade class into a tizzy! At home, Frannie is dealing with other issues. He brother, Sean, is deaf. This is only a problem when people who can hear tease him or make fun of Frannie. Their mother is pregnant again, after having lost three babies in the past. Everyone is worried about her and the baby. Plus, there is a war going on over in Vietnam. Frannie's class is studying poetry. One of the verses that sticks with Frannie is by Emily Dickenson: "Hope is the thing with feathers..." At first, Frannie doesn't understand what this metaphor means. By the end of her story, she does.

This was a really good book. I enjoyed getting to know Frannie and her family. I also liked Frannie's best friend, Samantha. This story was about so many different things, but it was really based on a simple idea: hope.

Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata

Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata is about Rick, a 17 year old boy from Wisconsin who decides to enlist in the army during the Vietnam War. This is also the story of Cracker, a German Shepherd who is given to the army because her owners cannot keep her in their new apartment. Rick gets chosen to be a dog handler and trains with Cracker. At first, Cracker is so sad about having to leave her family, especially the boy Willie, she is mean and won't allow anyone near her. Eventually, she and Rick form an inseperable bond and become one of the best dog and handler teams in Vietnam. They are even selected to go on secret, special missions, just based on their reputation. On one mission, Cracker and Rick become separated. Rick ends up being flown back to the United States with an injury, leaving Cracker behind in Vietnam. Rick makes it his mission to find Cracker, and writes letter after letter to everyone he can think of. Cracker makes it her mission to find Rick, no matter where he is.

I didn't think I'd like this book - I'm not the biggest fan of war novels. This one surprised me, though! I liked the way the perspective switched between Rick and Cracker. I also liked learning some of the history behind the army using dogs during wars and what happened to them afterward. I ended up liking this book a lot! This is one of the 2009 - 2010 Maud Hart Lovelace nominees.

All the Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg

All the Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg is about Matt Pin, a young Vietnamese boy who has been adopted by a family in the U.S. just after the Vietnam War. This story details Matt's struggle to fit in at his school, where the other students see him as the enemy. Many of his classmates' siblings went to fight in the Vietnam War and never came home. Their anger about their loved ones' deaths is taken out on Matt. Matt also struggles with his memories of his mother and brother. Matt never knew his father, an American soldier who abandoned them. Matt's brother was terribly injured in a landmine explosion, and Matt believes it was his fault. His mother, trying to keep him safe, sent Matt with the American soldiers to go to America for a better life. Matt, however, thinks she sent him away as a punishment for what happened to his little brother. Matt's adoptive father teaches Matt to play baseball, and he's really good. He even makes the school team! But, it's even harder for him to fit in there, because he is mercilessly taunted by his own teammates. This story is about Matt's search to fit in somewhere, to feel loved, wanted, and worthwhile.

I loved this book. It is a quick read because it is written in free-verse. The suthor does a wonderful job at weaving all parts of the story together. The reader feels so sad for Matt and all he's been through, but also feels some compassion for the kids at his school who lost siblings in the war. This is a thought-provoking, well told story about a very sad time in history.