Book Recommendations

The War That Saved My Life, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CX9NK7K/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

At least one of you has already read this book, but I'm taking this opportunity to let all who visit this site know about this excellent read, winner of several awards. It wasn't until later that I realized it was written for children. No problem, it's written for adults like us too. and I don't want you to miss out.

True, it is written in a first person account, through the eyes of ten year old Ada. It is her story, the story of her six year old brother, and the story of a lonely, grieving woman living in a country village. The children are growing up in London, both of them neglected, but Ida suffering horrible abuse as well. Their mother is a hard, ignorant woman, who has decided Ida's club feet make her unfit for human contact or any sort of quality of life. 

The evacuation of the urban children to safer rural settings changes everything.  As Ada tells someone in a situation that occurs sometime later, her feet are crippled but her brain is not. She cannot imagine living at all if she cannot be with her brother Jamie, and she manages to join him and the other children on a train to what is supposed to be a haven away from the bombing that is expected to come at any time. 

No one else in the village wants to take in the two scruffy, dirty, children, but everyone is supposed to do their part for the war effort. So they are forced upon a middle-aged spinster. 

This book is so well written, the reader feels like she is right there, present in every scenario and situation. The character development is superb, the situations realistically portrayed, and yet without description that would not be appropriate for young readers.  (I didn't miss them either.)

As I said in a comment made on a book site, Ms. Bradley deserves every one of the accolades she has received for this story. And you'll be happy to know there is a sequel.