Voices of Ordinary Heroes of World War II

Voices of Ordinary Heroes:  World War II  History Speaks

by Kelly Milner Halls

Nonfiction, Target age:  8-12

Rockridge Press, 9781647396428, 122pp.

Publication Date: August 6, 2020

Purchase HERE.

HISTORY SPEAKS is the tagline for this second book of new titles offered by Rockridge Press. Each presents well-researched and compelling profiles of twenty individuals during the Second World War, written with a compelling voice and pace. Each individual is described with riveting writing and content, and their wartime choices demand attention and admiration from the intended audience. Each of the twenty short profiles includes fascinating sidebar tidbits related to the person or other aspect of the chapter, informatively captioned archival photographs, and features a brief quotation by the historic individual.

In the first book, the heroes showcased were all young people, school age standouts who met the challenges of war with courage. In this volume, the focus shifts to adults. Ordinary adults, as the title claims, but ones whose actions and decisions put them at risk in a quest to save others, respond to duty, or resist the course of war. As is true for the first volume, some names might be familiar (Josephine Baker, Oskar Schindler), but most will be a revelation to readers young and old.

Both books provide several brief but effective chapters establishing an overview of World War II for the sake of its intended young learners. In clarifying who, where, how, and why this conflict engaged, along with a summary of its resolution, essential vocabulary is given meaning in context (with text indicators) and key words can be checked in the glossary. This cogent introduction, along with a double page map, allows early readers to anchor each heroic life within the global span of war.

Some heroic acts, like those of U. S. Naval hero Dorie Miller, outshine the most dramatic of Hollywood action movies. Some have been lauded in their homelands while Americans remain unaware of their accomplishments. One example of that is Nadia Popova and the so-called Night Witches, a group of women pilots in USSR whose executed multiple nightly flights in tiny biplanes to drop bombs over Nazi positions, helping to defeat the German invaders.

Some accomplishments involved preserving history, as Vilma Grunwald did just before her death in the gas chambers at Auschwitz, and artist Charlotte Salomon, who produced autobiographical paintings from 1940-43, numbered and notated, before her execution in the same camp. They created a legacy that remains a powerful documentation of Nazi atrocities. Duty was the driving force behind many of the stories, including the delivery of backlogged mail to American fighting troops, or decades-long resistance to surrender by Japanese soldiers on Pacific islands.

Each brief profile with its supporting materials feels like a short visit with very human heroes. Some have received well-earned recognition for their fighting, spying, rescues, or other resistance efforts. The stories of some others have only recently surfaced to gain the attention they deserve. Now, thanks to this impressively accessible and appealing set of books, new generations will meet them on the page. Pursuing further information or answers to specific questions is facilitated with an extensive index and resources in back matter.

As someone who has researched, read extensively, and taught the subject of World War II, I appreciated the nuance and variety in the selection of subjects for these profiles. The decisions as to who should land in the spotlight has mindfully provided readers with examples of males and females, with multiple ethnic and racial identities, drawn from positions in entertainment, civilian, and military backgrounds. Many defied the expectations and barriers of society in those days. Some heroism arose from official roles while others were launched by circumstances or personal motivations. In all cases, the courage and consequences of their actions call out to us across time to commend their strength and resilience.

VOICES of YOUNG HEROES- A World War II Book for Kids

Nonfiction

Voices of Young Heroes: A World War II Book for Kids

by Kelly Milner Halls

Rockridge Press, 9781646114214, 116pp.

Publication Date: August 4, 2020

With a tagline of “HISTORY SPEAKS”, this new book does just that, with guaranteed appeal for young readers. It features deeply researched but briefly told stories of twenty “kids” who were heroes during World War II. Their stories are presented in digestible short chapters and are written in the confident and appealing style that has made Halls a guru of nonfiction content for middle graders.

Author Halls provides a brief summary of essential World War II facts in the introduction and three opening chapters, which allows even new-to-the-subject readers to anchor the individual profiles within the complexity of a global struggle for freedom and against genocide and tyranny. Even those with deeper background knowledge will appreciate these early notes and a double-page map featuring key details about the war years and death tolls for the countries involved. They provide American readers of any age with an appreciation of the individual stories and the implications about sacrifices made by others outside our more familiar American hero stories.

The nature of the challenges and heroism demonstrated by the featured youth varies widely, spans the globe, and ranges from individuals with world-renown (Anne Frank) to others whose experiences are obscure but no less impressive. The ages of young people portrayed varies from four years old (the youngest survivor of Auschwitz, Michael Bornstein), through early teens (Anne Frank, and Len Chester, a fourteen year old “bugle boy” who served heroically in battles), through late teens and young adults (Stefani “Stefi” Podgorska, who hid thirteen Jewish friends from the Nazis for eight months) and many others. Some stories involved lying about their young ages in order to enlist in service, or to obtain needed identity papers. Some wrote and distributed anti-Nazi leaflets or destroyed propaganda posters and signs or even poisoned troops. Some died in concentration camps or by execution, others survived through most unlikely circumstances (Sergey Aleshkov, who was “adopted” by a Russian Marshal, one of many abandoned and desperate “wolf children” orphaned during the fierce fighting.) Some stories even describe mystery identities only recently revealed.

This barely scratches the surface of the intriguing details revealed throughout the profiles. Each brief biographic portrait includes archival photos of the individual, direct quotations (those “voices”), images of artifacts and scenes related to the story, and each is followed by a “Did you know” boxed insert that relates to some element of that chapter.

I’ve been looking forward to the release of this collection of short profiles for several reasons. Author Halls has countless ardent fans among school age readers, based on her ability to research and reveal content that hits the sweet spot for even the most resistant or reluctant kids. In large part this reflects her own insatiable curiosity, which shines through on the page. I had no doubt she would apply that compelling touch to the research and writing of these profiles, and I was not disappointed.

World War II is a perennial favorite topic, in part because it is often viewed as a battle between GOOD and EVIL. The nuances within each story encourage kids to reflect more deeply on what makes someone a “Hero”, exploring the fear and fierce desperation that may be the driver behind actions in wartime. It indirectly suggests questions end encourages discussion about rigid definitions of right and wrong, as in lying to protect a life, or facing the need to risk your own life or to take a life.

Some of the featured individuals have been the subjects of other books, and the back matter is extensive and accessible. Titles suggested range from complex to verse novel to picture books. A bibliography of articles and links allow curious young readers (and teachers and parents) to launch more extensive investigations. A glossary is helpful, as is the use of bold/color signals for key vocabulary within the chapters. One glance at the useful index will reveal the historical depth behind this work, even though it reads like compelling drama.

I hope this new book will find its way into the hands of many young readers, who will, in turn, share the stories and their “ah-ha” discoveries with others. The individuals in the profiles deserve that attention. A broader discussion of what “heroes” really are deserves that attention. And a nonfiction book this important and appealing deserves that attention.

 

2020, Covid19 Syttende Mai: From the Cutting Room Floor

It’s September 17, 2020.

Six years ago this was the publication date for my debut novel, ODIN’S PROMISE, in which the holiday plays a pivotal role in the plot. Each year since then I’ve attended a festival or book fair or other event to celebrate Syttende Mai  here in the USA.

In Norway, this is their annual CONSTITUTION DAY, the equivalent of our Fourth of July. Traditional celebrations  there normally involve parades, parties, games, musical groups, picnics… all public gatherings of friends and family.

None of those options are possible while the COVID19 pandemic remains uncontrolled. It’s disappointing, to be sure.

But survivable.

The actual end-date for this necessary distancing can’t yet be predicted, but we know an end will eventually arrive. That was not the case in 1940.

That year in Norway,  May 17  arrived  barely five weeks after the German invasion. Celebrations of Syttende Mai were forbidden. Norway’s national  identity was being erased. In short order, Germany imposed a new flag, outlawed traditions, even required German language rather than Norwegian. Despite hopes (and secret efforts) to free Norway from German control, the years dragged on.

Their struggles extended far longer than this pandemic will.

In several  of my very early versions of what later became ODIN’S PROMISE, a secretive celebration of Syttende Mai on that first occupied holiday forms the concluding scene of the draft. I’ll share it now as a reminder:

Interruptions in tradition may be challenging, but we must not sacrifice our  deepest values and sense of community for the sake of short term disappointments.

I hope you enjoy this Syttende Mai resistance scene.

A village party has been arranged on Syttende Mai under the  premise of celebrating a wedding. Provisions for a party were scarce, some suspicious German soldiers had been diverted, but finally…

Nearly an hour passed before the scattered groups had reassembled near the schoolyard entrance. Blankets and chairs were drawn into a semi-circle around a freshly-set table. Nils and Sonja were seated at the center, with their closest relations to either side. At the table, fine crystal was used. For the rest, cups, mugs, and glasses of every type were quickly passed among the crowd.

Knut was dipping pitcher after pitcher into a vat of clear liquid, passing each to others who spread out through the crowd, pouring small portions into the adults’ cups.

“What are you up to, Knut?” Nils called to his brother, laughing.

“Why do you suppose there were no second helpings of potatoes this year, little brother? We couldn’t let you marry without a toast, and you can’t make a toast without aquavit!”

The crowd, which had relaxed considerably after the departure of the Germans, laughed along. Soon Knut took his place at the table to give a loving toast to his brother and new sister. Then Sonja’s parents spoke in heartwarming detail about their love for both Sonja and Nils.  Lise and Kristia spoke by turns, welcoming Sonja as a sister and praising their hard work and courage to provide this day. With each toast a tiny sip of the potent homemade alcohol was savored.

It had been a long and glorious day, although not without its moments of anxiety. Now the setting sun filled the sky with a cascade of rose, violet, and gold. Spring gusts rippled the scattering clouds creating an image not unlike a rainbow waterfall. At the base of the mountain the luminous sky was reflected on the fjord’s surface.

The time had finally come to serve the celebration cake, that unique creation called an almond wreath cake. Traditionally, as many as fifteen rings of rich almond pastry are stacked in a tower. Rising like a cone, each wreath is slightly smaller than the one below. Delicate icing decorates each ring, with a tiny bride and groom perching at the top. Sometimes small bows or foil trinkets adorn the wreaths, like ornaments on a Christmas tree. Always, always, it is decorated with small paper flags of Norway.

Securing ingredients for the cake had been a primary focus of Nils’ many treks across the mountains. Enough sugar and almonds for a small cake would have been a challenge to obtain. In order for every guest to have a serving, “extra” wreaths are baked to accommodate larger crowds. In this case, Nils had barely managed to provide enough supplies for the expected number. When reports leading up to this day suggested so many more guests would arrive, Sonja’s mama managed to make a few additional wreaths, enough so that each guest could at least have a bite.

In the shimmering glow of the setting sun, Mama carried the towering cake covered with tiny flags to the table. All eyes were focused on the cake at first, until someone noticed Papa following several meters behind. He proudly carried a full-sized flag of Norway on a tall standard. Nils and Sonja stood up and placed their hands over their hearts. People slowly rose to their feet in silence.

Years later, those who were there still ask each other if they can remember what that moment was like, how it began. No two people agreed on the details, but all agreed on the result.

Someone began to sing “Ja, Vi Elsker”, the national anthem. When the first verse was finished, the next began. Flags  appeared like lightning bugs, first one, then the next, then a swarm. From nearby homes, from pockets and bootlegs, from under skirts and inside jacket linings, flags arrived as if by magic. Every hand, young or old, large or small, held a flag aloft.

As the final verse rang out, the group stood in silence. A murmur from near the mountain’s rim caught their attention. A silhouette stood next to the school flagpole where the Flag of Norway was slowly rising.

Again, their voices joined in “Ja, Vi Elsker”, this time with the reverence of a hymn. The flag of their homeland rose to the top of the pole, snapping proudly in the gathering evening breeze. The sounds of their voices combined with a view of their flag against the background of a spectacular sunset, merging for a magical moment, creating a memory for a lifetime.

Through the four years of continued German occupation that followed, it was a moment that sustained many. Those who were there carried the story with them across the mountains and valleys of Norway. A traditional Norwegian saying is “Courage is the ability to hold on one moment longer.”  For many who were there and all those who heard the story, memories of that day made it possible to hold on through the long hard days and years ahead.

Stay safe, and well, and STAY HOME. Please.

 

 

ON THE HORIZON: Another Lois Lowry Masterpiece

If you check the ABOUT tab on this website you’ll see that LOIS LOWRY is the  first name in the list of authors whose work I deeply admire and enjoy. I’m not alone in that opinion, but I’d take on all comers in an arm wrestling match for bragging rights that I love her work more than they do. (Not really. I broke my wrist a few years ago and have rods in my arm, but it if weren’t for that, I’d do it!)

Her recent release takes a side-step from narrative novels to a verse novel format. Doing so provides an avenue to move readers through time, geography, and the poignant voices of significant characters in a slim text that covers vast grounds. I’ve read ON THE HORIZON several times already, and will read it many times more in coming weeks and years. I recommend you do the same.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020

ON THE HORIZON

written by Lois Lowry

with illustrations by Kenard Pak

ISBN:978-0-358-12940-0

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020

When I say that Lowry’s work inspires me, I understate the truth. She unfurls a story in ways that leave me feeling moored to personal experiences while revealing new worlds and truths. In that I believe she is unequaled.

In this case, the novel is in three parts. She launches the initial verses with a personal statement about her own anchor, as a child, walking the beaches of Pearl Harbor in the days before the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. There, her child’s world was bounded by sunshine and sand shovels, bubbles and bonnets, and the joy of time spent with her visiting Nana. From that perspective, she voices her own young view of life, unaware of the Arizona cruising on the horizon. Verses continue with a narrative of the anchored US Pacific fleet that instills spirit and life into the Arizona and her sister ships. Following that are profiles and voices of a few lost sailors and some survivors.

In the next part, the verses shift through time to scenes of Japan, to the sky-sourced devastation of Hiroshima, voiced through victims and artifacts and survivors of that horror. Her deep research and personal experiences provide a lens to those events and their consequences with a child-and-family focus.

Part three moves readers to the years following the war, viewing the twisted relics and healing survivors, the ways in which a scarred peace becomes a platform for new life and an unpredictable future. The author’s note is a must-read. I marveled at the ways in which Lowry was living history unaware, was crossing paths with eventual friends, and first realized her brush with the Arizona through a serendipitous comment many decades after her childhood.

The black-and-white illustrations provide a perfect balance of archival tone with emotional depth and connections. Lowry’s masterful writing is a blend of free verse and selected rhymes, controlling meter and pacing to maximize the impact of each scene and experience portrayed.

Throughout each perspective, including those of the fleet, a theme of family and humanity is sustained. The passage of time and interconnected suffering and survival are powerfully revealed with minimal intrusions of historic markers, providing both accuracy and a timeless significance to the events.

Many of Lowry’s novels run hundreds of pages and thousands of words. Something I admire greatly about those novels is that each word feels essential and perfectly placed, each serving exactly as intended to produce a remarkable whole. In the seventy-two pages and minimalist text of ON THE HORIZON, that crafting of text is even more evident. With formal and formal and informal structures, her verses layer history with emotion, with grace, and always, with storytelling mastery.

This is a book that is accessible and valuable for readers as young as eight or nine, through middle grades and right on to adults. In each case, what the audience brings to the verses will expand and enrich them, as should be true in any reading, but most especially in verse. even more so when the author is Lois Lowry.

PRAIRIE LOTUS, by Linda Sue Park: Expanding the Single Story

Clarion Books 2020

PRAIRIE LOTUS

by Linda Sue Park

Clarion Books,

9781328781505, 272pp.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

Currently five starred-reviews and still counting. This remarkable novel is ideal for middle grades and I add my voice to urge all ages to read and discuss this important story:

“Prairie Lotus is a powerful, touching, multilayered book about a girl determined to fit in and realize her dreams: getting an education, becoming a dressmaker in her father’s shop, and making at least one friend. Acclaimed, award-winning author Linda Sue Park has placed a young half-Asian girl, Hanna, in a small town in America’s heartland, in 1880. Hanna’s adjustment to her new surroundings, which primarily means negotiating the townspeople’s almost unanimous prejudice against Asians, is at the heart of the story. Narrated by Hanna, the novel has poignant moments yet sparkles with humor, introducing a captivating heroine whose wry, observant voice will resonate with readers”. Afterword.

As soon as I read this new middle grade historical novel, which I did the minute I arrived home after my purchase, I knew I would be sharing my thoughts about it here. Sadly, while preparing the book post below, we’ve found ourselves globally-deep in the COVID-19 crisis. Events involve many health and social concerns, but none so tragic, I’m my opinion, as the racist attitudes, words, and actions of everyday citizens (compounded by misleading hateful language from our country’s president.)

In recent days I heard from an American writing friend who is Asian and a former student who is now a physician on the front lines in emergency rooms in New York City. She, too, is Asian. In one case, people in lines scowled, moved away, and otherwise displayed IGNORANT racist behavior. In another, while taking a short walk on city streets, verbal and threats of physical assault were suffered. In both cases the perpetrators were “white”, and the reports indicated that no others nearby spoke up or stepped in to confront the hateful actions and speech. Sadly, it is during crisis events such as these that a thin veneer of civility is peeled back and generational layers of racist hatred spill venom onto innocent victims.

In neither case was I there to speak out, to stand up, to be an ally. Instead I am determined to use this post and my rare outdoor excursions in these days and beyond to stay alert for opportunities to be a public ally. Please do the same. 

* * *

Park at North Shore Library

I had the privilege of meeting and hearing from author LINDA SUE PARK a few weeks ago. I’ve been a fan of her picture books and novels for years. I also admire her outspoken leadership in organizing and supporting the many underrepresented voices among the vast offerings of books for young readers. Offerings that for generations have presented a narrow point of view, a single story of history, in

Park has played a leading role in launching and growing We Need Diverse Books movement. This organization has become a compelling force within the publishing world and offers EVERYONE “finger-tap” access to extensive reading lists for all ages and interests. Linda has been a personal force in  achieving the mission of this organization: in her own writing, speaking, mentoring, and through her social media presence.

I included the summary of her latest work, PRAIRIE LOCUST, above. I did so because I wanted to focus my commentary not the details of the story but on the remarkably appealing and heartfelt Hannah. As her life unfolds in a time and place parallel to the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, the truth of history is explored through her eyes and dreams.

Park shared her  personal story about the ways her youthful love of the Wilder titles eventually  confronted  the harsh reality about the stories she loved as a child. Click here for an interview with Park about her childhood connections to the Wilder books and her process in writing this book.  Her depth of research, reflection, personal connections, and family heritage make Park’s writing the perfect story for broadening our understanding of American history for ALL OF US. It also indicates multiple realistic examples of individuals who served as allies to change lives and level opportunities to live in justice.

Hannah’s personal goals were not so different from those of any other child: to make a friend, to finish school, and to develop her talent- in Hannah’s case, to be a dressmaker, as her mother was. In an unfair world, it would be harder for her than for those who lived within the privileges of a dominant culture, a white culture. She had learned from Mama to fight injustice, and to fight within the system by channeling her mama’s wisdom and insights.

Please read this remarkable book, and access the recommended titles from the Diverse Books website.  Share and discuss books to help us raise a generation in which racism is called out and allies are emboldened to stand up and speak out.

And use your voice and the social capital of privilege to speak out on the brand concepts of racism even when specific instances do not arise in your presence.