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Soldier Boys |
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| Author: Dean Hughes Published: 2003-05-01 |
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List price: $6.99 Our price: $6.99 |
Usually ships in 24 hours As of: September 08th, 2008 09:18:40 AM |
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Customer comments on this selection. not for younger kidsMy 3rd grader (age 8) brought this book home from the school library for Accelerated Reading. He reads at a 5th or 6th grade level and the book was marked by the school as appropriate for grades 5-8. However, the book itself is categorized as appropriate for ages 12 and up on the inside cover. It is a rather graphic depiction of WW2 and the Battle of the Bulge. Good story with valuable lessons for an older grade school child. But too graphic and gloomy for kids less than 11 or 12 in my opinion. If you are leary of letting your child see a PG-13 movie or violence at age 8, then they should not read this book until they are 12 or older. I stopped him from reading after I read through it, so he did not get very far into it. He is too young to be exposed to the blood and guts, pain and suffering and anguish that war entails. Just my opinion. The library will likely re-categorize it.  Great World War II NovelThis book is a great book especially if you love war novels or World War II time period books. The book is not that hard and is a great for kids 12+ since it is written in the perspective of two kids. I recommend this book to all of my family and friends.  Not goodI liked this book from start to close finish. I'm sorry, but the end of the book is just stupid. I don't think that Spence should have died. Otherwise, this was a great book.  War Is HeckThis YA novel should appeal to fans of the war genre (read: boys, as a rule) and delivers, in less subtle form, some of the same lessons gleaned from the classic ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. Here we follow two neophytes, one American and one German, who want badly to serve their country in the latter phases of WWII. The separate narratives -- each interesting in its own right -- come together at the Battle of the Bulge where Dean Hughes offers a twist for the climax of his tale. Spencer is the American who joins the forces at 17 and Dieter is the German member of Hitler Youth who is called to serve at 15. Each has an important sidekick, though the supporting characters are quite different. Spencer's buddy Ted is a fellow kid and the two support each other through the grueling training process followed by their first tastes of war. In Dieter's case, it's an older man -- the German voice of wisdom -- named Schaefer who is paired with the youth for reasons that will become apparent. Schaefer is world war-weary, to say the least. Hughes, who has done his homework, is historically accurate in his information and readers will pick up some WWII history as a bonus when reading this book. There's even a cameo by Hitler (who is described as tired-looking and having forgotten to shave a patch of beard) himself. There are lessons to be learned about "military intelligence" and voices of wisdom (as well as acts of folly) on the parts of older servicemen on both sides. Readers will develop sympathies for PEOPLE (not nationalities) and realize what no soldier wants to acknowledge -- that you're often shooting at humans with many of the same interests, hopes, and fears as you. On the plus side, Hughes gives us some parallel plot devices that echo each other nicely and reinforce his theme. On the minus side, his plot skips awkwardly at times and the pacing runs in fits and starts. Some parts are riveting and some come across as slightly "wooden." This book is fine for both middle and high school classroom libraries. There's no profanity and only occasional, semi-graphic descriptions of war and open wounds (blood, intestines, etc.). Call it war lite or "War Is Heck." Then, if your war-fascinated, reading-phobic child or student is looking for a good read, hand it to him with confidence. Both Sides of World War IIDieter is a German boy who is devoted to Hitler. He was a member of the Hitler Youth, and his dedication quickly allowed him to rise through the ranks. Before long he is fighting with the real German army, even though he is a bit too young. More than anything, he wants to prove his bravery to himself and the superiority of Germany to all others. Spencer is an American boy who also has something to prove. He is short and not very good looking, and he desperately wishes for the attention of a girl in his class. She is dating someone else, though. Spencer thinks that if he joins the army, specifically the paratroopers, he will be able to come back to town in uniform and hold his head high. Everyone will respect him and look up to him. Dieter and Spencer end up on opposite sides of World War II, and both have things to confront. Spencer realizes that war isn't always glory; a lot of the time he is terrified and doesn't know what's going on. Dying in battle isn't glamorous; it's messy and painful. Dieter has to contend with soldiers who aren't as dedicated as he is, even ones who say that Hitler is wrong and that the Germans are losing the war. His commanding officer tells him about death camps for Jews, sanctioned by Hitler himself. Will these two boys be able to survive the war? Will they come to realize what battle is really all about? I liked that the main characters were both young and their situations mirrored each other. I liked that this author tried not to villainize the Germans, and in this story not all of the Germans in the army bought into what Hitler was saying. There was plenty of cynicism and not everyone blindly followed their leader. It was scary, though, to see how children could be brainwashed, and to think there was a whole generation of children who felt like Dieter. |
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