Title: The War That Saved My Life

Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Awards: Newbery Medal , New York Times Bestselling Author 

Age Group: 10-15

Summary:

This book is about children in London, being moved to England to escape the bombs from Hitler's army. Its starts off with a disabled girl in her home, having to care for her mother and younger brother. She isn't allowed to leave the home because of her club foot, and the mother has made everyone in their community believe that she is special in the head. It then shows all of the abuse and mistreatment that she receives at the hands of her hateful mother, due to her husband dying and her never wanting children. When Ada learns that all the children are leaving, she starts teaching herself how to walk so that her and her brother can leave. Once that time comes, they go to England and are placed with a woman who wasn't prepared to take care of them, because of the depression she was going thru after losing her friend, which I think was her lover as well. Ada falls in love with a horse name butter that helps her escape the horrible memories and the out of placeless she feels, and her brother finds peace going to the air field with all the fighter planes. Miss Smith tries her best to take care of them, but its hard for Ada to trust her because of all the mistreatment she's had in the past from her mother. They end up developing a close bond, because even after all of the England kids are sent away to escape the bombs, because of recent war ships that Miss Smith, Ada and several others helped take care of, because Miss Smith didn't send them away, she kept them. Finally, Ada's mother shows up, and is discussed because Ada is walking on crutches, knows how to ride a horse, is very clean, and has on nice clothes, she thinks she's better than her mother, or at least that's what her mother thinks. Their mother takes them home, and the abuse begins again, Ada isn't allowed to leave, walk and has to use the toilet in a bucket so no one sees her foot. That night, Ada explains to her mother that they can leave and she would never have to pay anything for them or ever be bothered with them again, because she never wanted them. The mother confirms and leaves, telling them it was their dead father who wanted them. Ada tells her bother they will leave to go back to England in the morning, but the bombs sirens went off, they made it to safety and when they were coming out of the shelter, Miss Smith was in London looking for them. She told them she wanted them and she never wanted them to leave. They went back to England, only to find their house bombed and all the village around the house crying because they thought Miss Smith and the children were dead.

Teacher Evaluation:

This was a really good book, one of the first that I read in about two days. I literally couldn't put it down, but I wasn't satisfied with the ending. It ended with them being together and showing how much the town cared for all of them, but it wasn't enough, I wanted more! This is a book that is a must read, and I wouldn't have it in my classroom library because this is more for older kids, I would definitely have it in my home library for when my daughters are old enough to read it.