Summer of My German Soldier

In honor of the holiday, I tried to find a children's book that brought up war as it's main theme. One I've read in the past, despite it's sad theme is "Summer of my German Soldier".
It is the middle of World War two in Arkansas, when a group of German POWs are brought in for a work detail.  Patty Bergen first meets them in her father's store.
An intelligent 12 year old, already ostracized from her family, who favor her younger sister, and the towns people because she is Jewish Patty feels an empathy for the POWs.
She strikes up a friendship with Anton, one of the prisoners. Anton is as different as she. Anton is half English. His father, a German professor, got in trouble when he began to make fun of Hitler. Anton is proud of being a German but not of Hilter. As their frienship develops, Anton gives Patty the self esteem that she lacks. In return, she tries to help him when he escapes from the prison camp.
Unfortunately, Patty never realizes how hiding Anton will change her life.
This is a very intense story. There is a good deal of sadness in it. Patty's father is abusive. Her mother, who favors Patty's little sister denigrates Patty both publicly and privately.
The only people who sincerely care for Patty are flawed in the eyes of society. One is a black woman. She is the family maid  named Ruth. She is the only person who knows of Anton and Patty's secret.  She loves Patty as if she were her own.. Ruth works hard to give Patty self worth.
Patty's other friend is Freddy Dowd, a schoolmate who is a bit slow. Patty's father does not approve of her friendship with Freddy. Twice he beats her because of it.
Because of the sad, burgeoning adult themes, you may not want a child under 12 to read this book.  But it is a good book. One for deep thinkers. I remember when I read it for the first time, the sadness of the story is what hit me at first. But then I realized it was not so much a sad story, as it was a story about growth. A story about rising above what you are born into and being a better person.
It tells of a time when race, religion  and fanaticism predominated common sense. Very much like today.
Memorial Day is a time to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. ?Summer of My German Soldier? reminds us that for a few, the decision of who the enemy is, is not always so clear cut.

How to Eat Fried Worms

"How to Eat Fried Worms" is a book by Thomas Rockwell.  Billy, Tom, Joe and Alan are four friends. One day as they are kicking around, they get to talking about the gross things that are eaten by accident. In the course of the conversation, a bet is made that Billy can't eat worms. The boys decide that if Billy can eat 15 worms in 15 days that Joe will give him $50.
And so begins the sneakiest ways to cheat and the most creative ways to cook worms every devised by a group of boys!
Although this was written in the 1970's and may seem a bit dated to some, it is still a really funny story.  The squeamish may not want to read it, but for me at least it brings back memories of the stupid things we did as kids.  Silly stuff that in retrospect made our childhoods so much fun.
The Think Police, IE the censors, would have this book pulled from the library shelves because it shows kids fighting, using "bad language" and being rude to the adults. You will have to trust me on this. There is nothing in there that is inappropriate for your 7, 8 or 9 year olds. Grandma can read it to them and not be shocked.  Grossed out maybe, but not shocked.
Kids in the age group I mentioned will love reading this book, especially the boys.  If you have a girlie girl she may not like it, but a tomboy will.  A tomboy will picture herself right in the group, picking sides or prepping the worm for its daily cuisine.
Kids who don't like to read will enjoy this book because it's disgusting. Kids love anything that is gross. Even better though, for a non reader this story may open a door to further reading. If you are an adult reading it, the repetition of recipes might get a little tiresome as you go through each day of how the worm was prepared. But the ingenious ways that Joe and Alan try to cheat are pretty funny. You will definitely find yourself chuckling at those parts Those two used a lot of imagination.
Thomas Rockwell, the author, is the son of Norman Rockwell, so you can see where the idea of boys doing silly boy stuff has come from.  Thomas' vision of the American childhood took the form of writing rather than painting, but it still shows up in an art.
"How to Eat Fried Worms" is a funny book that both readers and non readers will enjoy.
Just one suggestion though, if you read it yourself, don't serve spaghetti for dinner. It won't go down well!  

Maurice Sendak, "Outsde, Over There"

A lot has been written about Maurice Sendak this week. Many people my age remember  him from their early childhood with the debut his first children's book, "Where the Wild Things Are".
But Sendak wrote much more than that. He wrote everything from children's stories to operas. His illustrations went from literature to cartoons. Sendak did it all.
Although he was best known for "Where the Wild Things Are" Sendak wrote other children's stories as well. The one I enjoyed was called "Outside Over There".
"Outside Over There" is the story of a girl named Ida. Her father is at sea and her mother sits in the arbor waiting for him. Ida is left to watch the baby. When the book begins, Ida is trying to get the baby to sleep by playing her horn for her. But Ida's back is to the baby, and while she is not looking goblins come in to steal the baby, leaving a baby made of ice in the her place.
When Ida realizes the baby is gone, she climbs out her window to rescue the her. But enchantments prevent her from finding the baby until her father's voice singing over the sea turns her around. Ida finds her baby sister with the goblins, and brings her back home safely, where she finds her mother reading a note from her father, asking Ida to keep watch over her sister and her mother. Which Ida does very well.
If Maurice Sendak never wrote a letter of the alphabet, he would still be remembered for his beautiful illustrations. In "Outside Over There" his illustrations remind me of classical paintings in the middle ages. Yet when you look at the pictures closely there is something there that makes it not quite real, almost a fairy tale quality.
Sendak said in an interview that his inspiration for "Outside Over There" was the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. The story was adapted into a movie called "Labyrinth". Jim Henson's creativity helped to bring the goblins, and other creatures to life.
Maurice Sendak's death this week took from us an amazingly talented man in children's literature. But I have no doubts that somewhere, outside over there, another wild thing is dancing. 

"Same Sun Here"

I am breaking a cardinal rule here by recommending a book I haven't finished reading yet. But the book was so enjoyable that I can't wait to finish it.
Each Thursday, I try to decide which book to write about. If I run dry I head to the library or to the book store to try to find something I enjoy.
Today Youngest Son and I went to the bookstore. Naively, I assumed I could find a book, read it, blog and still have time to food shop and get my Daughter at her day job. 
Then I picked up this book.
 By the time I noticed the time, it was too late for food and the almost too late for Daughter. <My gratitude to the Trenton bus company who picked up Daughter's student late, thus saving me from any unwanted comments about being at school on time.>
The book is called "Same Sun Here".  It is written by Silas House and Neela Vaswani. 
This is a story told in a 2 person voice. Meena and River are twelve years old.  Meena is an Indian immigrant who lives in New York City's Chinatown section.  River is the son of a Kentucky coal miner.
Although on the surface it would seem like these two children have nothing in common, they discover through their letters that there are more similarities than there are differences.
The writing is simple, but it brought a wealth of  information to the table in an enjoyable easy to understand way. Between explaining what a rent controlled apartment is, to telling about her first election of an American President <Obama won>  Neela helps River understand the world through her eyes. River returns the favor as he explains what happens when you coal mine by mountain top removal, and gets involved in politics in an effort to better the lives of Kentucky coal miners.
Reading this book will teach your children the things we hear about but don't really understand. It will also open their eyes to things that we take for granted, and maybe shouldn't.
Best of all though, this book will take you on a ride through our country, through the eyes of two friends who haven't met. 
 I can't wait to get back to this book. If the ending is as good as the beginning and the middle, I'm in for an enjoyable read!