The war that saved my life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Text Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925355642
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Disability. World War 2. Children in
war. Winner of many awards (Newbery Honor (2016), Schneider Family
Book Award for Middle School (2016), Odyssey Award (2016), Dorothy
Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2017), Goodreads
Choice Award Nominee for Middle Grade and Children's (2015)) The war
that saved my life is a moving and uplifting story of Ada, a young
girl with an un-repaired clubfoot, who overcomes incredible odds, in
her fight to save her life. Living in poverty in London, with a
cruel and neglectful mother who hates her for her clubfoot, Ada is
not allowed outside and sees only the small world that is available
to her from the upstairs window. She looks after her little brother
Jamie, and slowly and painfully teaches herself to walk. When war
threatens and children are evacuated to the country to be safe, Ada
and Jamie go to live with Susan, a grieving woman who doesn't want
them. There Ada teaches herself to ride Butter, the pony living in
the paddock belonging to the house, and gradually Susan and the
children begin to trust each other and love grows. She learns to
read and watch for German spies, but there are many difficulties to
overcome - not the least the mother who may take them away again.
Worthy of all the awards that it has won, this book is an uplifting
read of one girl overcoming incredible odds. The reader is carried
along by the story of Ada's trials and triumphs, not just the
physical ones of teaching herself to walk and to ride a horse, but
her emotional ones of learning to trust adults and making friends.
Set against the story of World War 2, the author subtly gives the
reader an insight into the life of poor people in the 1940's, their
attitude to physical disabilities, class, children who favour their
left hand, as well as the bombings, the evacuation of children, food
rationing and watching for spies. The content and the flowing
narrative would also make it a great read-aloud as a class novel.
Beautifully written, this book has wide appeal with its themes of
overcoming adversity, adventure, history and family and coming of
age.
Pat Pledger