Syndetic Solutions - [Book Review for 9780803730816]

On the Wings of Heroes

by Richard Peck

Book Review

Publishers Weekly :

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Starred Review. Peck (A Year Down Yonder) concocts another delicious mixture of humor, warmth and local color in this period piece, which describes America during WWII through the eyes of a Midwestern boy, Davy Bowman. The 1940s are a time of sacrifice for the Bowman family and a time of collecting for young Davy, who does his patriotic duty by gathering "whatever it took to win the war." Davy's search for scrap metal ("Five thousand tin cans will make a shell casing," his friend muses") leads him to mysterious Mr. Stonecypher, who lives in the oldest house in the neighborhood and who lost a son in another war. While hunting for milkweed ("for stuffing in life jackets, to keep shipwrecked sailors afloat"), Davy has his first run-in with old Miss Titus, a cantankerous woman, who ends up taking charge of his class during the teacher shortage ("We weren't used to a teacher who looked like a walnut with a mustache"). Throughout the novel, the author adroitly conveys how Davy's boundaries and horizons gradually expand, first beyond his neighborhood and finally overseas, when his brother is sent to Europe. First-person narrative brings the time period to life and vividly captures Davy's sentiments about the war and his family members, especially his father and brother, who are both heroes in Davy's mind. Chock full of eccentric characters and poignant moments, this coming-of-age novel will be embraced by children and grownups alike. Ages 10-up.

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Syndetic Solutions - [Book Review for 9780803730816] Book Review
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School Library Journal :

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Starred Review. Gr 4–8—In Davy Bowman's Illinois neighborhood, life is friendly and happy, with time for boisterous hide-and-seek games and stories on the porch. As he explains, "Nobody was a stranger….Everybody played. Dogs too, yapping at our heels….They ran wild like the rest of us." But that is before World War II, which sends the narrator's older brother into the army, makes his dad somber, brings his troublesome grandparents into town, sends his mother to work, and changes everything. Peck's masterful, detail-rich prose describes wartime in the United States, where coffee and sugar are rationed; rubber, metal, and even milkweed fluff are collected for the war effort; and sacrifices are made by everyone. Peck's characters are memorable. A classmate's mom comes to school to terrorize her daughter's timid teacher: "A giant figure appeared at the classroom door. We hadn't seen a woman this big since Mrs. Meece came for her girdle." Each episodic chapter about Davy, his family, and his neighbors fits seamlessly into the emerging story. Readers will cheer for these folks, and be submerged into the homefront world of people who: "Use it up, wear it out,/Make it do or do without." This book is an absolute delight.—Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI

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Book Review
: BookList :

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No one does nostalgia better than Peck, and this episodic story of a boy's life on the home front just before and during World War II is a charmer. Protagonist Davy Bowman has two heroes: his dad, who runs the local service station; and his older brother, who is an Army Air Force cadet. Davy's life is filled with the small-town stuff of bygone days--ration books, scrap drives, Civil Defense drills--and abundant, affectionate references to songs, vintage cars, and even ladies' undergarments help to evoke the sights and sounds of a time very different from today. That said, there's also much that Peck's fans will recognize, including feisty old folks, Halloween high jinks, young teachers who can't cut the mustard, and classroom bullies. Yes, some scenes seem a bit sketchier than usual, and some jokes a bit wheezy, but the pages are still filled with gentle humor and wonderful turns of phrase. All in all, there remains no more genial guide for a trip down memory lane than the redoubtable Peck.
MichaelCart.

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