Genre: Historical Fiction
Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Awards: Newbery Honor Book (2016)
The Schneider Family Book Award (2016)
Age Group: 9 to 12-year-olds
Teacher Evaluation: As a teacher, I would definitely incorporate this book into a fourth to a sixth-grade classroom. I believe that the historical connections within the book could be related to possible social studies units throughout the school year. I also think that while the book may not be directly relatable to students, there are certain aspects of the book that is relatable. The book has many important messages throughout the book about love, bravery, family, and acceptance that I believe is important for children to read about.
Summary: This book is about Ada, a young girl living in London during World War 2. At the beginning of the book, the reader learns that something is wrong with Ada's right foot. Since Ada's right foot is twisted, her mom doesn't allow her to go to school or outside like her younger brother Jamie. Ada's mother is described as a very abusive mother, never showing Ada love throughout the beginning and even locking her in a cupboard as punishment. Shortly after the book begins, Jamie, Ada's younger brother asks his mother if he's going to be sent away like the other kids because of the war. This gives Ada the idea to escape since her mother mentioned that she was not allowed to go, Ada comes up with the idea to leave very early in the morning with Jamie. Jamie and Ada make it out of London and to a train station where families were taking in evacuee children. Jamie and Ada didn't get picked so the lady in charge said she knew just the person for them. The lady took the children to Miss Smith's house, Miss Smith seemed reluctant to take the children but did. Ada and Jamie were taken care of by Miss Smith she would feed them, bathe them, get them new clothes, and she even took Ada to the doctor to get crutches. At the doctor, Ada learned that her foot was called a clubfoot and it is typically fixed after birth but could still now be fixed with surgery. Ada felt more free with Miss Smith who allowed her to go outside with the pony and do other things. Ada made friends there and throughout the book begins to relax more about differences she has with the people there. Although her life is drastically different, it is hard for Ada to let go the emotional and mental hurt that her mother caused with her abuse. As the war drags on and gets closer to where they live Miss Smith is urged to let the children go but she cannot bring herself to. Miss Smith keeps Jamie and Ada with her and they have a bomb shelter built so when the sirens go off they have somewhere safe to go. Although near the end of the book, when the sirens do go off, Ada has a panic attack because the shelter smells the same as the cupboards her mom would make her go in. Miss Smith comforts Ada by wrapping her in covers after Ada becomes more able to go in the shelter because Miss Smith buys different things to hang in it to change to smell. Following nights in the shelter, one August day Ada took her pony out on a ride when she spotted a man coming ashore. The news had been saying to report suspicious activity so Ada rode to the police shelter to alert them. The man that Ada reported was a German spy. Jamie thought that Ada was a hero now and so did Miss Smith she was very proud of everything Ada had done to help. The book ends in September with Ada happily riding her pony home only to see her mother waiting for her. Her mother is quick to start verbally attacking both Ada and Miss Smith. Ada's mom forces the children to go back home with her because the government wanted her to pay Miss Smith to keep them. When the children return home it is back to how it was in the beginning only now Ada stands up for herself. She tells her mom they could go back to Miss Smith and she wouldn't have to pay anything, her mom is willing to do this because she admits she never wanted Ada or her brother. The children both plan to go back to Miss Smith in the morning when bombs start to strike. The children make it into a shelter and the next morning when they come out they see Miss Smith and run to her. Miss Smith came to come get them before the bombs started to strike. All three then return to the train station to go back home, only to see Miss Smith's home was hit directly by a German bomb. Miss Smith tells the children how they have saved her life and for the first time Ada feels joy being with Miss Smith, Jamie, and everyone there who cares for her.
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