The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley {a review for Penguin Random House}
The kindly woman, Susan, who has taken Ada and her brother in as part of the government plan to evacuate children from London during the bombing raids of World War II, has her work cut out for her as she unexpectedly becomes Ada and Jamie’s sole guardian.
Jaime adapts readily to his happier life, but Ada is haunted by her past and the rest of this fantastic tale is the story of how Ada learns to trust and ultimately to love others and cherish good in people.
The story is a beautifully compelling work of historical fiction that is perfect for any high schooler or tween.
When I first began the book I thought that the dark corners of evil that the author brings into the story in the form of Ada’s mother and later the evil perpetrated on the young Jewish girl, Ruth, before she escaped to come live with Ada and Jamie and Susan, would be too horrible for tweens. But the author does a wonderful job of exposing just enough reality of those times and events without explicitly describing the true evil. Children who read this book will gain a good solid understanding of World War II and life in England during those times.
I absolutely loved this wonderfully compelling book! The author drew me into her world more completely than any movie or play. I could hear the sounds of the London streets and smell the sweet countryside. I heartily recommend the book for anyone twelve and up!
Book Summary from the Publisher
When Ada’s clubfoot is surgically fixed at last, she knows for certain that she’s not what her mother said she was—damaged, deranged, crippled mentally as well as physically. She’s not a daughter anymore, either. Who is she now?
World War II rages on, and Ada and her brother, Jamie, move with their guardian, Susan, into a cottage with the iron-faced Lady Thorton and her daughter, Maggie. Life in the crowded home is tense. Then Ruth moves in. Ruth, a Jewish girl, from Germany. A German? Could Ruth be a spy?
As the fallout from war intensifies, calamity creeps closer, and life during wartime grows even more complicated. Who will Ada decide to be? How can she keep fighting? And who will she struggle to save?
Ada’s first story, The War that Saved My Life, was a #1 New York Times bestseller and won a Newbery Honor, the Schneider Family Book Award, and the Josette Frank Award, in addition to appearing on multiple best-of-the-year lists. This second masterwork of historical fiction continues Ada’s journey of family, faith, and identity, showing us that real freedom is not just the ability to choose, but the courage to make the right choice.
About the Author
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is a Newbery Honor winner and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She earned her degree from Smith College in 1989. She is popular for her fiction and nonfiction. Visit her at kimberlybrubakerbradley.com.
Book Details