Horn Book (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)

When we meet them in 1934, Eddie is five, Tom ten. Over the next ten years the brothers develop friendships, discover family secrets, and ponder the causes of European conflict and their own community's virulent prejudice. Tom's enlisting in 1943 unveils the nature of war. Narrated by Eddie, these seventy-six vignettes--beautifully phrased and vividly revealing of character--create an authentic window into the past.

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

In her first outing for children, Saller (The Subversive Copy Editor, 2009) provides a poignant look at boyhood before and during the long years of World War II. The novel in verse is a well-worked concept, but this effort infuses new life into a genre that's become almost trite. Eddie, just 5 years old as the story begins in 1934, lives contentedly in the glorious shadow of his older brother, Thomas. A few brief vignettes capture the flavor of the pre-war years, as Eddie befriends Jozef, an immigrant his Grama calls a gypsy, who carefully scans newspapers at the library, looking for the only word he can read: the name of his home in Poland, where his wife and son still live. Eddie comes to idolize his brother's friend, Gabe, always the most reasonable of the older boys. Eventually, Thomas and Gabe enlist as the United States enters the war, and Eddie and his parents face the trial of never knowing if Thomas will live to come home. Prejudice against Jozef forces Eddie to make a hard choice to save the beleaguered man. In spare language and remarkably short sketches, carefully selected details effectively portray well-rounded, interesting characters, from Eddie's abusive grandfather to his evolving love interest, Sarah. Much more an emotionally resonant coming-of-age tale than a war story, this will be an easy sell for those seeking a quick, excellent read. (Historical fiction. 11 & up)  

School Library Journal (Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Gr 6-9 A boy's interests become more global as the news beyond his small town in Illinois takes on personal significance when his older brother enlists in World War II. Eddie spends his days like most farm boys, helping out, playing with friends, and listening in on adult conversations that might pertain to the impending war in Europe. He visits the library and reads the newspapers to find out more; there he meets a Polish immigrant who is also worried about his family in Europe. Jozef Mirga, whom the townsfolk call a Gypsy, bonds with Eddie a bit as he helps him understand the articles. First-person, free-verse vignettes from 1934 to 1944 recount episodes in Eddie's boyhood with his peers and family as he faces the harsh reality of war brought home. The narrative's steady progression focuses on a boy's maturation into his teen years as he increasingly faces the adult world's situations and issues. Basic morality questions concerning the horrors of Hitler's genocide of Jews and Gypsies are loosely woven into the entries in discussions about what America's response should be to a conflict so far away. Eddie's reflections, particularly toward the end of the book, connect the larger peaceful aspirations of a postwar world with the simple individual dreams of a teen who only wishes to go to school and be happy with his girlfriend. While less-competent readers may lose the thread of some of this boy's evolving emotional growth, older readers will better appreciate Eddie's personal story. Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

In her first outing for children, Saller (The Subversive Copy Editor, 2009) provides a poignant look at boyhood before and during the long years of World War II. The novel in verse is a well-worked concept, but this effort infuses new life into a genre that's become almost trite. Eddie, just 5 years old as the story begins in 1934, lives contentedly in the glorious shadow of his older brother, Thomas. A few brief vignettes capture the flavor of the pre-war years, as Eddie befriends Jozef, an immigrant his Grama calls a gypsy, who carefully scans newspapers at the library, looking for the only word he can read: the name of his home in Poland, where his wife and son still live. Eddie comes to idolize his brother's friend, Gabe, always the most reasonable of the older boys. Eventually, Thomas and Gabe enlist as the United States enters the war, and Eddie and his parents face the trial of never knowing if Thomas will live to come home. Prejudice against Jozef forces Eddie to make a hard choice to save the beleaguered man. In spare language and remarkably short sketches, carefully selected details effectively portray well-rounded, interesting characters, from Eddie's abusive grandfather to his evolving love interest, Sarah. Much more an emotionally resonant coming-of-age tale than a war story, this will be an easy sell for those seeking a quick, excellent read. (Historical fiction. 11 & up)