Copyright Date:
2019
Edition Date:
2019
Release Date:
11/01/19
Illustrator:
Deines, Brian,
Pages:
1 volume (unpaged)
ISBN:
1-7727-8086-3
ISBN 13:
978-1-7727-8086-4
Dewey:
E
Dimensions:
26 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
School Library Journal
(Tue Jan 03 00:00:00 CST 2023)
Gr 1-3 Aileen was a 10-year-old Canadian whose father fought in Europe during World War I. She had a small teddy bear that she treasured and carried with her everywhere until she sent it to her father in Belgium, where he served as a medic. He carried Teddy with him, just as his daughter had. In fact, Teddy was with him when he died on the battleground. Eventually the bear was returned to Aileen. This tender story is punctuated throughout with newspaper cuttings, photos, medals, and other realia from the time period. The endpapers are old family letters and the illustrations are evocative of a time when life was simpler but perhaps not as easy. The palette is muted and soft, which makes the story seem comfortable and safe. Nevertheless, the ending is not a happy one, which complicates identifying the appropriate age range. The death of a parent might place this book in the upper elementary age range but the story is told by a teddy bear, which seems suitable for a much younger audience. The history, the illustrations, and the story itself combine to make a wonderful testimonial to a family who made the greatest sacrifice for their country in World War I. Nevertheless, librarians should be aware of the mismatch between story and the way in which it is told before adding this lovely book to their collections. Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
Word Count:
2,337
Reading Level:
3.7
Interest Level:
K-3
Accelerated Reader:
reading level: 3.7
/ points: 0.5
/ quiz: 130213
/ grade: Lower Grades
Reading Counts!:
reading level:2.5 /
points:2.0 /
quiz:Q61019
Lexile:
640L
Christmas came and Daddy was still overseas. Mother said he was fighting in the trenches in a country called Belgium. In his letters he said he was cold and tired and missed us terribly."We need to send him something, Teddy," said Aileen. "Something to remind him of home and keep him safe."We thought for a long time. What should we send him? A book? A picture? Then, finally, we both had the same idea.I would go to war.
Excerpted from A Bear in War by Stephanie Innes, Harry Endrulat
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
In 1915, 37-year-old Lawrence Browning Rogers enlisted in the Fifth Canadian Mounted Rifles, leaving behind his wife, two children, and their farm in East Farnham, Quebec. Over the next two and a half years, the family exchanged hundreds of letters, and daughter Aileen sent her beloved Teddy overseas to keep her father safe. Teddy returned home safely, but Lieutenant Rogers did not. He was killed in the battle of Passchendaele. Eighty-five years later, Lawrence's granddaughter found Teddy, the letters, and other war memorabilia packed away in a briefcase. And she discovered a moving story of one family's love and sacrifice - a story shared by the families of so many soldiers who have lost their lives in the defense of their country. Accompanied by family photographs and Brian Deine's poignant art, A Bear in War is more than one family's testament to a brave soldier. It is a gentle introduction to war, to Remembrance Day, and to the honor of those who have served their countries.