Three more books read for my summer children's literature survey class. Esperanza rising was a sad, but optimistic story. This was a somewhat more realistic version of The Secret Garden with a little Grapes of Wrath thrown in. It had a realistic and satisfying ending and for once the author's note is well worth reading, helping to reflect on the history discussed in personal terms.
God's Thumbs, this was a hoot! A literary romp! I doubt the historical accuracy of the narrator's voice, but could care less because it's so delightful. Earthy, fun and observant. A real treasure. Another person in the class said they dreaded reading it and it ended up being their favorite. I enjoyed the fart jokes, of course.
This is the one I was dreading but ended up loving. Myers really gets into his narrator's head and has just the right mix of emotion and realism. It's a moving work, and I enjoyed the stewardess's discomfort in one of the final scenes as two soldiers are flying home with their purple heart wounds, holding hands. I'm glad she was uncomfortable and I'm glad this makes the book banners uncomfortable (ALA's site said it was the 6th most banned book 2000-2005). We send our young adults off to war but don't want them reading a realistic and emothinal potrayal of what it can be like? Too bad. Now I'll have to look for Myers' Sunrise Over Falluja one of these days for comparison's sake.
