Rating: High Five!
Synopsis: Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.
So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
Why I'd Recommend It: The War That Saved My Life is another Sweet Sixteen book - one of the first I read, in fact. It still remains my favorite, right alongside My Diary From the Edge of the World (they have a very similar feel). Right from the start, I felt the emotions Ada felt, in a very moving way. The writing was beautiful, and I loved the setting, too. This book provides an interesting perspective on World War II -- the perspective of a girl in England experiencing things from that side of the War. But more than anything else, this book isn't about that. It reminds me of Paperboy, or Part Two of Echo (review coming soon!). It has a classic feeling, and there's never a dull moment. I was completely engrossed in this beautiful book the whole ride. Definitely one of my favorite books this year!
Synopsis: Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.
So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
Why I'd Recommend It: The War That Saved My Life is another Sweet Sixteen book - one of the first I read, in fact. It still remains my favorite, right alongside My Diary From the Edge of the World (they have a very similar feel). Right from the start, I felt the emotions Ada felt, in a very moving way. The writing was beautiful, and I loved the setting, too. This book provides an interesting perspective on World War II -- the perspective of a girl in England experiencing things from that side of the War. But more than anything else, this book isn't about that. It reminds me of Paperboy, or Part Two of Echo (review coming soon!). It has a classic feeling, and there's never a dull moment. I was completely engrossed in this beautiful book the whole ride. Definitely one of my favorite books this year!
