  | War and Millie McGonigle Author: Cushman, Karen | |
| Price: $22.38 | ||
Summary:
Millie McGonigle lives in sunny California near the beach and surf, but times are tough. Hitler is trying to take over Europe, the U.S. may get pulled into the war, food is rationed, money is tight, and Millie's sickly little sister gets all her family's attention. Will Millie be able to find her way in her family, and keep her balance as the world around her loses its own?
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 4.50 Points: 7.0 Quiz: 512916 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (02/15/21)
School Library Journal (03/01/21)
Booklist (03/01/21)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/03/21)
The Hornbook (00/03/21)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/01/2021 With America on the brink of WWII, 12-year-old Millie is scared, worried, and, above all, gloomy. Her grandmother has given her a diary for recording things that she cares about, but following Gram’s death, Millie misinterprets her words, using the book to draw pictures of dead sea creatures at the local beach. She dislikes sharing a bed with her elderly cousin Edna and resents the attention paid to her younger sister and brother. She doesn’t want to meet the new girl in the neighborhood. But after Pearl Harbor, Mom learns to weld and works a night-shift job. Millie takes on increased responsibilities at home, caring for her siblings more often and softening her demeanor. Woven into the narrative are many details of life on the home front, from kids collecting cans to adults disrespecting people of German, Italian, and Japanese descent. The thoughts and emotions in Millie’s first-person narrative ring true, and the gradual changes in her perspective, brought about by experiences and relationships, are convincing as well. A lively choice for historical fiction fans. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 03/01/2021 Gr 4–6—A fresh take on the classic home front, World War II middle grade novel. In beachy Southern California, Millie, who is white, worries about the news of the war in Europe while also coping with her family's financial stresses, her sister's illness, and a relative who recently moved in with the family. As the story moves toward Pearl Harbor and further into the war, Millie befriends a new girl from Chicago and sees how the war affects those who live in her town. Though some plot points are left unfinished or are not fully fleshed out, this is an authentic look at wartime through the eyes of a tween. The story brings in nuanced aspects of the era including the response to the draft, anti-Japanese racism, and social and labor issues that linger from the Great Depression. Readers will enjoy Millie's authentic voice and the scenes with her family and friends, as well as Millie's emotional growth after the death of her beloved grandmother. VERDICT A must-buy for school and children's libraries looking to expand their historical fiction selections.—Katie McBride Moench, New Glarus Middle and H.S. Lib., WI - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
