Sherman, Zachary. A Time for War (Bloodlines)

Sherman, Zachary.  A Time for War (Bloodlines)    

Stone Arch see Capstone 2011

      p88    6.95  978-1-4342-2558-0  

ms/hs Grades 6-10.  Graphic novel           VG-BN  

The fear,exhilaration, and apprehension of a paratrooper being dropped behind enemy lines in order to take out Germans in advance of the D-Day operation are powerful.This graphic novel provides a grim, but not gory, look at what D-Day was like.

      

 Private Donovan is a paratrooper taking his first drop behind

enemy lines in preparation for the D-Day invasion. His unit’s goal is to take

out German positions so the D-Day assault could be successful.  As high winds

scatter the paratroopers, Private Donovan is on his own without anything except his flashlight as protection. He hides in an abandoned farm house, is found by Germans and ultimately rescued by Americans. As a Sergeant whips him into shape and calms the Private’s fears, Donovan is given the duty of taking out a German stronghold when the Sergeant dies. Throughout, the emotions  of fear, apprehension, and ultimately courage are keenly felt by the reader. The graphic illustrations are well executed including the large print for gun and other ammunition fire. Interspersed are fact boxes about the various weapons and facts about World War II. A genealogy of the Donovan family show four generations fighting in various wars featured in the Bloodlines series. Based on fact, these books take fictional liberties but read like nonfiction.  The map could have been more detailed listing the cities of Angoville-Au-Plain and Sainte-Maie-du-Mont. Grades 6-8 but good hi/lo reading for high school students.  

Bloodlines is a fictional series about men serving in combat situations in four different wars. The graphics are grim without being gory. The emotions experienced by the servicemen are keenly felt by the reader. Great historical fiction. Grades 6-10.

      McNicol,Lois