Watkins, Steve. Sink or Swim.

Watkins, Steve. Sink or Swim. Scholastic Press     2017         247p.       $16.99  ISBN 978-1-338-05790-4  ms/jr  Historical Fiction E-BN

Sometimes the writing style combines with the voice of a protagonist and the action in a novel to produce a book that the reader just can’t put down.  Watkins has achieved just such a combination in this treatment of a World War II patrol craft in the Atlantic.  In this case, he adds just enough historical reality to make the novel come alive.  Danny is supposed to ship out, but he is injured when a German U-boat surfaces beneath him while he is fishing.  His brother Colton, full of hatred for the Germans and a desire for revenge, takes Danny's place, assuming the age required to enlist.  His commanding officers know that he is underage, but they keep their suspicions quiet, especially when Colton turns out to be quite an addition to the navy.  Colton’s expertise on the water combined with a loyalty to his shipmates and an unquestionably brave spirit pits him against the cold, the danger and the losses he suffers. There is a sense of realism that will put you back in time and right there in each battle as the patrol craft tries to protect cargo ships making their way to help the cause.  The writing style will lead the reader to emerge from the novel with a real idea of what was happening in the war.  Colton’s first-person narrative builds the drama perfectly.  The action is frightening, and Watkins allows the reader to breathe just before smacking him/her in the face with the authentic details that demonstrate his careful research into this period of American history.  The camaraderie of men who needed it to survive the war is poignant, especially when Colton experiences loss after loss on the high seas.  The glossary at the end of the book helps young readers without prior knowledge of naval terms, and the Author’s Note clarifies any questions the reader might have about the authenticity of the events.                      

Summary: When Colton’s brother Danny is about to enter World War II as a sailor, he is injured by a German U-boat while fishing off the coast of North Carolina.  Enraged, Colton takes Danny's place, pretending to be him, and makes a place for himself on a patrol craft in the Atlantic, fighting the Germans.

World War, 1939-1945-Fiction          --Martha Squaresky

Morpurgo, Michael. An Elephant in the Garden.

Morpurgo, Michael.  An Elephant in the Garden.  Feiwel&Friends/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, 2011. 199p. $16.99  ISBN 978-0-312-59369-8  ms (Grades 5-8)   E-BN Historical  

     This is an excellent historical fiction set during World War II.  The story unfolds as an elderly lady in a nursing home relates her story to a friendly nurse and the nurse’s little boy.  When she was a child, her mother worked at a zoo with the elephants.  As the Russian army was advancing, plans were made to destroy all the large animals who could be a threat if let loose in the city.  A young elephant accompanied the family in their escape.
     Two different fonts are used to differentiate when the conversation is in the present time and when it represents the reminiscences of the elderly lady.  This is a very effective format to tell a story.
     The author’s note explains that the genesis of the story came from several factual accounts.  One was an account of a zookeeper saving a young elephant, and there were also first-person accounts of families escaping bombed cities and fleeing before the invading Russian Army.  This note helps the realism in the story, which is excellently rendered.
     Students will first be fascinated to find out about the elephant and then will be hooked on the story.  Like the little boy, they will want to know what happened next.  This makes the novel hard to put down.  Some of the action is predictable to an adult, but it is exciting enough to make the reader want to read on.
     This is an excellent choice for middle-school libraries, Grades 5-8.
Subject: W.W.II -- Fiction   

Joan Theal