Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

The Abraham Lincoln award books are books chosen by teens and for teens, which is why I'm surprised to find Unbroken on the list. While this is by no means a bad book, it does not seem to have any teen appeal.

This biography tells the story of Louis Zamperini. It begins in his childhood and how he was a daring young boy prone to getting in trouble. Most of that changed when he got involved with track. Before long he began setting records and was on his way to the Olympics.While he did not medal in the Berlin Olympics, his experience was filled with adventure, including meeting Hitler. His plans for the next Olympics, however, were put on hold as World War II erupted in the United States. He became an airman. Although he survived one experience where his plane ended up with 594 bullet holes, his team eventually succumbed to engine problems and crashed at sea. Only Louie and two others survived the crash. They were lost at sea for over forty days, only to be rescued by the enemy. Louie then faced struggles as a POW, including being targeted by one of the camp officials. He would be a POW until the end of war, but the battle was not over as he struggled to adjust to life with the demons of his past. Come the end, though, Louie was a survivor with an inspiring story to tell.

My own personal reading preference worked against this book from the beginning. I am not a fan of non-fiction or war stories. However, the sign of a good book is the ability to overcome that preference and hook the reader. This book failed to do that. One problem is the length of the book. As one reader who I discussed this book with said, "How many times to we have to hear about the shark attacks?" While the stories were entertaining, you felt as if you were trapped in that raft for the forty-plus days along with them. You knew that he survived - at sea and again through the POW camp experience - that at times you almost wanted to get on with the story. The pacing of the story really worked against it at times because there really were some intriguing moments in this biography, but they got lost in everything else. The author does a great job, though, of bringing his experiences to life and informing the reader about the history of the time.

Since this isn't my ideal type of book to read, I don't feel that I'm fit to really judge it. I simply don't think it fits with what the Abe Lincoln award nominees because it seems to have a limited audience and I don't see many teens picking up books like this. It is a great survivor's story and if war biographies are your thing, it might be worth giving this one a shot. 
MMK

Painting the Rainbow by Amy Gordon

Cousins Holly and Ivy have been going to the family lake vacation home every summer all their lives.  Generations before them had also done so.  This summer is a little different though.  Ivy and her brother believe their parents are divorcing.  Holly's parents are away teaching summer school and researching a closely held family secret.  Grandpa has brought the Rainbow boat out of storage for the first time in many years.  The girls had never seen it, now they would be helping to restore it to its former rainbow colored glory.  The Vietnam war was in progress and cousins may be called to join the fight or might become conscientious objectors.   The family secret centers on the summer Ivy's father's twin brother died.  That summer WWII was in progress.  One twin was joining up, the other was not.  So in many ways it feels like history is repeating itself.  Ivy, Holly keep finding traces of that long ago summer in letters, pictures, notes stuck in old books.  Randy is asking questions and of course the the rainbow boat had last been used that fateful summer.  Ivy and Holly have issues with maturing as well.  Perhaps Holly is moving on and a once close friendship will either end or change.
This is an easy way to learn about the powerful effects of war on families.  And maybe why secrets should not be kept?  I really liked Ivy and the courage she shows during this pivotal summer.  I don't know that this is a remarkable story or anything.  Issues considered here have been covered before.  But, it is overall enjoyable, short and easy.  I think its worth reading.  Even if you are not into history all that much, the relationship between Ivy and Holly will keep most, girls, especially interested.

JDW5.9

The Extra - Kathryn Lasky

Jewish people along with the Gypsies were persecuted by the Nazi's during World War Two.  On an Autumn night in 1940 Lilo, her father, and her mother are taken from their home and transported to a holding area.  Five nights later the three of them, along with many other Gypsies, are taken to Buchenwald.  Lilo and her mother are separated from Lilo's father at the camp.  After two days of asking where her father is a boy asks her what she's looking for.  Lilo describes her father to him and the boy, Django, says he will try and find him.  Django does find him and he's on a transport leaving the camp.  The next day there is roll call for the girls and women to be medical pioneers.  This is the polite way of saying the doctors are sterilizing the women so they can't have children.  Lilo is spared thanks to the Good Matron hiding her.  Two weeks later they are transported to Maxglan.  Shortly after arriving Leni Riefenstahl, Hitler's favorite filmmaker, picks twenty-three of the prisoners including Lilo, her mother, and Django to be extras in a movie.  They are transported to Krün, hosed down and given new clothes.  They are reminded that they are still prisoners and the same rules apply as they did at Maxglan.  The next day some of them, including Lilo and Django, are driven to the film set.  They are in awe of how realistic the set looks.  The extras are cast as street urchins in the movie.  If some of them aren't needed for a scene they are kept in a cell until needed.  When they are off set the Gypsies are housed in a barn, which is a little better than Maxglan, but not by much.  Lilo wants her mother with her while she's on set and Django gets her on the bus going to the movie set.  Lilo is assigned to be a stand in for some of the wide shot scenes of the main characters entering and leaving the town on horseback.  Lilo sees this as a chance to be noticed by Leni and possibly keeping her and her mother alive after the film is complete.  Filming heads to Babelsberg in the winter of 1940-1941.  To keep everyone alive the Gypsies are given warmer blankets and a bit more food.  Shooting continues for the next few months at Babelsberg and by the second week of May 1941 filming is completed there.  It is announced that everyone would be returning to Krün, with a few going to Sarentino in Italy for further shooting.  Lilo and Django are among the few who get to go.  While in Sarentino Lilo has a strange waking dream about wanting to free herself from everything.  She dismisses it as just a dream.  The filming finishes up in Sarentino and everyone heads back to Krün.  On June 22nd, 1941 word is spreading that Hitler has invaded Russian and everyone is celebrating.  While all of this celebrating is going on Lilo sees her chance to escape.  She escapes and doesn't look back.

I enjoyed this book.  I'm not one for historical fiction, but this book kept my interest all the way through.  It was a good story about survival during one of the most horrific periods in human history.  I also liked the fact Lilo always had hope.  Even when everything looked really grim, she believed one day things would get better.

T.B. 2/10/14

Mission Telemark - Amanda Mitchison

Based on actual events in World War Two Mission Telemark is set in December of 1942 when four teens, who have Special Ops training, are chosen. Their mission to head into Nazi occupied Norway to blow up a water facility, otherwise the Nazis would overtake Europe. Ase, Freddie, and Jakob, arrive at Drumincraig House and are greeted by Colonel Armstrong. Their training begins almost immediately with the three of them hunting for their own food for dinner that night. Their training continues in explosives, climbing, combat, first aid, and extreme conditions. The fourth member of their group Lars, arrives a few days later. They are subjected to a mock interrogation, which they think is real. All four of them train in a replica of the water facility they are going to blow up. After a week and a half of training they are dropped off in Norway, and start to make their way to the water facility. Their journey is not a safe one. They loose most of the food when Jakob falls through the ice, and they get trapped in a hut by snow storm for several days. When all hope seems lost they find reindeer to kill for food, and they forge on to the water facility to complete their mission.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the journal format of the book. It gives insight into the minds of the characters, and how they see each other. The action kept the plot moving along, and I felt like I was right there with them. I enjoyed the ending as well. I won't give it away, but it reminded me that no matter what you go through in life, or what you think you know, there are still lessons to be learned.

T.B. 1/26/10