The War That Saved My Life

The War That Saved My Life

Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Genre: Historical Fiction

Major Awards: Newbery Honor Book

Grade Level: 3-8

Summary: This book is written from the point of view of Ada Smith, a ten-year-old at the start of the book, during World War II. Her and her little brother, Jamie Smith, six at the beginning of the book, lived in a run-down home with their abusive mother. Ada had a clubfoot and was beaten, ridiculed, and emotionally bullied by her mother. Ada bravely taught herself to walk, despite the pain, blood, and risk of being caught. She learned just in time, because children were being sent out of London to find safety. Ada and Jamie escaped. However, after a long journey, they realized they were the only children left, and that nobody wanted to take them in. The head of the program found them a home in Kent (10 hours from London), although the woman taking the children in was unwilling. Her name was Susan Smith. She did not want the children at first because she did not know anything about children. Over time, though, both Ada and Jamie grew and learned that they did not have to suffer through abuse. Ada learned to ride a horse named Butter and Jamie befriended a cat named Bovril. Ada had many accomplishments, including making friends and reading. She even "caught" a German spy by reported him to the police. Slowly, Susan began to love the children and found joy through taking care of them. About a year after living with Susan, the childrens' worst nightmare happened...their mother showed up to take them back to London. The government said she would have to pay to keep the children with Susan. Going back to an abusive home was a huge challenge for both Ada and Jamie, and they were very afraid. Ada, however, found her voice and stood up to her mother, telling her she would find a way to leave without her having to pay. Her mother agreed, not wasting a moment trying to get them off her hands. Ada and Jamie were going to set out in the morning, but that night bombs were dropped on London. The children survived and when they left the bomb shelter, they saw Susan walking through the debris. She had come to get them. When they all arrived back in Kent, they found Susan's home destroyed by a bomb. Luckily, Butter and Bovril made it out alive. The story leaves off here with a hopeful air, leaving the reader to imagine how their lives all ended up.

Evaluation: If I were to teach grades old enough to read this, I would definitely use this in my classroom. It is a very inspiring story and is very well-written. Students would benefit from this because they would gain historical insight as well as be exposed to important themes, such as courage, perseverance, and hope. It also does not sugarcoat the harsh life that the characters had to face, making it very real for the readers.

This book is best for third through eighth graders. For third graders, it would be a good book to either read to the class or read as a class. Older students would find this to be an interesting book because of the historical aspects and more mature themes, despite the younger characters. It is appropriate for these ages and it is so easy to get lost in the book.

If I were to use this book in my class, I would most likely use it to make connections between different content areas. For example, if in social studies the students are learning about WWII, this would be a good aid to use in language arts/reading because it helps them make connections and understand the book better as well as place themselves into the past when learning about history.