Thursday, June 21, 2007

On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck

Richard Peck is by far one of my favorite authors. He has written over thirty books, and received many awards, including a National Humanities Medal, a Newberry Medal, and the Scott O'Dell award. Many of his books take place in rural places during the 1930s and 40s, including his most recent On the Wings of Heroes.

On the Wings of Heroes is the story of Davy Bowman, his memories of the peaceful life his family had before World War II, the advent of the war, and the duration, as well as vignettes of how life changed in rural America during this period. Davy lives in downstate Illinois, with his father, mother, and older brother, Billy. Billy is nineteen and trains to be a fighter pilot, eventually leaving for England, and becoming MIA when his plane is downed in a drop over Stuttgart. Davy's father, a World War I vet and owner of the local filling station, fights his own battles with memories of his time in the service, big-shot government officials who think rationing rules don't apply to them, and the Mafia, who seek to sell him counterfeit gas coupons. Davy and his buddy, Scooter, unite their war efforts with rubber drives, scrap metal drives, paper drives, and the wonderful jalopy parade.

After Billy leaves for England, Grandma and Grandpa Riddle show up to stay. Grandma Riddle does everything she can to drive her daughter nuts, with the best of intentions the reader later learns. "So up we come, "Grandpa said, "to get Joyce out of the house and into a job somewheres. The wife says that waitin' on the mail is an old woman's job."

The book ends triumphantly with Davy celebrating both of his heroes, his brother, and his father. I recommend this book for all ages. We have enjoyed many of Peck's books as a family, including A Year Down Yonder, Long Way from Chicago, and Here Lies the Librarian. The only caution I have regarding this book is that there is a possible Santa "spoiler." Davy is too old to believe in Santa and Peck writes, "I woke up to the jangle of the sleigh bells on the old leather harness Dad had always rung to make me think Santa was just leaving."

I have also read The River Between Us, Peck's historical novel, about free black people escaping New Orleans during the Civil War. The characters are descended from and were basically raised to be mistresses for the white plantation owners of New Orleans. In the historical footnote at the end of the novel, Peck relates that these plantation owners that kept black women in luxurious town accommodations, were largely Catholic. The novel is a fascinating tale of two sisters, one light-skinned, the other dark, who in their flight to the North, pretend to be a white woman and her slave. I do not recommend this book for children. This book might be appropriate for mature young adults, high school age or older.

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Thursday, June 21, 2007

On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck

Richard Peck is by far one of my favorite authors. He has written over thirty books, and received many awards, including a National Humanities Medal, a Newberry Medal, and the Scott O'Dell award. Many of his books take place in rural places during the 1930s and 40s, including his most recent On the Wings of Heroes.

On the Wings of Heroes is the story of Davy Bowman, his memories of the peaceful life his family had before World War II, the advent of the war, and the duration, as well as vignettes of how life changed in rural America during this period. Davy lives in downstate Illinois, with his father, mother, and older brother, Billy. Billy is nineteen and trains to be a fighter pilot, eventually leaving for England, and becoming MIA when his plane is downed in a drop over Stuttgart. Davy's father, a World War I vet and owner of the local filling station, fights his own battles with memories of his time in the service, big-shot government officials who think rationing rules don't apply to them, and the Mafia, who seek to sell him counterfeit gas coupons. Davy and his buddy, Scooter, unite their war efforts with rubber drives, scrap metal drives, paper drives, and the wonderful jalopy parade.

After Billy leaves for England, Grandma and Grandpa Riddle show up to stay. Grandma Riddle does everything she can to drive her daughter nuts, with the best of intentions the reader later learns. "So up we come, "Grandpa said, "to get Joyce out of the house and into a job somewheres. The wife says that waitin' on the mail is an old woman's job."

The book ends triumphantly with Davy celebrating both of his heroes, his brother, and his father. I recommend this book for all ages. We have enjoyed many of Peck's books as a family, including A Year Down Yonder, Long Way from Chicago, and Here Lies the Librarian. The only caution I have regarding this book is that there is a possible Santa "spoiler." Davy is too old to believe in Santa and Peck writes, "I woke up to the jangle of the sleigh bells on the old leather harness Dad had always rung to make me think Santa was just leaving."

I have also read The River Between Us, Peck's historical novel, about free black people escaping New Orleans during the Civil War. The characters are descended from and were basically raised to be mistresses for the white plantation owners of New Orleans. In the historical footnote at the end of the novel, Peck relates that these plantation owners that kept black women in luxurious town accommodations, were largely Catholic. The novel is a fascinating tale of two sisters, one light-skinned, the other dark, who in their flight to the North, pretend to be a white woman and her slave. I do not recommend this book for children. This book might be appropriate for mature young adults, high school age or older.

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