Tucky Jo and Little Heart

Tucky Jo and Little Heart
By Patricia Polacco
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015. Picture Book.

Based on a true account, this picture book conveys the story of Johnnie Wallen, as shared with the author. Lying about his age—he was only 15—in order to enlist in the army during WWII, Johnnie became known as “the kid” to his unit but when he proved himself as a marksman the nickname “Kentucky Kid” became a badge of honor. While fighting in the Philippines, he was bombarded by bugs and suffering from welts left by the bites. While out on patrol one day, he saw a village in the distance, and a little girl appeared. She showed him plant leaves that were like medicine to his bites, providing instant relief. He thanked her with chocolate but she would not speak. The girl had a heart shape birthmark on her arm so he called her “Little Heart”; she called him “Tucky Jo” after he introduced himself as Kentucky Johnnie. Over the weeks he would meet her by the river and give her part of his K rations and try to make her laugh. When he told his unit about the village, which was suffering because the enemy had taken away their men, supplies, and fishing nets, they helped out as well. Then one day the enemy returned to the area and attacked the village; Tucky Jo, with permission from his leaders and help from his troops, helped evacuate the village—and that was the last he ever saw of Little Heart.

This heart-warming story shows how even in times of war a little kindness goes a long way, as well as showing how Little Heart’s small act of kindness led to her village being saved and how helping Little Heart and her village brought peace to Tucky Jo’s heart and gave him the perspective to continuing fighting, as he realized he was fighting for children everywhere like Little Heart.

Comments

Display: Dino-mite Reads

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs By Mo Willems New York: Balzar + Bray, 2012. Picture Book. "Once upon a time, there were three hungry Dinosaurs: Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur . . . and a Dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway. One day--for no particular reason--they decided to tidy up their house, make the beds, and prepare pudding of varying temperatures. And then--for no particular reason--they decided to go . . . someplace else. They were definitely not setting a trap for some succulent, unsupervised little girl. Definitely not!" --Editor Smart Vs. Strong! Written by Jill Esbaum Illustrated by Miles Thompson New York: Simon Spotlight, 2021. Easy Reader. 64 pages. "When Thunder gets stuck in quicksand, Cluck uses his smarts to free his friend." --Editor How Dinosaurs Went Extinct Written by Ame Dyckman Illustrated by Jennifer Harney New York: Brown and Company, 2023. Picture Book. "When a child in a museum asks how dinosaurs became extinct, Dad co

From Story Time: The Letter "W"

Preschool Time Something Wild By Molly Ruttan New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2022. Picture Book. Hannah's performance jitters about her violin recital lead to some imaginative what ifs before she finds her confidence. --Editor Preschool Time There's a Dodo on the Wedding Cake Written by Wade Bradford Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2021. Picture Book. For his return visit to the wacky Sharemore Hotel, Mr. Snore will be playing his violin at a fancy wedding. As he waits for his cue to join the ceremony, he admires the wedding cake . . . and notices that he's not alone in ogling that tower of frothy perfection. Is that a dodo, eating one of the frosting roses? As more and more creatures enter the scene--including two beavers, a boa constrictor, and a bunch of bats--it's hard to tell who's a guest and who's a pest. But Mr. Snore, rushing the cake trolley from room to room, is going to do his heroic best to save that prize from sure d

Review: How Does Chocolate Taste on Everest?

How Does Chocolate Taste on Everest? Written by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe Illustrated by Aaron Cushley Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2023. Informational. In this fascinating nonfiction adventure, unique forms of transportation like hot air balloons and zeppelins take readers to 12 of the most extreme locations on Earth and beyond. As the adventurer arrives in each new locale, from Lake Maracaibo--the world's most electric place--to Zavodovski Island--the world's stinkiest place--they are fully immersed into the scene around them. The text describes the distinctive sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and sensations characteristic to each place, supported by the delightful illustrations. Each stop also shares stories of real adventurers braving the elements. Readers big and small will learn something new in this exciting armchair adventure. The real adventurer anecdotes highlight both well-known and less-discussed figures, of diverse backgrounds and abilities. The illustrations provide ev

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog