All the beloved and familiar elements of Richard Peck's writing are evident in his latest book, On the Wings of Heroes. Davy Bowman and his friend Scooter are active in "the war effort," collecting paper and scrap metal during World War II. Davy's dad is a WWI veteran, and Davy's older brother Bill has enlisted and is learning to fly B17s. As usual, Peck seamlessly combines serious and hilarious business. While Scooter's father is getting ready to leave for the War, Davy and Scooter run into Miss Eulalia Titus, who discourages their rooting around in her barn with a shotgun blast to the tin roof. Miss Eulalia's face is "like a walnut with a mustache," but she is quickly the best teacher they have ever had. Peck considers, with humor and pathos, all aspects of war: soldiers, former soldiers, parents who have lost children, the families left at home. He reiterates, as well, the profoundly important themes of his recent work--it is important to be responsible, honest, hardworking, educated, smart, and to learn from history all that history has to teach us. On the Wings of Heroes is a short book and a quick read, but Peck's brilliant structure (the kids meet all the old-timers as they are scavenging the town for usable stuff) and his economy of expression--not a syllable is wasted in this beautiful text--make it, to my mind, an instant classic.
Alice with a Why By Anna James New York: Penguin, 2026. Fiction. 240 pgs. In 1919, in the aftermath of the first World War, Alyce is living with her grandmother in the English countryside. Her grandmother, also named Alice, tells Alyce (with a y) stories from her childhood adventures in a wonderful land filled with white rabbits and mad hatters. Alyce doesn't really believe the silly stories, she just misses her father who was killed in the war. One day, Alyce receives a mysterious invitation to tea, and subsequently falls into a pond where she is transported to Wonderland. Her grandmother, of course, is that Alice. Alyce is prompted by the Mad Hatter, Dormouse, and March Hare to seek out the Time Being and put an end to the war between the Sun King and the Queen of the Moon. Thus begins Alyce's adventure through Wonderland. I have a certain soft spot for the original story of Alice in Wonderland. It is one of my particular favorites and I often have a hard time reading new int...
Comments