Nobleman, Marc Tyler. Brave Like My BrotherJune 28th 2016 by Scholastic Press
ARC from Young Adult Books Central
When Charlie's older brother Joe goes off to fight in World War II, he sneaks a letter into Joe's bag. When Joe gets it, he starts to write back, telling Charlie about his experiences in being sent to England to prepare for fighting. There's mud, there's rain, and there's Matt. Matt has a chip on his shoulders because he is from a harsh midwestern rural community, and believes that "city slickers" aren't prepared to fight. Joe is from Cleveland, home of the creators of Superman, and resents Matt's implications. Charlie is apparently having trouble of his own with neighbor bullies, and Charlie gives him as much advice as he can. Charlie is sent to France, but unlike so many US soldiers, manages to come back home to his brother.
This book has many features that make it appealing to early chapter book readers. It has an appealing cover, large font, short chapters, and a fast-paced, interesting story. Young readers will be able to put themselves in Charlie's place and imagine what it would be like to be stateside during the war, worrying about a beloved older brother who is fighting.
There were a lot of interesting details about Joe's training in England that were new to me, which would make this either a good introduction to the plethora of novels about WWII or a quick addition for seasoned readers. I don't know when the obsession with WWII first takes hold of boys, but this would be a good book even for first graders. The sentences and vocabulary are not overly challenging, and there's nothing too upsetting in the descriptions of the war.
For readers who are not quite ready for Mazer's A Boy At War, or who want to supplement their reading of Carl Bowen's Shadow Squadron or M. Zachary Sherman's Bloodlines series, Brave Like My Brother is an excellent addition to the body of literature that appeals to readers who still want details about WWII even 70 years after the fact.
Sounds great! I'm looking for stuff for younger readers. And the obsession with WWII starts for boys when we recognize our first word on the page. Realistically, it's probably around 3rd or 4th grade. It certainly was for my group. And why is it WWII, not WWI or Vietnam? The Civil War and the Revolution hold some fascination for guys but not like WWII.
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