MMGM- Medal of Honor

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Always in the Middle and #IMWAYR day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday.

Spradlin, Michael. Jack Montgomery: World War II: Gallantry at Anzio
Published 15 Jaunary 2019 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Based on the real-life events of Jack Montgomery, this book is an excellent mix of factual information about the war and fictionalized accounts of Montgomery's involvement in it. Montgomery was born in 1917 in Oklahoma. Because he was Cherokee, he was sent to an Indian school, but received a good education and graduated from college with a physical education degree. Unable to find a job, he joined the army and soon found himself embroiled in the war. Soon after his division, the 45th Infantry Thunderbirds came ashore at Anizio, Montgomery was involve in action near Padiglione, Italy, where he single-handedly took out several enemy positions and saved his men. He was wounded and sent home, but awarded the Medal of Honor. Not only do we follow Jack's activities during the war, but we learn additional information about all manner of topics-- trench foot, the Italian involvement in the war, and the treatment of Native Americans. Plentiful pictures and maps help highlight that this is biographical nonfiction, told in an intriguing way.
Strengths: Italy! I have read very few books about this are of WWII, and since Dondi was so interesting, I was always curious about it. The mix of story, facts, and supporting documents is wonderful and will make this super popular with my readers. Like Tod Olsen's narrative nonfiction, THIS is what middle grade books should be like!
Weaknesses: Occasionally I was irritated that Montgomery's narrative was interrupted, but I read this in one sitting, and my students will not.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing this entire series and may need some more room for Spradlin's books, since he has been on fire lately!