"On the Wings of Heroes" by Richard Peck

I chose to review this book because it is included on the 3rd-5th grade list for the 2011-12 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB).

On The Wings of Heroes
Author: Richard Peck
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 10+ years

SUMMARY
This story begins with a description of an era when neighbors spent time playing games, telling stories, and pulling pranks on one another. Then their quiet world is shattered by the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Davy Bowman's beloved older brother enlists and soon begins flying B-17s over Germany.

Much of the novel is devoted to a description of what it was like on the home-front during World War II. Davy and his best friend, Scooter, experience food rationing, milkweed collecting, scrap metal drives, black-outs, and substitute teachers. Every aspect of their lives is overshadowed by the fear of being attacked and worry about loved ones who are stationed far away.

CRITIQUE
Although this book includes some mature subject matter, it was a delightful book to read. Mr. Peck has a wonderful sense of humor and weaves his tale in such a way that you find yourself laughing and crying at the same time. In this tender historical novel, he has created some endearing characters and a realistic portrayal of the American home-front during World War II. Although Davy's heroes are obviously his father and his brother, this book invites readers to appreciate the heroism and sacrifice of those on the home front as well.

On the Wings of Heroes is the first book I have ever read by Richard Peck and I look forward to reading others. I would highly recommend this book.

RATINGS
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: Mild
Frightening/Suspenseful: Mild
Profanity: Mild
Sex: Mild
Substance Use: Mild
Mature Themes: Mild
Violence: Moderate

SPECIFIC CONTENT
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude:
-Boys on Halloween night come out to "soap your windows, shave your cat, pull siding off your house, do something nasty down your mailbox, knock over pumpkins."
-Davy is threatened by the school bully who tells him "at noon you'll be picking up your teeth all over the school yard...and you'll wonder where your nose went."
-Class bullies terrorize the students and the teacher.
-Older boys, including Davy's Cubmaster, steal the paper that Davy and Scooter have collected for the paper drive.

Frightening/Suspenseful:
-Mrs. Hiser, Davy's neighbor, tells a ghost story about a man who is searching for his missing hand. Mr. Hiser plays a practical joke on her and reaches out to her with a wooden arm with a hook on it.
-Miss Mossman, Davy's teacher, tells them of the dangers of the Germans dropping incendiary bombs that could "burn you to a crisp."
-An explosion leaves Davy and Scooter thinking they are being bombed. In actuality, it is buckshot out of a gun hailing down on the roof.

Profanity:
-Words used include 'brat,' 'bozos,' and 'dadburn.'

Sex:
-Mentions a good-looking girl wearing a "real low-cut prom dress."


Substance Use:
-Mention of a still used for making corn liquor.
-Mention of a factory worker being on her "cigarette break."

Mature Themes:
-War
-Death

Violence:
-An elderly neighbor tells gruesome stories. She describes the exploding Hisenberg: "passengers burning alive staggered on fleshless feet through its melting steel skeleton." Or again, a nephew who "skidded on his sled...shot under an International Harvester truck and scalped himself." Another story involves a man having his arm ripped off by a cornpicker.
-A snake is "dead in the road with a red smear where a car had run over its head."
-Janis, one of the class bullies, gets her hand caught in a rat trap when she attempts to steal the teacher's pocketbook.
-Beverly, another class bully, knifes the tire on the teacher's Chevy.
-Davy's dad wrings the necks of two chickens.
-Chicago mobsters hit Davy's father in the side of the head with a monkey wrench.

"Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville

I chose to review this book because it is included on the 3rd-5th grade list for the 2011-12 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB).

Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
Author: Bruce Coville
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 9-12 years

SUMMARY
Jeremy Thatcher is having problems in school. His art teacher hates him, a girl in his class threatens to kiss him, and the other boys tease him unmercifully. When he stumbles upon Mr. Elives' magic shop, and he leaves with a dragon's egg, Jeremy finds that an entirely new set of problems await him. Where will he keep the dragon? Will he be able to keep his new pet a secret as he has been instructed? How will he feed the dragon? How will he prevent the dragon from disturbing his father's animal patients? And ultimately, how will he bring himself to send the dragon back home when the time comes?

CRITIQUE
A good fantasy author, such as J.R.R Tolkien or J.K. Rowling, creates an entire world into which the characters and their actions come into existence. In this respect, Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, was a failure. There was an extreme lack of depth and sophistication, not to mention character development. In my reading, I did not get the sense that the story took place within a larger framework. I realize that this book is part of a series, but still maintain that the author did not successfully create a coherent fantasy world.

I was also disappointed with the implicit message of this novel. It would have been more satisfying to watch Jeremy grow into a stronger person - after his adventures with the dragon - who was more equipped to deal with the problems he faced. Instead, to a large extent, Jeremy used his relationship with the dragon as a form of escapism (e.g. midnight flights, dreams, magical connection). While there was some character growth and development, it was very minimal compared to what we see, for example, is C.S. Lewis' The Silver Chair.

The bottom line is that while there is nothing highly objectionable in this novel, it is pretty superficial reading. I wouldn't recommend it.

RATINGS
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: Mild
Frightening/Suspenseful: Mild
Profanity: Mild
Sex: Mild
Substance Use: None
Mature Themes: None
Violence: Mild

SPECIFIC CONTENT
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude:
-Mr. Kravitz, the art teacher, gives Jeremy a "smug, nasty smile."
-Jeremy calls Mr. Elives an "old fruitcake" behind his back.
-Jeremy calls a cat "rotten" and then sticks his tongue out at him.
-Mr. Kravitz refers to one of his students as a "little weasel."

Frightening/Suspenseful:
-When Jeremy sets out to return Tiamat to her home on Midsummer Night, the fog becomes very dense and neither boy nor dragon know what to expect. Then a hooded figure steps out of the mist toward them.
-On several occasions, Jeremy fells unexpected pain and realizes that he is sensing Tiamat's pain and emotions.

Profanity:
-Words used include 'creep', 'shut up', 'fathead', 'stupid', and 'jerk.'

Sex:
-Mary Lou, a girl in Jeremy's class, writes him a note saying, "I think you are incredibly cute...I am going to kiss you after school today if it's the last thing I ever do."
-On several occasions, the boys in Jeremy's class make "loud, wet, kissing noises" when he walks past them on the playground.
-Students chant "Jeremy Thatcher and Hot-Stuff Hutton - the Ro-o-o-o-mance of the Century" every time they see him.

Violence:
-Tiamat, the dragon, sets fire to Mr. Kravitz's foot.
-A boy torments a cat by tying its legs together and then poking it with a stick.
-A boy gives Jeremy "a ferocious kick" that sends him "sprawling face first into the dirt."
-Tiamat, who is invisible to the boy, begins to claw at him. During the ensuing struggle the dragon becomes entangled in a thorn bush and her wings get scratched.