Book Review: War and Millie McGonigle

 

1.BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cushman, K. (2022). War and Millie McGonigle. Yearling Books. ISBM: 198485013X

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Written like diary entry, this novel centers around a young girl name Millie who lives in California and things begin to get tough as Hitler is attaching Europe and the US may soon go into war. The last gift Millie received from her beloved grandmother right before her pass was a blank journal, which she used to channel her emotions and to create the “Book of Dead Things.” As we see the challenges she overcomes like dealing with her sister’s illness and her family moving away, readers begin to see the changes in Millie as the topics shift in this novel. 

3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS

I must say this was my least favorite book form this genre. I wasn’t a fan about the author choosing to have the main character obsessed with dead creatures, I thought this gave the story a dark feel and it also made it inappropriate for elementary students in my opinion. Although we see the changes Millie undergoes, she wasn’t exactly the most “likeable” character at the beginning.  This was my least favorite book; however, I liked that Cushman included a lot of relevant events during this time period like the attack on Pearl Harbor. I also liked that the author chose to discuss some of the daily struggles families faced during this time, like financial setbacks and difficulty finding jobs.  This made the book relatable.  I also really liked that the author wrote this novel like a diary entry, which made it appealing to young readers. 

4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred review in Booklist: “A lively choice for historical fiction fans.”

Starred review in Kirkus Review: "Transforms grim history into a light for dark times."

Starred review in School Library Journal: "A must-buy for school and children’s libraries looking to expand their historical fiction selections.”

Starred review in Publisher’s Weekly: “gently paced novel of family travails and sociopolitical tensions set in 1941 California.”

5. CONNECTIONS

* Have students research the attack on Pearl Harbor and create a presentation to present to the class.

* Have read other books about WWII and compare and contrast the books.

* Historical Fiction books about WWII:

Nielsen, J. A. (2022). Rescue. Scholastic Press. ISBN: 1338621017

Sepahban, L. (2017). Paper wishes. Square Fish / Ferrar Straus Giroux.

ISBN: 1250104149

Book review was written for SHSU's MLA course.

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