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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Audiobook Review: My Secret War (Dear America) by Mary Pope Osborne

mysecretwar

My Secret War: The World War II Diary of Madeline Beck,
Long Island New York, 1941
by Mary Pope Osborne
Dear America series
Unabridged, 3 hr. 15 min.
Scholastic
Barbara Rosenblat (Narrator)
April 1, 2008
★★★★☆
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Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult

Source: Downloaded audio from my local library

“In a diary that brings to life the dramatic happenings on the home front during World War II, Madeline Beck is living in a boardinghouse with her mother while her father is on an aircraft carrier guarding the Pacific Coast. After discovering that a German U-boat has landed near her home - a little-known, true incident on Long Island - she and her classmates form "Kids Fight for Freedom" and participate in the home front war effort.”

This is another diary in the Dear America series this time focusing on the home-front effort during World War II. I haven’t read very much set during WWII, but what I have has primarily been set abroad. Not only was it new and interesting to see how the home-front reacted to the war, but also to see it from a child/teenager perspective was novel. We see many of the typical things such as book, blood, scrap and can drives, but I really liked how Madeline founded the “Kids Fight for Freedom” club. I’m sure that there were many such clubs like this where even the kids were doing what they could to ensure that their fathers/brothers/relatives would come home.

The main character’s father is in the military so we see what it is like to have a family member serving overseas. The letters that they send and receive are so precious to them and are a lifeline throughout the war. Madeline and her crush get caught up in the secret German U-boat landing. While this is a real event, it almost felt fantastical the way it was portrayed. The events surrounding the landing felt like right out of a spy/action novel rather than what you would necessarily expect from a Dear America novel.

This was a different take on the typical war story. There is sadness and dark times, but also times where the characters pull together to help each other through and forge deep ties with other community members. Even as an adult, I learned a lot about the way of life in a small town during this time period.

audiobookimpressions

★★★★★

The narrator of this book was FABULOUS! I always say that when listening to a diary, the narrator has to be very convincing and truly evoke the character that they are voicing. You need to be able to believe that you are hearing the inner musings of the diary’s author – be in their brain perhaps. The narrator had the right mix of emotion, excitement, and sadness as were appropriate.

If you are looking for activities to enhance your reading experience with your children, check out this discussion guide/lesson plan from Scholastic.

This book is currently out of print, but you can find it from used sellers or try your local library. Scholastic is currently working on re-releasing many of the books in the Dear America series as well as releasing new books in this series. More when it becomes available.


Reviews of this book by other bloggers: 


Other Books in the Dear America Series:

A Journey to the New World
A Journey to the New World

so far from home
So Far From Home

[My Review]

When Will This Cruel War Be Over
When Will This Cruel War Be Over?

A Picture of Freedom
A Picture of Freedom

Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie
Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie

[My Review]

I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly
I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly
[My Review]

West to a Land of Plenty
West to a Land of Plenty

Dreams in the Golden Country
Dreams in the Golden Country

Standing in the Light
Standing in the Light

Voyage on the Great Titanic
Voyage on the Great Titanic

A Line in the Sand
A Line in the Sand

My Heart is on the Ground
My Heart is on the Ground

The Great Railroad Race
The Great Railroad Race

A Light in the Storm
A Light in the Storm

The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow
The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow

The Winter of Red Snow
The Winter of Red Snow
[My Review]

A Coal Miner’s Bride
A Coal Miner’s Bride

Color Me Dark
Color Me Dark

One Eye Laughing, the Other Weeping
One Eye Laughing, the Other Weeping

Valley of the Moon
Valley of the Moon

Seeds of Hope
Seeds of Hope

Christmas After All
Christmas After All

Early Sunday Morning
Early Sunday Morning

My Face to the Wind
My Face to the Wind

Where Have All the Flowers Gone
Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

A Time for Courage
A Time for Courage

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Survival in the Storm
Survival in the Storm

When Christmas Comes Again
When Christmas Comes Again

Land of the Buffalo Bones
Land of the Buffalo Bones

Love Thy Neighbor
Love Thy Neighbor

All the Stars in the Sky
All the Stars in the Sky

Look to the Hills
Look to the Hills

Hear My Sorrow
Hear My Sorrow

I Walk in Dread
I Walk in Dread

The Fences Between Us
The Fences Between Us

Like The Willow Tree
Like The Willow Tree

Cannons at Dawn
Cannons at Dawn

With the Might of Angels
With the Might of Angels

Behind the Masks
Behind the Masks

A City Tossed and Broken
A City Tossed and Broken

Down the Rabbit Hole
Down the Rabbit Hole



Find Dear America series here.




Copyright © 2012 by The Maiden’s Court

2 comments:

  1. Sounds nice -- I would have loved this series in high school -- I'm going to look for them at my library for when I want a lighter hist fic escape.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I read a few of this series when I was younger but I was more attracted to the Royal Diaries series at that time. Now I'm trying to make up for it - mostly on audio since I gave my copies away a few years ago!

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