The War That Saved My Life

Bradley, K. B. (2015). The war that saved my life. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN  978-0-8037-4081-5

Plot Summary:

Ada does not know how old she is, she knows that her mother hates her because of her club foot, which doesn’t allow her to walk and isn’t allowed to go outside. Her brother, Jamie, is about to be able to enter school, when the single parent family hears the news of the speculated bombings as.  Their mentally abusive mother mentions being able to send off Jamie in the evacuee trains to wait in safety in the English countryside. Ada knows she can’t stay behind. She begins working in a physical therapy of sorts to become strong enough to walk and be able to go with Jamie on the train. Jamie and Ada are the last set of children to be “picked” once the trains arrive at the English countryside and even then, the organizer had to coax an old single woman, Susan, to take them in.  Susan respects the children, cares for their well being and treats them well. She shows comforts to the children that didn’t know existed. Things like underwear, daily baths, sheets, warm house, soft blankets and more than one outfit of clothing are things that Susan provided for the children. Jamie is able to show care for Susan right away, but Ada is harder to convince. She keeps her guard up and is nervous that Susan will be abusive like her mother. Susan has something that Ada is very interested in, Butter, a pony that belonged to Susan’s now deceased friend.  Ada makes friends with neighbors, volunteers in town when ships arrive with injured soldiers, learns to read and write, visits with a newfound friend from her home village, and even catches a German spy. Ada begins to recognize that though her foot may be damaged, the rest of her is not, and she is very capable of many things. With the aid of Butter, Susan and a bit of her brother, Ada is able to become stronger both physically and mentally. When the story comes to an end, Ada is able to recognize that though the war brought hardships to many, it really saved her.

Analysis:

The way that Bradley interweaves Ada & Jamie’s story within the context of  WWII is great. The timelines that are used to guide what happens in their life is very realistic.  The way that Bradley uses descriptive words to show the type of mental and physical abuse that Ada endured while living in her mother’s care could be a bit too realistic for younger readers, the cases aren’t drug out too long, and some may not even recognize how abused Ada was.  In regards to WWII, readers will be able to gain some insight on what daily life was for those in the English countryside while they sat and waited for the war to be over; the way that women took on volunteer jobs, rationing, waiting at the markets for what produce may be available that day, the way that everyone was careful to not be wasteful.  Bradley also includes many of the slogans used during that time in order to show the way that people had to “think” in regards to their actions. Readers will be able to see that those affected by WWII range from those living in large cities like London, to those living in the countryside. Seeing Ada & Jamie’s life unfold and blossom even, as they are living with a woman who is more caring, really does allow the reader to understand that though their mother wasn’t very warm or nurturing and was mentally abusive, she wasn’t hated by her children but they deserve better than her.  They did begin to understand that the way that they lived while under her care was not good for them and allowed them to make some choices that most children don’t have to make. Ada learns so much about herself and about her self-worth during a time in her life when the world was at war. The war taught her so much about what she is capable of being.

Review Excerpts:

Newbery Honor Book 2016

Reviewed By: Kirkus starred, October 15, 2014  “Ada discovers there are worse things than bombs after she escapes her Mam’s cruelty during a children’s evacuation of World War II London.”

Reviewed By: Publisher's Weekly starred, October 27, 2014 “In this poignant story, Bradley celebrates Ada’s discovery of the world outside her dismal flat, movingly tracing her growing trust of strangers and her growing affection for Miss Smith.”

Reviewed By: Booklist, December 01, 2014 “The home-front realities of WWII, as well as Ada’s realistic anger and fear, come to life in Bradley’s affecting and austerely told story, and readers will cheer for steadfast Ada as she triumphs over despair”.— Sarah Hunter.

Reviewed By: Horn book starred, January 2015 “{...}the emotional content feels completely true, especially in the recognition of how deeply Ada has been damaged and just how far her journey will be to both physical and mental health.”

Connections:

Social Studies Connection-World War II-good book for kicking off or ending a history unit on World War II.  Book has good historically accurate details in regards to order of events.

Counselor’s Corner—PERSEVERANCE—Ada learns that though her body may have been created a certain way, she is still able to do so much.  Though her clubfoot may not have been repaired when she was young, it does not mean that she has to be shunned by those around her. She had to work hard to push past the low expectations that had been set upon her, but she was able to be successful.