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beccadavies's review
4.0
World War II has just started and Charlotte Twiss' parents have decided to open their home to British war children. During that time thousands of British children came across the ocean to escape the German bombing. It wasn't long until Jane Browning came into their home. Across the street her brother Sam stayed with good friends of Charlotte. Charlotte's diary is a recount of the first year with the Brownings; the ups as well as the downs. Watching these exiles struggle with a new land and new ways, she comes to eventually see them as family.
While this book was a real eye-opener (I knew about children in England being sent into the country, my own grandmother was sent to a Welsh family to leave Dover during the war), but I hadn't realised as many as thousands came to Canada.
As an immigrant myself, I know how hard it would have been for those little boys and girls. It would be even harder for those children as they were in homes with complete strangers.
My only reason for giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that I found the author didn't explain a lot of the information she gave. If she wasn't going to explain the important historical details- don't put them. The exception was Dunkirk. She did a wonderful job with that.
Overall, lovely little book for little girls. Or 27 year-old women who can't get enough of the Dear Canada books.
While this book was a real eye-opener (I knew about children in England being sent into the country, my own grandmother was sent to a Welsh family to leave Dover during the war), but I hadn't realised as many as thousands came to Canada.
As an immigrant myself, I know how hard it would have been for those little boys and girls. It would be even harder for those children as they were in homes with complete strangers.
My only reason for giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that I found the author didn't explain a lot of the information she gave. If she wasn't going to explain the important historical details- don't put them. The exception was Dunkirk. She did a wonderful job with that.
Overall, lovely little book for little girls. Or 27 year-old women who can't get enough of the Dear Canada books.
ashleyreadstoomuch's review
4.0
These are always interesting reads. I liked learning about history and enjoy the Canadian perspective.
cweichel's review
4.0
I liked it, but then, I've never read anything of Jean Little's that I didn't like.
Here is my full review.
http://dickenslibrary.blogspot.ca/2012/10/exiles-from-war-by-jean-little-red.html
Here is my full review.
http://dickenslibrary.blogspot.ca/2012/10/exiles-from-war-by-jean-little-red.html
soulwinds's review
4.0
4 stars for Exiles from the War
Thoughts and Plot
Charlotte Twiss is a 13 year old girl when the Twiss family decide to host a Guest of War, a child being sent away from Europe (Britain in particular) to get them away from the bombings and other horrors of war. Near the beginning of her diary their young ward arrives, Jane who's brother will be staying down the road with another family.
Upon hearing of the blitz, Charlotte's brother George enlist with the navy and is soon off to fight in the war. The worst happens when the Twiss family is told that George is missing in action after his ship was torpedoed.
This diary only takes us into 1942, but Charlotte's words convey the tension and worry that was felt, even in Canada, from the beginning. Her words, though all fictional, ring true of thoughts and emotions a 13 year old girl would feel when living in a time of war.
The diary is followed by a nice wrap up of how Charlotte and her families lives went as well as historical notes and pictures for additional information.
In Conclusion
Well written, with a character that rings true, this is an excellent book for middle school children who might be interested in learning something about the second world war and guests of war.
Thoughts and Plot
Charlotte Twiss is a 13 year old girl when the Twiss family decide to host a Guest of War, a child being sent away from Europe (Britain in particular) to get them away from the bombings and other horrors of war. Near the beginning of her diary their young ward arrives, Jane who's brother will be staying down the road with another family.
Upon hearing of the blitz, Charlotte's brother George enlist with the navy and is soon off to fight in the war. The worst happens when the Twiss family is told that George is missing in action after his ship was torpedoed.
This diary only takes us into 1942, but Charlotte's words convey the tension and worry that was felt, even in Canada, from the beginning. Her words, though all fictional, ring true of thoughts and emotions a 13 year old girl would feel when living in a time of war.
The diary is followed by a nice wrap up of how Charlotte and her families lives went as well as historical notes and pictures for additional information.
In Conclusion
Well written, with a character that rings true, this is an excellent book for middle school children who might be interested in learning something about the second world war and guests of war.
vita_s_west's review
2.0
This was a weak Dear Canada book. Many characters were underdeveloped and flat and there was very little conflict.
One issue with the lack of conflict emerged from the fact that the protagonist, Charlotte is herself not a War Guest, and merely a host. As such, we are told about these experiences of World War 2, of War Guests, of the fears of Jewish Canadians who knew something was horribly wrong in Europe and yet were unable to help their families escape (in no small part from the Canadian government's complacency), etc. These are all rich and engrossing narratives, but they are refracted through the eyes of someone who is at one degree of separation. While Charlotte is very compassionate, there are still great limitations on telling these stories by having her as the diarist. Charlotte's viewpoint was a limitation that Jean Little never quite overcame
The other difficulty is that not much happened, while there was still quite a few things that happened. The conflicts were small and easily brushed aside if they did show up. One example is when Charlotte wrote to Bertie, it was the most interesting thing to happen in about 50 pages, and then two entries later, she hands off the project to her sister and nothing comes out of it. What little conflict there could be is averted with no affect on the central story. This was punctuated with many short entries that were complaints about how bored Charlotte was, how she couldn't wait for something to happen and how little she cared for writing.
The characters were another issue. There were quite a few and most of them were flat and underdeveloped. Charlotte was compassionate and curious, but her relationships were not particularly developed, except with Jane, the War Guest. She had a best friend Barbara who represented Canadian Jewish anxieties and frustrations, who read very much like a stereotype. Despite the fact that Charlotte asserted that this was her best friend, I repeatedly got the impression that she didn't even like Barbara. Another example is that Charlotte has and older sister and a housekeeper who was an Irish immigrant. About half way through the book I forgot these two characters were in the book and that wasn't because I wasn't paying attention. They weren't given much personality or any role in the story. I am not sure why they were included in the final draft.
This book was frustrating because there were so many other better Dear Canada books both about WW2 and written by Jean Little. There are so many other better books about War Guests. This one doesn't add much to the series or War Guest or World War 2 fiction.
Better Dear Canada books written by Jean Little: "All Fall Down" and "If I did before I wake"
Better Dear Canada books about WW2: "Turned Away"
Better War Guest books: Just read "The Sky is Falling" by Kit Pearson, it is WORLDS better than this one.
One issue with the lack of conflict emerged from the fact that the protagonist, Charlotte is herself not a War Guest, and merely a host. As such, we are told about these experiences of World War 2, of War Guests, of the fears of Jewish Canadians who knew something was horribly wrong in Europe and yet were unable to help their families escape (in no small part from the Canadian government's complacency), etc. These are all rich and engrossing narratives, but they are refracted through the eyes of someone who is at one degree of separation. While Charlotte is very compassionate, there are still great limitations on telling these stories by having her as the diarist. Charlotte's viewpoint was a limitation that Jean Little never quite overcame
The other difficulty is that not much happened, while there was still quite a few things that happened. The conflicts were small and easily brushed aside if they did show up. One example is when Charlotte wrote to Bertie, it was the most interesting thing to happen in about 50 pages, and then two entries later, she hands off the project to her sister and nothing comes out of it. What little conflict there could be is averted with no affect on the central story. This was punctuated with many short entries that were complaints about how bored Charlotte was, how she couldn't wait for something to happen and how little she cared for writing.
The characters were another issue. There were quite a few and most of them were flat and underdeveloped. Charlotte was compassionate and curious, but her relationships were not particularly developed, except with Jane, the War Guest. She had a best friend Barbara who represented Canadian Jewish anxieties and frustrations, who read very much like a stereotype. Despite the fact that Charlotte asserted that this was her best friend, I repeatedly got the impression that she didn't even like Barbara. Another example is that Charlotte has and older sister and a housekeeper who was an Irish immigrant. About half way through the book I forgot these two characters were in the book and that wasn't because I wasn't paying attention. They weren't given much personality or any role in the story. I am not sure why they were included in the final draft.
This book was frustrating because there were so many other better Dear Canada books both about WW2 and written by Jean Little. There are so many other better books about War Guests. This one doesn't add much to the series or War Guest or World War 2 fiction.
Better Dear Canada books written by Jean Little: "All Fall Down" and "If I did before I wake"
Better Dear Canada books about WW2: "Turned Away"
Better War Guest books: Just read "The Sky is Falling" by Kit Pearson, it is WORLDS better than this one.
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