Author/Illustrator: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Newberry Award
Grade Level: 4th-6th
This book was set back in the 1900s. A young girl named Ada, her brother, Jamie, and mam all lived in a small apartment building. Ada was abused daily by her mom, never allowed to go to school, eat when she was hungry, or do anything else the other kids got to do like her brother. Her mom described her as simple. Ada had a club foot that hadn't been fixed as a baby, so she was unable to walk and her mam, though her fault, was going to punish her for it.
At the beginning of the ware that was fixing to start Hitler demanded that kids evacuate by bus to safer cities where families would volunteer to take care of them. Mam was going to let Jamie go, but not Ada because nobody would want to take care of a simple child. Ada stirred up a plan and was determined to go. She had been practicing all summer on her walking skills. The morning it was time to load the bus Ada and Jamie snuck out early to not be seen by mam.
Once arriving at the new city all of the children were put in a line to be selected by families. No one really wanted two children who were dirty and came as a pair. At the end, the director took the two children to her friend Ms. Susan's house. Ms. Susan did not want the children either, not because they were dirty, but because she didn't know a thing about children. She was forced to keep them. Ms. Susan turned out to be a great caretaker for the children. She had to teach them to bathe, what normal items were in the market, how to read, and all other things their mam neglected to teach them.
During this stay, Ada fell in love with riding Ms. Susan's horse, Butter. Jamie fell in love with the airplanes that they set up across the street from the house. They all made it word during this terrible time.
One day while Ada was riding, mam showed up. Mam wanted her children back because she found out that she was having to pay for them to be with Ms. Susan. Ada begged not to go, but Jamie ran to mam with open arms. Mam won, and back to London they went. Once home, Ada stood up to Mam and Mam admitted she didn't love them or even want them. Ada said that she was going to go back to London and that Mam would have to pay a shilling. Mam agreed. The next morning Ada and Mam tool off to find Susan, but Susan had come to them. They all took a bus back to Ms. Susan's house. When they got their many people were standing in front of where it used to be. Her house had been bombed and all the city people were worried they were inside but happy to see that they weren't. Ada, Jamie, and Ms. Susan were glad to be together as a family.
This book takes the reader on the journey of Ada as she overcomes many challenges in her life. It's amazing to see how such a young girl can be brave enough and have so much perseverance to keep going through all that is through at her, It shows children It shows us that blood might not connect us as a family, but love definitely does. I would reccommend this book to anyone, it is a great read.
