This series captures the experiences of children navigating adolescence during World War II, blending the backdrop of a global conflict with intimate stories of friendship and personal growth. Readers will find tales of burgeoning patriotism intertwined with the challenges of everyday life, from confronting bullies to uncovering surprising secrets. It's a journey through the complexities of family, loyalty, and self-discovery during a tumultuous historical period.
In a small Southern town in 1944, two girls secretly help a seriously ill army deserter, a decision that changes their perceptions of right and wrong. Issues of moral ambiguity and accepting consequences for actions are thoughtfully considered in this deftly crafted story.
When Gordy Smith and his down-and-out family go to live with his rich grandmother, Gordy brings with him all the hostilities of an abused child whose drunken father has beaten him regularly. His no-nonsense grandmother and his friendship with a boy who uses a wheelchair change his perspective and life. The author, Mary Downing Hahn is a former children''s librarian.
Gordy's return to College Hill brings challenges as he faces the weight of his family's troubled past and the disapproval of his peers. Living in a cramped apartment with his siblings and their new family, he struggles with a hostile principal and old friends urging him toward mischief. His former rival, Elizabeth, intensifies his feelings of isolation. As Gordy grapples with these pressures, he must decide whether to revert to his past behavior or continue on his path to personal growth and success.