The House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert DeJong
1957 Newbery Honor Book
I loved this book! It is based on a real life experience of the author from his time as a soldier during World War II. This is the first book I've read by this author, but I'm excited to see that he has FIVE books on the Newbery list, so I'm excited to find the rest!
The story follows a small boy, Tien Pao, lviing in China during the Japanese occupation during Word War II. Tien Pao's village was burned and his family managed to escape and traveled up river to the city of Hengyang. Then, left alone on their sanpan while his parents went to work, the boat comes loose of it's mouring and Tien Pas is swept down the river and into Japanese territory.
Together with his pig (yes, his PIG!) he travels on foot through the mountainous country of occupied territory, survives on what he can find, narrowly avoids capture and gun fire, and is actually starving by the time he finds real help. Which he does find. And the story ends, against all odds, very happily.
This is an action packed story set in a brutal war time and there is much tension, some violence, and a lot of courage and struggle in Tien Paos' journey. I found myself telling it (in my own words not reading it) to my children in installments as I read the book, and they were mesmerized. It's a compelling story; the kind you don't want to put down. It's my next read aloud pick for my 10 year old son, who likes a story with plenty of action and excitement.
NOTE 1/16/2012: Jabu (the 10 year old son) and I are half way through and he is loving it!
Together with his pig (yes, his PIG!) he travels on foot through the mountainous country of occupied territory, survives on what he can find, narrowly avoids capture and gun fire, and is actually starving by the time he finds real help. Which he does find. And the story ends, against all odds, very happily.
This is an action packed story set in a brutal war time and there is much tension, some violence, and a lot of courage and struggle in Tien Paos' journey. I found myself telling it (in my own words not reading it) to my children in installments as I read the book, and they were mesmerized. It's a compelling story; the kind you don't want to put down. It's my next read aloud pick for my 10 year old son, who likes a story with plenty of action and excitement.
NOTE 1/16/2012: Jabu (the 10 year old son) and I are half way through and he is loving it!
No comments:
Post a Comment