Home Fronts

Cooke, Tim. Home Fronts. Part of the World War II: The Full Story series. 2015. 48p. ISBN 978-1-78121-232-5. Available at 940.53 HOM on the library shelves. 11/1/16

The Second World War affected nearly everyone around the globe, from those who actively participated in the fighting to those who were left behind at home to support their countries. The home front refers to this category of people, and included children, women, and the elderly. In countries such as the United States and Britain, home front efforts trained people to man defenses and prepare for possible invasion. Black out procedures were introduced, material drives of every kind were instituted, and war bonds were purchased to finance the war effort.

In occupied countries, life was more difficult. Rationing, the loss of freedom, and attacks both by Allies and Axis forces often added to the recurring misery people felt. Most people tried to live their lives, but some joined resistance movements opposed to the occupier. As the war progressed and Germany and Japan were pushed back, more and more countries were freed from occupation.

Axis powers also had home fronts, and the inhabitants of these countries also suffered the devastating effects of the Second World War. As what was hoped to be a short war devolved into a years long conflict, the privations and suffering endured increased significantly. The bombing of German and Japanese cities, the destruction wrought by advancing armies and the psychological impact of impending defeat all contributed to a climate of fear and gloom.

Finally, the Holocaust is examined to see what impact it had on the home front of various occupied countries as well as on that of Germany.

Other books in this series include Life in the War, War in the Pacific 1941-1945, and North Africa and Europe 1940-1945.

Confederate Flag: Controversial Symbol of the South

Marcovitz, Hal. Confederate Flag: Controversial Symbol of the South. Part of the Patriotic Symbols of America. 2015. 48p. ISBN 978-1-4222-3121-0. Available at 929.92 on the library shelves.

The Confederate flag has been in the news recently as a symbol of racism and of oppression. Yet for many, it represents a cultural heritage for which men fought and died. When Southern States seceded from the Union following Abraham Lincoln’s election, they formed their own government and appointed a committee to create symbols for the new Confederacy. The result was the Stars and Bars, a flag similar in design and colors to that of the United States. This design proved dangerous in battle, however, as it was impossible at a distance, with dust and smoke, to determine to which side troops belonged. Both flags were red, white and blue with bars and stars!

Generals in the field designed a new battle flag that could not be mistaken for Union flags, and soon this flag was adopted and used throughout the South. It never replaced the Stars and Bars of the Confederacy, which evolved twice more over the next four years, yet it became the most recognized symbol of the South.

This book presents the history of the flag and discusses current and past controversies surrounding its use in the South. Fans of history will appreciate learning about the process of symbolism from creation to adoption to veneration, but in the end they will have to answer for themselves whether they view the Confederate flag as a tool of oppression or of freedom.

Their Fractured Light

Kaufman, Amie and Megan Spooner. Their Fractured Light. Book 3 of the Starbound series. 2015. 425p. ISBN 9781423171041. Available at FIC KAU on the library shelves.

Two years ago, in These Broken Stars, Tarver Merendsen, a soldier, and Lilac LaRoux, daughter of the richest man in the galaxy, were shipwrecked on a seemingly deserted planet when the Icarus was wrenched out of hyperspace and exploded before crashing on the surface. There they encountered strange whispers, beings from another dimension whom they successfully released, but not before Lilac died and was brought back.

A year ago, in This Shattered World, Captain Jubilee Chase hunted rebels on Avon when she encountered Flynn, and together they discovered that LaRoux industries had created a Rift on their planet, causing people to become husks, entities controlled by the whispers. They successfully released a broadcast warning the galaxy this was happening.

Today Sophia Quinn has escaped from Avon and successfully made her way to Corinth, home of LaRoux industries. Her father became a suicide bombed during Avon’s conflict, and she wants to avenge his death. For the last year, she has been pursued by the Nave of Hearts, a heartless individual whose intentions are unclear. Gideon Marchant, meanwhile, is a brilliant computer hacker willing to do just about anything to accomplish his mission. When Sophia and Gideon find themselves together attempting to escape LaRoux’s showcase room, where they discovered another Rift machine, they realize that they have common cause against their enemy. But the secrets they harbor could very well end their relationship before they have the chance to truly put an end to LaRoux’s plans for domination of the galaxy.

Bringing the six characters back together, this book skillfully concludes this trilogy with intense action and discovery of self.

The Chinese Empire

Roxburgh, Ellis. The Chinese Empire. Part of the Great Empires series. 2016. 48p. ISBN 978-1-50260-636-5. Available at 931.01 ROX on the library shelves.

As one of the oldest civilization, China can boast of many accomplishments. One of them is having an unbroken succession of imperial dynasties stretching back thousands of years. But little was known of the Shang dynasty until the accidental discovery of a tomb in 1899 which provided significant archeological information about this era.

The Shang dynasty represents the first awakening of a future Chinese state. A series of leaders manage to impose their will on surrounding city states and formed a large kingdom that continued to absorb smaller neighbors and received tribute from client states. Since rice had not yet become the main dietary dish, wheat and barley were the crops of choice, and control of the fertile Yellow River valley provided enough food to sustain an extensive civilization. This book, then is the history of the first Chinese state.

Fullmetal Alchemist. Vol 9

Arakawa, Hiromu. Fullmetal Alchemist. Vol 9. 2006. 183p. ISBN 9781421504605. Available in the graphic section of the library.

Edward, Al, and Winry travel back to Central after once again getting his automail arm fixed. Unaware of Lieutenant Colonel Hughes’ murder, the brothers are not informed by both Major Armstrong and Colonel Mustang, so it comes as a shock when they finally discover that the man who was investigating the philosopher’s stone for them has been killed.

Meanwhile, one of Major Armstrong’s soldier, Second Lieutenant Maria Ross, is accused of Hughes’ murder to distract Colonel Mustang’s own inquiry into the philosopher’s stone. Arrested and put in jail, Ross is condemned to execution but is freed by Barry the Chopper. With the Sins lurking in the shadows, Colonel Mustang’s loyalty will come under question.

The story continues in Fullmetal Alchemist 10.

The Right to Privacy

Kemper, Bitsy. The Right to Privacy. Part of the Understanding the United States Constitution series. 2015. 112p. ISBN 978-14777506-6. Available at 342.73 KEM on the library shelves.

The right to privacy does not appear anywhere in the United States’ Constitution, yet courts have over the years interpreted many of the amendments as providing several guidelines against government overreach in people’s lives. During the colonial period, British soldiers could and often searched colonists’ homes and lodged there without compensation. In reaction, the framers of the Constitution added the Bill of Rights to protect the new nation.

Aside from exploring the historical roots of the right to privacy, this book explores issues related to video cameras in schools and in public, the legal searching of students’ lockers and possessions, the right of schools to drug test athletes, access to medical and educational records, garbage collection, and metal detectors at school entrances. Federal and state law cases are examined in relation to these topics. Tort is introduced and explained, and the future of privacy in a surveillance age is discussed.

Every student should read this book to understand their rights and their obligations. Only by being informed can they know whether schools are violating their rights.

The Extra

Lasky, Kathryn. The Extra. 2013. 320p. ISBN 9780763639723. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Lilo is your typical fifteen-year-old. She loves books and school, and she enjoys movies. But as a Gypsy from Austria, her life changed when the Nazis invaded her country. As settled Gypsies, Lilo’s family has been living and working hard and are seemingly integrated in their society. Racial laws now discriminate against Jews and Gypsies, however, and Lilo and her parents are arrested by the local police and are imprisoned.

Sent to a prison camp, Lilo and her mother are separated from her father, and despair sets in. Suddenly, however, an opportunity presents itself. Filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, Hitler’s favorite female director, is working on a Spanish-inspired movie and needs extra Spaniards. Given that the Second World War is on, she plans on using Gypsies instead. Lilo and her mother thus get sent to another prison camp, this one dedicated to the making of this movie.

Being there is like being in a different life altogether. The scenery is majestic, the actors are gorgeous. But the extras are barely fed, are kept filthy, and can be sent away back to a concentration camp at any time, and Riefenstahl is vicious and underhanded, with the power of life and death over every prisoner. Based on a true story, Lilo must decide whether staying is better than attempting escape.

The Korean War

Ziff, John. The Korean War. 2016. 64p. ISBN 978-1-4222-3356-6. Available at 951.9 ZIF on the library shelves.

Less famous and deadly than the Second World War, the Korean war ignited what had become a cold war into a bloody conflict that spanned the Korean peninsula and lasted three years. First occupied by the Japanese in the early 1900s, Korea was divided into a temporary Soviet-occupied side and an American-occupied side at the end of the Second World War with the eventual goal of unified elections that would hand the entire country to an elected government. But both communists and anti-communist forces opposed this settlement, and election were never held.

Communist North Korea launched a surprise attack against the Republic of Korea on June 25, 1950 and quickly pushed the South Korean forces to the tip of the peninsula. American forces intervened to stop the North Korean advance but struggled with ill-prepared troops and equipment. General MacArthur, who had led the Allied forces to victory in the Pacific, reorganized the forces and as reinforcements poured in Allied forces pushed the North Koreans back past the 38th parallel and went to the Chinese border.

Communist China intervened and fought the Americans to a stalemate in a series of bloody battles around the 38th parallel, however, and by 1951 both sides were exhausted and could not expect to win a military victory. A ceasefire was negotiated to allow for further negotiations, but these failed, and the two Koreas technically remain at war.

This book describes the events that happened in a war most of us are not familiar with. Readers interested in military history or strategy will find enough material in this book to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Korean War.  

The Grimm Legacy

Shulman, Polly. The Grimm Legacy. Book 1 of the Grimm Legacy series. 2010. 325p. ISBN 0-399-25096-4. Available on the library shelves at FIC SHU.

Elizabeth Rew is having trouble adjusting to a new life. Her mother died, and her father remarried to a woman who already had two teenage girls. Elizabeth feels lonely, and now she doesn’t even get to spend time with her father. The only highlight of her day is her English class, with Mr. Mauskopf. The rest of the time, she hangs out by herself.

When Mr. Mauskopf asks the class to come up with a topic to study, Elizabeth selects the Brother Grimms on a whim. They were her favorite stories, and she has fond memories of her mother reading them to her. Mr. Mauskopf is suitably impressed with her paper, and he offers her a job at the New York Circulating Material Repository, a library of objects that can be checked out by companies and individuals.

There she meets the dreamy Mark, a star basketball player who goes to her school, but whom would most likely never have spoken to her. She also meets Anjali, a beautiful Indian girl, and Aaron, who pins hard for Anjali. The four teens are pages at the library. It is their job to retrieve items off the shelves and bring them to the circulation desk, and to shelves returned items.

Among the mundane but precious items at the Repository are several intriguing collections, including the HG Wells, HP Lovecraft, and the Grimms Collection. Elizabeth quickly discovers that the items in the GC are in fact magical. Many of them were accumulated by the Grimm brothers themselves, and were the inspiration for their tales. From the magical mirror in Snow White to the boots of seven leagues, each object in the collection is powerful.

Elizabeth also discovers that there is a thief stealing objects from the Repository, as well as a giant bird ready to do harm to those in possession in a GC object. With Mark, Anjali and a reluctant Aaron, Elizabeth plans on solving this mystery. The thief, however, has other ideas and suddenly Elizabeth finds herself a target. Can she trust anyone?

This story is entertaining and very creative. What would the world be like if the objects in the fairy tales really existed? Fans of magic in a modern day setting will thoroughly enjoy this book, and will definitively like The Raven Boys series.

The Vietnam War: Frontline Soldiers and their Families

Levete, Sarah. The Vietnam War: Frontline Soldiers and their Families. 2016. 48p. ISBN 978-1-4824-3062-2. Available at 959.7 LEV on the library shelves.

The Vietnam War involved multiple participants and lasted over twenty years. When U.S. soldiers began to arrive to prop up South Vietnam following the French defeat in the 1950s, a regular conflict similar to the Second World War or Korea was expected. But the country’s geography and vegetation prevented large scale movements of troops and tanks, and instead benefited the guerrilla warfare the Communists had developed in their fight against the Japanese.

This book examines the impact Vietnam had on the soldiers of both sides and on their families, for every time a soldier died or was wounded, it was not only them who were involved, but siblings, parents, and relatives as well who suffered the consequences. For American families, it was being so far removed from this unpopular war that made it hard. The news from their soldiers did not seem to match what was being reported by generals and the White House. As more and more television newscasts showed the conditions on the ground, the war’s popularity dropped until a majority became opposed to it. Soldiers returning were then perceived to have participated in something that was wrong and were blamed.

For Vietnamese families, the impact was more direct. Their loved ones were hurt when villages were bombed. Soldiers died in battle and in prison. Whole areas were defoliated and destroyed, forcing more people into relocation camps. Wounds crippled many people, and left-over ordinances maimed more. The departure of American soldiers ended their participation in the conflict, but more repression followed as the South fell to the North and was united.

North Africa and Europe 1940-1945

Cooke, Tim. North Africa and Europe 1940-1945. Part of the World War II: The Full Story series. 2015. 48p. ISBN 978-1-78121-203-1. Available at 940.41 NOR on the library shelves. 10/15/16

The invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in September 1939 triggers the beginning of the Second World War, but for eight months not much happens on the Western Front. Both armies are staring at each other from across a fortified border. But in May 1940, German tanks and airplanes fought a similar lightning war as had occurred in Poland, and France, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Holland all fell in a matter of weeks. Britain now stood alone against the German war machine.

Hitler decided to bring Britain to its knees by waging an air war against it as a prelude to an invasion. For months, Britain was bombed, but slowly heroic pilots turned the tide and reduced the power of the Luftwaffe, the German air force. Meanwhile, Italian forces attacked across the border of Libya towards Egypt but were turned away by British forces. Hitler sent German troops, the Afrika Korp, to assist the beleaguered Italians. American, French, and British troops landed in Morocco and Algeria and fought east, while British troops fought westward from Egypt, eventually forcing the Germans to surrender.

At the same time, Germany launched a surprise attack against the Russians, with whom they had concluded a nonaggression pact in 1939. German troops arrived at Moscow’s doors by the end of 1941, but were overextended and lacked winter equipment to continue the offensive. Slowly but surely, Russian armies begin the long push back.

By 1944, Allied forces landed in Normandy, while a bombing campaign made life difficult for the Germans. The Russians reached Poland, American and British forces liberated Paris and completed the conquest of Italy. The days of Nazi Germany were counted, but it still took another six months to secure an unconditional capitulation. On May 7, 1945, war in Europe ended.

Other books in this series include Life in the War, Home Front, and War in the Pacific 1941-1945.

This book looks at life as war wages in North Africa and Europe from the multiple perspectives of soldiers, generals, nurses, politicians and civilians. If is a balanced and chronological examination of all sides and a look at a time and a culture through its fights, its art, its citizens and those not on the front lines.     

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

Hoose, Phillip. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice. 2009. 133p. ISBN 978-0-374-31322-7. Available at B COL on the library shelves.

Fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin had no idea she would become the trigger that led to the desegregation of the bus in Montgomery, Alabama when, on March 2, 1955, she decided to remain in her seat instead of giving it up to a white woman. Arrested, handcuffed and jailed, Claudette fought the Jim Crow laws of the South and worked with the NAACP to take her case to court to challenge the constitutionality of “separate but equal.” Unfortunately, the city withdrew the violating segregating law charge and instead Claudette was convicted of assaulting a police officer. The case the South had been waiting for disappeared.

Instead of being praised, Claudette became a pariah at her school and in her community. It didn’t help matters that she became pregnant out of wedlock. Meanwhile, the NAACP’s local secretary, Rosa Parks, followed in Claudette’s steps and was arrested on the bus for not giving up her seat. Unlike Claudette, she was the perfect poster child: She was 42, a devout church goer, well appreciated in the community, and a hard worker.

With nothing changing, Dr. Martin Luther King and his colleagues called for a boycott of the Montgomery bus system, and filed a lawsuit against the city. Claudette was once again approached to testify, and she readily agreed. This time, the lawsuit was successful, and the bus company was ordered desegregated. Claudette’s refusal to give her seat nine months before Rosa Park had been the catalyst for change sought by the African-American community, and her actions directly contributed to the birth of the Civil Rights movement.

An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793

Murphy, Jim. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. 2003. 165p. ISBN 9780395776087. Available as an eBook from Overdrive.

The summer of 1793 was stifling hot in Philadelphia. The sights and smells of a city without sewers and perennially behind on garbage removal were overpowering. Detritus piled everywhere. A large quantity of rotting coffee had been dumped on the wharf and remained there, slowly rotting away. But for most people, it was business as usual in Revolutionary America.

Lurking in the shadows was what became known as yellow fever, a sickness that made the person turn yellow. At the time, it was thought by doctors that humors, or atmospheres, affected individuals and unbalanced their body, thereby making them sick. Without microscopes, people could not observe the microbes that caused yellow fever. Distributed by mosquitoes, this disease could be fatal. And the recipe for a perfect storm (standing water, garbage, and carriers) was present. Philadelphia in the summer of 1793 was a biological time bomb.

When the first people came down with yellow fever, it looked like a regular fever. But as the number of people dying increased rapidly, doctors and local officials realized this was no ordinary sickness. As panic gripped the city of Philadelphia, the U.S. and State governments fled, George Washington returned to Virginia, and surrounding States and communities barricaded themselves against travelers from the City of Brotherly Love. For the inhabitants left in the city, the worse was yet to come …

A historical thriller, the reader will remain on the edge of his or her seat as the catastrophic outbreak of yellow fever kills thousands while doctors fruitlessly search for a cure. One of the worse pandemic in U.S. history, the plague of 1793 continues to fascinate and provide a morbid look at revolutionary society.

The Crown's Game

Skye, Evelyn. The Crown’s Game. Book 1 of The Crown’s Game series. 2016. 399p. ISBN 0062422588. Available as a eBook on Overdrive.

Russia has always been protected by an Enchanter, someone able to wield the magic of the land to protect the Tsar and Mother Russia against its enemies. Vika Andreyeva has been trained by her father all of her life to fill in that role. She can summon lightning, and emerge unscated from a ball of fire. When the time comes, she will fill in as one of the the Tsar’s trusted advisors.

But when she is summoned by the Tsar, it is to discover that this time there are two Enchanters, herself and a mysterious man. Since there can only be one, the Tsar orders a fight between the two candidates. Amaze him with their displays to celebrate his son’s birthday, and the winner will become the official Enchanter. The loser will lose everything, including his or her life, since there is not enough magic in the land to sustain two Enchanters. It is, of course, appropriate for an Enchanter to kill another one through magic, and such a display would immediately end the game with a winner.

Vika quickly discovers that her heart is not in killing the other Enchanter, however. With the Ottomans to the South, Kazakhs to the East threatening the Russian Empire, the heart of the Tsar’s son in play, and a foul enemy coming back from the grave to find those who did her wrong, the Crown’s game becomes deadly.

Filled with Russian lore and exploring a part of the world we are not familiar with, the Crown’s Game will be appreciated by those who enjoyed The Egg and the Spoon.

Copyright for Schools: A Practical Guide, Fifth Edition

Simpson, Carol. Copyright for Schools: A Practical Guide, Fifth Edition. 2010. 252p. ISBN 978-1-58683-393-0. Available at PROF 346.73 SIM on the library shelves.

The laws regarding copyright are fraught with obscurity and confusion and are generally defined by court cases that affirm or deny an aspect of the law. Defined primarily as an economic tool, copyright has a significant impact in schools, which may run afoul of Congress’ intention to regulate the rights and responsibilities of creators and distributors of information.

This book begins with a discussion of copyright law and a historical outline of how it came about and where it stands now. It then examines aspects of copyright on print, multimedia, music, video, and computer software and how these relate to activities that take place in schools. Questions from teachers are answered and scenarios are examined to answer some of the thorniest issues of fair use, license versus fair use, and what teachers can and cannot do. Finally, guidance on best practices is provided to assist the professional on remaining on the right side of the law.

A great primer or review of copyright laws, this book provides a wealth of information to ensure that a school adheres to copyright compliance instead of finding itself the object of a cease and desist order from enforcing organizations of copyright.

The River

Paulsen, Gary. The River. 2008. 2 hours 31 minutes. ISBN 978-0-7393-8618-7. Available as an audiobook on Moultonborough Overdrive.

Fifteen-year old Brian Robeson is a typical teenager, except for one glaring characteristic: two years ago, he survived alone 54 days in the wilderness when the plane he was in crashed in the Canadian north. For a while Brian did the talk show circuit and was featured prominently on the news, but now his notoriety has finally died down. Brian still feels lost, however. It is impossible to relate to the world he lives in with the experience he acquired, and he really can’t talk to anyone about it.

Now, however, the U.S. government hopes Brian would be willing to do it all over again so that Derek, a psychologist who serves on the team that designs survival courses for the military, can accompany him and document the conditions of survival in the wilderness. Basically, Derek wants Brian to relive his experience. Brian shocks his mother when he readily agrees. He needs to do this, to share this experience with someone else so that he can finally talk about it.

Upon arrival to another lake a hundred miles away from his first stay, Brian tells Derek that they cannot have any of the gear they brought with them on the float plane because it won’t be real. Derek agrees, but convinces Brian to at least keep the radio. At first, everything goes well. They build a shelter, get a fire going, and find enough food to satisfy their hunger. On the third night, however, Derek is struck by lightning and falls into a coma. Brian now faces a dilemma. He can stay here and home that Derek recovers, because the radio itself has also been fried by the bolt of electricity. Or he can get Derek on a raft and navigate the river that comes out of the lake for what seemed on the map to be about 120 miles until the first trading post. Brian decides to attempt to save Derek’s life, and he builds a raft. But now, he must face the elements once again on his own in a race against time….

A companion story to Hatchet, The River will keep survivalists riveted to the edge of their seats as they watch Brian’s progress or lack thereof down the river.