 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
On the Wings of Heroes
- By Richard Peck
- Genre: Historical Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Funny, poignant life on home front during WWII.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there is some violence: A father is knocked out with a wrench, a girl's hand is caught in a rattrap, and an old lady likes to tell tales of gruesome injuries.
What's the story?
Davy's life is pretty normal -- normal, that is, for small town middle America around 1940. There are the evening games of tag involving everyone on the street, Halloween tricks, eccentric neighbors, hopes for a new bike, times helping out at his dad's gas station, and tall tales told by the old lady down the block.
Then WWII intervenes, and Davy's older brother, Bill, joins the Air Force to be a bomber pilot. Now life includes air raid drills, scrap drives, ration cards, postcards from Bill overseas, and stars in the windows of servicemen's families. But even with all that, the war seems pretty far away -- until Bill's plane is shot down and he is missing in action.
Is it any good?
This slice of Americana has all the elements that Richard Peck does better than anyone else. Start with a historical setting that opens up a new world to young readers, and tell the story in the voice of someone who lived it. Add intact families with strong, loving parents and wise, cantankerous elders, infuse it with incisive wit and humor, and spread it all out in some of the sharpest prose available in print today.
This is Mark Twain crossed with Dylan Thomas, and Peck is one of very few authors who could bear that comparison. This delightful little book is not for kids who need lots of action and adventure to keep them reading. But for those who can enjoy a warm and witty portrait of a time and place long gone but not yet forgotten, it's a true gem. And it might just send young readers scurrying for their own grandparents to hear more stories about their childhoods.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the differences between life then and now. What aspects of Davy's life sound similar to your own? Which are completely different? Does it sound like it was fun to grow up then? Is it more fun now? What else have you seen and read about WWII?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Kid, 11 years old
November 28, 2011
AGE
The Big Best Book
This book, ON THE WINGS OF HEROES is really exciting and also maybe sad because, to me it was. It has good details on the main plot and settings and ect... But the most important thing about this book is, Family! so i reccomend this book for ages 9-13.
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Author: | Richard Peck |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Historical Fiction |
| Publisher: | Dial Books |
| Publication date: | February 1, 2007 |
| Number of pages: | 148 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 9 - 12 |
| Read aloud: | 9 |
| Read alone: | 10 |
Review It
Register now to save reviews and advice articles to your personal lists!
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already read it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
