Wednesday 31 December 2014

John Bloom and the Victory Garden - Leigh Shearin

I am pleased to be joining in a Book Review Blitz for the middle grade historical fiction book “John Bloom and the Victory Garden” by Leigh Shearin.

John Bloom and the Victory Garden by Leigh Shearin

 

About the Book

Title: John Bloom and the Garden of Victory
Author: Leigh Shearin
Publication Date: October 27, 2014
Pages: 195
Recommended Ages: 9+

Book Summary:  John Bloom and the Victory Garden is the rollicking tale of 3 boys at the dawn of America’s involvement in WWII. John Bloom, and his best friends Joe and Chewie live, play, and get into adventures in 1940’s era Appleside, NJ. Because children are generally joyful and tend to put more importance on the goings-on of their own worlds than those of grown-ups, the events of the war are woven into the boys' daily lives. Along the way, a bitter and cynical old man is drawn into their hijinks, and contributes his own joy to the lives of these 3.

Chapter One invites the reader to join John and his friends in Appleside, NJ on the afternoon of December 6th, 1941. Through newspaper headlines and radio bulletins, the boys learn about the incredible events of the war- beginning with the attack on Hawaii by the Empire of Japan. As the story moves along, John and his friends learn that everyone- not just soldiers- can make a difference. They learn that commitment leads to ultimate success and that taking a seemingly insurmountable task one step at a time will make that task simple. John, Joe and Chewie learn about where their food comes from, and how important good food is to the Allies overseas.

John Bloom and the Victory Garden is not just a story of Homefront USA during WWII. Its about faith, endurance and sturdy values that transcend time and cultural differences. It’s about accepting tough times, struggle and adversity and overcoming them anyway. It’s about seeing the humour in life, and helping others to see the humour too.

But mostly, they just have a gut-busting great time!

 Amazon | Goodreads

 What I Think

I was looking forward immensely to reading this book. As a British person, we are all familiar with the struggles on the home front that our families had to endure during WWII, but it was refreshing to read about how people in other parts of the world also faced adversity.

A wonderfully humorous book that teaches values through its strong historical links. A must for any teacher looking for a good book on which to base and support their delivery of WWII history.

About the Author: Leigh Shearin

Leigh Shearin, Author

I am a Writer, Chef, Baker and Farmer. I earned a B.A. in Studio Art from Maryville College in Maryville, TN, and worked as a Graphic Artist and Photographer before earning my A.A.S in Culinary Art. I’ve worked as a Chef, Baker and Culinary Art Instructor. Most recently, my husband and I have bought rural land and are developing our own small, sustainable farm, Winter’Rest Farm in north Central New York. Through it all, I’ve written stories and poems, some published, some tucked away. The older I get, the more the stories stalk me, so I hope to move into full-time writing in the very near future.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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