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Emily St. John MandelEmily St. John Mandel 9781609530990

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Mare's War

by Tanita S. Davis

ISBN13: 9780375857140
ISBN10: 0375857141
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Meet Mare, a grandmother with flair and a fascinating past.

Octavia and Tali are dreading the road trip their parents are forcing them to take with their grandmother over the summer. After all, Mare isnt your typical grandmother. She drives a red sports car, wears stiletto shoes, flippy wigs, and push-up bras, and insists that shes too young to be called Grandma. But somewhere on the road, Octavia and Tali discover theres more to Mare than what you see. She was once a willful teenager who escaped her less-than-perfect life in the deep South and lied about her age to join the African American battalion of the Womens Army Corps during World War II.

Told in alternating chapters, half of which follow Mare through her experiences as a WAC member and half of which follow Mare and her granddaughters on the road in the present day, this novel introduces a larger-than-life character who will stay with readers long after they finish reading.

Synopsis:

With her friend Missy Violet away in Florida, Viney has big shoes to fill. While there are ailing neighbors to tend to, Vineys favorite teacher has also left school – and Vineys irrepressible cousin Charles continues his mischief-making. Through short, powerful vignettes and letters between Missy Violet, Viney, and others, readers will be happy to return to the day-to-day happenings in this warm southern town.

About the Author

Tanita S. Davis is the author of the young adult novel A la Carte, published by Knopf in June 2008. A native Californian, she lives in Glasgow, Scotland.

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: edicampbell, August 8, 2009 (view all comments by edicampbell)
Mare’s war by Tanita S. Davis
Alfred A. Knopf 2009
main character: Mare Boylin

Octavia and Talia are all set for summer vacation until their outrageous grandmother, Mare, comes to town and insists that the girls join her on a cross country road trip. The girls only know Mare through their parent’s eyes and they don’t look forward to spending the summer with her. What follows are alternating chapters, some told by Mare about her life as a WAC during WWII and others told by Octavia in the present. The girls come to admire their grandmothers sense of independence as well as her sense of commitment to her family and her country. Mare doesn’t live a wild a crazy life, just one where she is responsible first to herself, then others.

Writing such a book has to be tricky. Each story line must be dependent enough upon the other to build a compelling story. Davis skillfully links past to present as the girls begin to embrace their own sense of adventure as well as embrace a higher degree of respect for their grandmother.

Mare’s War brought to life the dedication of Black female soldiers whose sense of patriotism led them to volunteer to fight for a segregated army. Readers, through Mare, taste the freedom she feels as well as the regret at having to come home to racist attitudes she was able to leave behind. We also see the total devastation that swept across Europe while American land was safe.

Mare was such a dynamic, passionate woman. I wish she’d had just one love affair. Rather than following this traditional path however, Davis gave us a woman who was able to define herself and find her own happiness on her own. What a role model for all of us!

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Product Details

ISBN:: 9780375857140
Author:: Davis, Tanita S.
Publisher:: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Author:: Tanita S. Davis
Author:: Hathaway, Barbara
Subject:: World war, 1939-1945
Subject:: Sisters
Subject:: People & Places - United States - African-American
Subject:: Historical - United States - 20th Century
Subject:: United states
Subject:: Ethnic - African American
Subject:: Children s-General
Edition Description:: Trade Cloth
Publication Date:: 20090631
Binding:: HARDCOVER
Grade Level:: from 7
Language:: English
Illustrations:: Y
Pages:: 352
Dimensions:: 7 x 5 in 1 lb
Age Level:: 12-12

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Children's » Awards » Coretta Scott King Award Winners
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