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A review by jwinchell
And the Soldiers Sang by J. Patrick Lewis
4.0
This is on the 2014 Monarch list.
Wow. This book proves the power of storytelling as an entree to history. I was so moved by the fictional Welshman's experience fighting on the Western Front during the early years of WWI, and it was fascinating to learn that the Christmas truce was real. The illustrations were powerful--dark scenes, vivid faces; they helped me get a sense for the place that I otherwise wouldn't have. And the storytelling was good; this would make a good read-aloud, helped mostly by the first person narration. But the language is also poetic and very carefully chosen.
Wow. This book proves the power of storytelling as an entree to history. I was so moved by the fictional Welshman's experience fighting on the Western Front during the early years of WWI, and it was fascinating to learn that the Christmas truce was real. The illustrations were powerful--dark scenes, vivid faces; they helped me get a sense for the place that I otherwise wouldn't have. And the storytelling was good; this would make a good read-aloud, helped mostly by the first person narration. But the language is also poetic and very carefully chosen.