A Boy at War



By Harry Mazer

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

2001

104 pages

Reading Level:  7-8 

Historical Fiction 

 

 

 

Adam is a fourteen-year-old boy, who just moved to Honolulu with his family.  His father is a naval officer during World War II.  Adam is befriended by a Japanese boy named Davi.  Adam's father does not support their friendship because of the negative feelings toward anyone of Japanese descent, especially since he is concerned with how that will reflect upon him as he is an officer.  When Adam goes to tell Davi that he cannot be friends with him, he realizes that he just cannot do it because he really likes Davi, so he goes fishing him and another friend named Martin, who is Hawaiian.  As they row out into Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attack.

 

My rating on this book is good; I have chosen this rating as I think that most of the intended audience will be interested in the content.  The themes of this book are war, racial discrimination, stereotyping, family, friendship, and loyalty.  This book will be valuable when instructing students about World War II as it uses a lot historical facts and perspectives.