Vancouver, BC: Ronsdale Press, 2010.
168 pp., pbk., $10.95.
ISBN 978-1-55380-102-3.
Grades 5-9 / Ages 10-14.
One of the reasons that I picked up this title is that I know of a number of reluctant male readers who are keen to read about anything that has to do with war.
Reid’s central character is Johnny Anders, who exhibits much of the similiar sentiments that teens today display about Remembrance Day. This is evident on the opening page when he states to his father that “it’s all old stuff that happened a long time ago. What’s it have to do with me?”
Through a series of events presented in a time-travel format, Johnny is taken to various points in history where a unknown ghost in the guise of a soldier acts has his guide. First confusion fills him as to these ‘ghost’ visits, and then as the nightly treks continue to different war-torn locals, Johnny’s many unanswered questions nudge him to seek some sort of explanations by using the resources in his school library. Here he stumbles into an odd sort of friendship with another new student like himself, only this is a girl and her name is Casey.
Their shared interest in history allows Johnny to divulge to Casey about his nocturnal soldier-ghost visits and the various journeys he has been taken on. As Johnny is given the priviledge of ‘seeing’ what roles the men and women during war played, he and Casey are inspired to continue their research in locating information on notibale heroes such as Bill Chong, Joan Bamford Fletcher and fighter-pilot Raymond Collishaw.
By the conclusion of the story we see how Johnny’s time-travel adventure have impacted and changed his preceptions of meaning of Remembrance Day and that the ”old stuff that happened long ago” really does have significance for all generations.
Easy read…. recommended for Boys!
Interest level: Grade 6 to 8
Reading Level: Grade 5 to 7
Genre: Historical fiction; War; Remembrance Day
Who would like this book? ANy boy who is interested in war; First Nations soldiers;
Furthur Information on Canadian War Heroes:
Bill Chong:
Canadian Weblink:http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/sub.cfm?source=collections/hr_cdnchinese
YouTube link for Bill Chong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n88YwntKXvY
Raymond Collishaw weblink:http://www.earlyaviators.com/ecollish.htm
Joan Fletcher Bamford: http://www.tiltcreative.com/rogues/heroesandrogues.htm
Tommy Prince (First Nations War Hero):http://firstnationsdrum.com/2002/09/thomas-prince-canadas-forgotten-aboriginal-war-hero-2/
Genre: Historical fiction; War; Remembrance Day
Author Weblink:
http://www.cbc.ca/books/booksandauthors/2010/11/ghost-of-heroes-past.html
While I am not even finished reading this book, I feel I MUST share it immediately! Warning: The Agency is one of those books which once started will be impossible to put down. Do not open the front cover when there is a room to be cleaned, homework to be completed, or soccer practice to be attended. Mary Lang/Quinn is a thief sentenced to be hanged. She is rescued by a Spy Agency and immediately put to work. Her first assignment is rather boring, however, it is guaranteed that Mary will make it exciting. This book is already full of action and suspense, and I love the strong female protagonist.
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