Review: Postcards From No Man's Land - Aidan Chambers

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Title: Postcards From No Man's Land
Author: Aidan Chambers
Genre: Teens, History (WWII)
Publisher: Definitions (2007), 1999
Pages: paperback, 331
Language: English
Rating: 8/10
Summary: On request of his grandmother English teen Jacob Todd travels on his own to The Netherlands for the commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem where his grandfather fought in WorldWar II. Jacob has his own mission too; he wants to visit the Anne Frank house. In between staying with old friends of his grandmother he gets lost in Amsterdam.
Intermixed with Jacob's adventures elderly Dutch woman Geertrui tells her story of love and betrayal in times of war, linking Jacob with her family in a way he never suspected. It makes him question his place in the world.

( Spoilerfree review )

Review: Boy - James Hanley

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Title: Boy
Author: James Hanley
Genre: Drama
Publisher: One World Classics Ltd (2007), 1931
Pages: paperback, 175
Language: English
Rating: 7/10
Summary: Twelve year old Fearon has to quit school, because his parents need the extra money. His father gets him a job in the shipyard. Fearon is treated very roughly and runs away from home. He stows away on a freighter, hoping to start a new life. When he is discovered and put to work he learns quickly that a ship full of rugged seamen is not a very safe place for an innocent young boy.

( Spoilerfree review )

My edition included an essay on the writer and extended notes on the book.