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A Medal for Leroy
Author:
Morpurgo, Michael
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Class:
Fiction
Age: 10-14
Language: English
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LC: PZ7.M827
Grade: 5-9
Print Run: 20000
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ISBN-13: 9781250039804
LCCN: BD13287028
Imprint: Feiwel and Friends
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
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Pub Date: 01/14/2014
Availability: Out of Print Confirmed
List: $16.99
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Hardcover
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Physical Description:
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140 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
H 8.42",
W 5.69",
D 0.8",
0.54 lbs.
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LC Series:
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Brodart Sources:
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Brodart's For Youth Interest: Popular
Brodart's Insight Catalog: Teen
Brodart's TOP Young Adult Titles
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Bibliographies:
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Awards:
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Horn Book Guide Titles, Rated 1 - 4
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Starred Reviews:
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TIPS Subjects:
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Historical Fiction
Military Fiction
Social Issues
Family Life
African American & Black
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BISAC Subjects: |
YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Historical / Military & Wars
YOUNG ADULT FICTION / African American & Black
YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Family / Multigenerational
YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Places / United States
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LC Subjects:
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African Americans, Fiction
Grandfathers, Fiction
World War, 1914-1918, Fiction
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SEARS Subjects: |
African Americans, Fiction
Grandfathers, Fiction
World War, 1914-1918, Fiction
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Reading Programs: |
Accelerated Reader Level:
5.1
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Points: 3.0
Lexile Level:
860
Reading Counts Level:
5.6
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Points: 8.0
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| Annotations |
| Brodart's TOP Young Adult Titles | 01/01/2014 |
| A letter left behind by Michael's late aunt speaks of Michael's grandfather's heroic, though non-acknowledged, service to his fellow soldiers as a black officer during World War I. It's time for Michael to make sure his grandfather finally receives the recognition he so bravely earned. 144pp. |
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| Journal Reviews |
| Booklist | 02/01/2014 |
| Grades 3-5. Morpurgo, author of War Horse (2007), returns with another middle-grade historical drama. Londoner Michael doesn't know much about his grandfather Leroy, who died in WWI as one of the rare black members of the RAF. There is a mystery surrounding Leroy that even Michael's mother cannot explain. Then he receives a belated gift--a framed photograph of Leroy. This photo, however, contains a secret that, for the first time ever, will tell the forgotten tale of this brave soldier. Here the narrative shifts to a letter that takes us back to WWI, and it's a large chunk of pages, which does slow the book's momentum. It's a fine story, though, even if Leroy's goodness is a bit too perfect to be believed. In fact, the entire book is squeaky-clean, which may make some eyes roll, even while being that warm, gentle read that others savor. Regardless, readers will be moved by Michael's plan to reverse an old unfairness--because he was black, Leroy never got his medal, but that's about to change. Kraus, Daniel. 144pg. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2014. |
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| Horn Book Guide | 11/01/2014 |
| 3. This tale about family secrets and well-intentioned lies is inspired by the real-life experiences of the first black British Army officer, who was prejudicially denied a medal for his actions during WWI. Though the focus of the book is on family relationships and the stories people invent to protect their loved ones, Morpurgo also offers an understated, unexpectedly gentle meditation on prejudice. mlb. 131pg. THE HORN BOOK, c2014. |
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| Publishers Weekly | 10/21/2013 |
| Ages 10-14. Inspired by Walter Tull, the first black officer in the British army, War Horse author Morpurgo examines WWI from another angle with this novel narrated in the present day by a man named Michael as he looks back at his boyhood. As a nine-year-old in 1940s London, Michael dreads visiting his paternal aunts Mary and Martha, nicknamed Pish and Snowdrop: the trips only remind Michael and his Maman of his late father, Roy, an RAF pilot. Five years later, after Martha's funeral, Mary sends Michael a framed photo of his father; when the glass breaks, Michael discovers a hidden letter from Martha. What follows is her account of her time as a nurse during WWI in Belgium and a secret love affair, opening Michael's eyes to his family's untold history and unrecognized bravery. Martha's letter to Michael, which makes up the second half of the book, addresses important topics directly, including racial prejudice and unwed motherhood. The novel's elegant structure and quiet, retrospective narration--both Michael's and Martha's--bolster this story about the importance of knowing the truth about one's heritage. (Jan.). 144p. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2013. |
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| School Library Journal | 02/01/2014 |
| Gr 4-8--Michael lives in London in the 1940s with his French mother, who became a war widow before he was born. On a regular basis, they visit Auntie Pish and Auntie Snowdrop, who raised his father. A letter written by Aunt Snowdrop arrives several years after her death, and as Michael reads it, he discovers the truth about his heritage, about his family, and about the bravery of his grandfather, who was black. This letter creates a story within a story, in which Morpurgo deals honestly with themes of war, death, and the racial injustice. According to an author's note, the novel is inspired by the true story of Walter Tull, a black officer in the British Army in World War I, who, although courageous, was never awarded a medal due to the color of his skin. Even though it's short and simple to read, appealing to reluctant readers, this novel offers readers of all ages a beautiful multilayered story of compassion, loyalty, and courage. Denise Moore, O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD. 144p. SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2014. |
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9781250039804,dl.it[0].title
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