WarGames
I read the book WarGames by Audrey and Akila Couloumbis. This book is a Newbery Honor Winner. The reccomended reading age is 8-12 years old. It was published October of 2009. Some more books by Audrey Couloumbis is Love Me Tender and Getting Near to Baby. Akila Couloumbis grew up duing WWII and this is based on his childhood in Greece.
The back of the book says “For 12-year-old Petros, World War II feels unreal and far away. What’s real is working in his papa’s garden. Playing marbles with his friends. Fighting with his older brother, Zola. Zola, who must always be first. Who must always be best. But when the Germans invade Greece, the war suddenly comes impossibly close. Overnight, neighbors become enemies. People begin to keep secrets (Petros’s family most of all). And for the first time, Petros has the chance to show Zola that he’s not just a little brother but that he can truly be counted on. Soon what were once just boys’ games become matters of life and death as Petros and Zola each wonder if, like their resistance fighter cousin, they too can make a difference. “
New York Times Review says “In this richly detailed novel…the greatest risk for the villagers, besides enemy soldiers, may be the suspicion that comes between neighbors.”
Publishers Weekly says Newbery Honor–winning author Audrey Couloumbis (Getting Near to Baby) collaborates with her husband, Akila, to tell a story inspired by his family history in Greece during WWII. Twelve-year-old Petros and his older brother, Zola, live in the small town of Amphissa. Their rural life is interrupted when Nazis invade and a German commander takes up residence in their home. The family fears that their ties to America (the boys' father ran a store there, but they returned to Greece when it went bankrupt) will make them a target, and they hide all signs (such as American toys and clothing) that they are anything but an ordinary Greek family. Inspired by the courage of their cousin Lambros, a soldier who has escaped capture, Petros finds his own ways to contribute, including helping drop notes to spread war news; he also has an uneasy relationship with the German commander, who is something of a supportive presence but still the enemy. The Couloumbises craft a poignant and plain spoken account of the everyday impacts of a vast war and the importance of small victories.
My favorite quote from this book is “I can shoot two birds with one stone.” I thought what Zola does is very tricky. I think that everyone will enjoy this book because it will catch your attention from page one! This book is like no other you will ever read. It keeps your attention and you never know what is going to happen next.
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