Foster's War

by Carolyn Reeder

Book Overview

When his older brother joins the army during World War II in order to escape the rages of an authoritarian father, eleven-year-old Foster fights his battles on the homefront This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0590098462
• ISBN13: 9780590098465
• Release Date: March 1998
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 10 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 9

Customer Reviews

Good Job

In this book the only war isn't just World War II it is also in Foster's home. His father beats him and constantly puts him down. In order to get away from his father Foster's older brother Mel signs up for the army causing him to leave school. The three youngest children have developed skills they can use together to get away from their abusive father's ways. When the family messes up the slightest bit he overreacts and begins his attack. After the family learns of Pearl Harbor they begin to worry about air raids and the safety of Mel. Foster's best friend Jimmy is moved to an internment camp because he is a Japanese - American or a Jap in the words of the adults. The book goes on talking about the war. This a great book for middle schoolers. I really liked it. 5 stars!!!!!!

Foster's War Review -By Alex Neil-

Foster's WarDo you like World War II? Well if you do then you will enjoy Foster's War by Carolyn Reeder. Carolyn's first book was called Shades of Gray. It won the Scott O'Dell Award. She also wrote two other books called Grandpa's Mountain and Moonshiner's Son. I would give Foster's War a 5 out of 5.Foster's War takes place in San Diego, California during World War II in 1941. In the beginning the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Foster's older brother, Mel, got sent to war. Foster later started getting into conflicts with his dad. Foster's best friend, Jimmy, who is Japanese, has to move away into a Japanese neighborhood. Later in the story the family gets news that Mel is missing in action. About a week later the family receives a telegram saying that Mel was killed in action on June 4. Finally, Foster and the rest of his family started to get along together. To end the story Foster's dad buy Foster and his brother Rick a fancy train set. There were several conflicts in the story. The main conflict was when Mel went to war the whole family was worried about him. The dad was mad about Mel going to war, because Mel didn't get his father's permission and he forged his father's permission. The other conflicts that weren't as important was when Foster's best friend Jimmy had to move away to a Japanese neighborhood and when the whole family didn't get along so well.Here are a few main characters in the story. The main character is Foster. Foster is 11 years old. He loves his older brother Mel a lot. His best friend is a Japanese boy named Jimmy. He is an average kid like everybody else that's goes to his school. He is the founder of the Youth War Effort. Another main character is Mr. Simmons. He is Foster's dad. He is always mean and angry. He works long hours at the aircraft factory. Everyday when he comes home he complains. He also gets angry with the family a lot. One last thing that he does is go around the neighborhood to make sure everybody's light are off when the have an air raid. The last main character that I'll mention is Mrs. Simmons. She is always nice to everybody. She tries really hard to keep the family together no matter what happens. She also helps around a lot. The author shows the theme well. The theme of the story is, sometimes bad things have to happen in order to bring a family together. She shows this by having Mel go to war first. Then she shows the family getting into fights. When they got the news Mel was missing they got a little better. Then when they got the telegram about Mel was killed the family almost came together. Finally when the dad bought them the train set you can tell that they came together. Foster's War was a great book. I would give it a 5 out of 5. You would enjoy this a lot if you like World War II. If you don't like World War II you will still enjoy it. For a grade level that I would say that like it is probably 6th to 8th grade. Ages 10 to 14. I think this book will be a classic and kids will continue t

The Best Book

Foster's War was a very well writen story. I was not alive during World War II, but this book was very realistic. From the family to coping with the war, it was realistic. I would highly recomend this to young readers.

Wonderful book overall!

I laughed, I cried. What a wonderful book. Foster is set up to deal with many hardships for being such young child. He has his friends (or lack there of), his Father's cold and harsh attitude, and his brother Mel whose is sent off to fight in the war. By the end of the novel, all of these things change. And you end the book asking yourself, "Is change always for the better?".

Excellent! Moving,insightfull, funny.For kids and parents.

Top notch! This book really gives a view of what life was like for American families during WW2. From the Japanese-American families to the average little kid. The family situation may remind older readers of their own childhood as well as make them consider how they treat their own children.