After the Dancing Days [Paperback]

Margaret Rostkowski (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up

Is War A Thing To Be Forgotten?

That's what Annie's mother would like to do. She wants to forget the pain and heartache--and to keep it away from Annie, too. But Annie cannot forget the death of her favorite uncle, who was killed in France. She cannot forget Andrew, the angry young veteran she meets at the hospital where her father works. Can Annie find the courage to help Andrew? And will she ever be able to make sense of a war that took so much from so many?

Drawn to the Kansas hospital where her father cares for wounded World War One veterans, Annie meets Andrew, a disfigured young soldier. As Annie helps Andrew slowly adjust to his wounds, she also faces devastating truths about war and the complex world of adulthood. ‘A girl on the brink of womanhood comes to terms with the brutal aftereffects of war in an absorbing novel.’ —BL.

Notable Children’s Books of 1986 (ALA)
1986 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
The USA Through Children's Books (ALSC)
1986 Children's Editors' Choices (BL)
1987 Children's Book Award (IRA)
Young Adult Choices for 1988 (IRA)
100 Favorite Paperbacks 1989 (IRA/CBC)
Notable 1986 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
1987 Teachers' Choices (NCTE)
1986 Golden Kite Award for Fiction (SCBW)
Judy Lopez Memorial Award Certificate of Merit
1986 Jefferson Cup Award Winner (Virginia Library Association)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Annie learns to stand up to her mother in the days following the end of The Great War, through her friendship with a veteran and in the discovery of the truth about her uncle's heroism; this is a gracefully written story with a clear-sighted view of the ironies of war. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9 Annie is both fascinated and repelled by the wounded soldiers whom she sees being wheeled off of a train in her small Kansas town at the end of World War I. When her father, a doctor, begins to work in the veterans hospital, and her grandfather reads to a blind vet there, Annie has the opportunity to visit and make friends with two soldiers. This provokes a series of questionsabout the war, the woundeds' recovery, and her dead unclethat precipitates her coming of age. This is a skillfully constructed story, with plot and character development mutually dependent and smoothly woven to present a believable and satisfying tale. Annie's mother's opposition to her hospital visits acts as a catalyst to Annie's loss of innocence. Annie's growth is revealed naturally through situations and her reaction to themsudden boredom with last summer's games, a visit to the opera, learning the circumstances of her uncle's death, and especially her trips to the hospital. The setting is subtly and distinctly fixed in time and place; the theme is timeless and universal. The moodsomber, tranquil, reflective of a time when life, even in wartime, was lived at a slower paceis consistant throughout. The book's only significant flaw is a pace that is occasionally too slow; in these places, subtleties become affectations and sensitivity becomes maudlin. However, this is an excellent first novel, and Rostkowski an author to watch. Allen Meyer, Vernon Area Public Library, Prairie View, Ill.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; First edition (September 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064402487
• ISBN-13: 978-0673801500
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #257,478 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #58 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Issues > Special Needs > Fiction
  • #90 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > Military & Wars

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My opinion on After the Dancing Days, September 16, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: After the Dancing Days (Paperback)

After the Dancing Days is about a girl who is dealing with the death of her uncle,the war, and her father being away helping the doctors at war. When her father finally arrives, her life starts to change. She cannot stop thinking about all of the wounded soldiers. As the weeks go by she learns to manage her thoughts and keep up with her ever-changing life.

I loved After the dancing Days. It was very interesting to see a girl about my age going through so much and handling it so well. It is also very inspiring to me because of the fact that she is so strong spiritually and emotionally.

The war brought a great deal of depression to the family,not to mention the rest of the country. When everything starts to get worse,she loses a good friend who helped her through the whole time. I thought the book was really good and great for anyone who likes to read.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars After the Dancing Days By Margaret I. Rostkowski, March 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: After the Dancing Days (Paperback)

After the Dancing Days is a heartwarming story that accurately depicts historical events. The author gives readers an accurate picture of what the war was like, how the soldiers felt, and what life was like after the war. In addition, all of the characters behaved true to the time period. The history of World War I and the years following the war is revealed through the eyes of young Annie, the main character. Annie is a very dynamic character who changes throughout the story. At the beginning of the book, she is portrayed as a typical young girl, enjoying child-like activities. Throughout the book, Annie matures and enjoys the company of a twenty year old soldier over the company of children her own age. This story was told in the first person enabling the reader to know how Annie felt and how she changed. After the Dancing Days is a great story for middle school or high school students learning about World War I.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AwEsOmE!, May 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: After the Dancing Days (Paperback)

I absolutly loved this book. At first I didn't think I would like it but I was wrong. This book was easy to understand and write an oral report over. I disagree with anyone who says its too hard. I am only 16 and understood and went through exactly what Annie was feeling. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a better understanding of what war was like, in a teen's view.