Customer Reviews

Don't You Know There's a War On?

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book made me uncomfortable. I bought the book for my fifth grade classroom, and put my name on it before I read the book. I wish I hadn't because I can't now return it. I will not put the book in my class library because I don't think it is appropriate for the elementary class. Here's why. In the book, the main character has a crush on his teacher, not uncommon. But he does to some lenghts to secretly find out information about her personal life. The teacher is married and pregnant. She got married after a week long relationship with a departing pilot and has no way now to contact him and in fact does not know if she will ever see or hear from him again. Yes, the kids save her job. And that is great. But at the end, 5 years later, the boy is still dreaming of the teacher and the comfort she can provide. While not overtly [explicit], the running theme of the boys obsession makes me very nervous. Maybe 10 years ago I would have been charmed, but now, with school shootings not uncommon and where we read several times a year about student/teacher affairs, I am uncomfortable. I'll discuss almost any question my kids want to talk about, not this. Also, the tragedy of the young woman's life - young, pregnant, not knowing if or when she will reconnect with her husband - so poorly chosen - hits too close to home for the kids I teach. So, although I like Avi's writing, this is one book that won't go on my classrom shelf.

Don't You Know There's A War Going On? by Avi

A kid called Howie is trying to save his teacher from being fired from his school (he is trying to save her because she is his favorite teacher). She is being fired because she is pregnant. During this time, World War II (WWII) was going on. Everyone had to wear dog tags in case they were killed. Dog tags have names on them so people can identify other people if they are dead. Howie was, as a matter of fact, successful in "unfiring" his teacher. He wrote a note to his principal but since the teacher did not want to give it to him, Howie gave it to the principal's boss which is how his favorite teacher became unfired. This is a very good book about WWII because it has articles about certain dates. Some of the dates actually tell about the end of the war and why it ended. I give this book 4 stars out of 5 stars! It could be better by making the book longer.

I didn't grow up in ww2, but I lived on a naval base in California as a boy during the viet nam war. behind our back yard was a military property where they would have target practice and other sorts of exercises (quite some distance from the fence, of course). needless to say it was off limits but we'd sneak back there anyway, and sometimes had to fetch baseballs and kickballs. i had always wondered what all was really going on back there. we used to pretend we were soldiers and "spy" on the people back there from behind the tall weeds that grew up along the bottom of the cyclone fence.

This book brought all of that back into clear focus, as those were the last days of our innocence (before we moved out-of-state). I think howie's imagination ran very vivid -- perhaps too vivid -- but then my dad was never on the front lines that i know of so perhaps that's more real than i can comprehend. while not entirely realistic, i found this book to be a very accurate depiction of a childhood nestled amidst the confines of war and all its acoutrements.

Howie Crisper has a few things on his mind. He needs to pass his weekly math test, he worries about his dad away in World War II, and the principal of his school in Brooklyn may be a Nazi spy. All those take a back seat when he stumbles upon the news that the principal has plans to fire his teacher, Miss Gossim. Howie is determined to get to the bottom of the whole mess, and save his favorite teacher. Set in Brooklyn in the midst of the second world war, "Don't You Know There's a War On?" captures a time of great hope and idealism. Howie is a regular fifth grader, who fights with his sister and hates to see his mother cry. He finds himself tryong to help a favorite teacher and also deal with changing circumstances. Avi keeps the tone of the book faithful to the age of the main character and the times. Howie is able to face some of his boggest fears and finds he does have the ability to help, and at the book'd end we find him at the war's end remembering that favorite teacher and the improbable role he played in her life. A real treat.

I really enjoy reading about World War II and once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. It takes place in Brooklyn in 1943. Howie Crispers and his classmates learn the school is going to fire their teacher, and they plan on doing whatever it takes not to let that happen. The author's writing really makes you understand the hardships American's suffered during the war - how they had to ration food, shoes, and even endure many nights of Civil Defense blackouts.

I would have liked it if the author would have told more about how scared the kids really were during those times. They actually had to wear dog tags - if America was attacked while they were in school, their body could be identified by the dog tags! Also, the author told what happened to Howie a few years after the story took place, but he didn't let you know about Howie's best friend Denny, or their teacher Miss Gossim.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in what life was like in America during World War II. Families had to give up so much for the war effort. I don't think you would enjoy this book if you're more into Science Fiction; this was about everyday life in the 1940's and how a class banded together to save their teacher.

For my book report I read the book "Don't You Know There's a War On?", by A.V.I. This novel was about two boys, Howie and Denny, and their lovely teacher Miss Rolanda. Howie is an adventerous boy who has a wild imagination.Denny, Howies best friend,has a father in the war, battleing the Nazi General Romel in North Africa.Miss Rolanda is their fith grade teacher at P.S. 8.Miss Rolanda comforts her students during the war, and helps them forget about their worries.But when Howie finds out his teacher will get fired, he will do anything to get her back.The setting of this book takes place in P.S. 8, and at Howies house.The time frame of this book takes place during 1943, Brooklyn, New York. The theme of this book is trustworthy, romance, and standing up for what you believe in.I liked this book and I am glad I read it. Tiffany Riley

This book is about a young boy that is experiencing WWII. His teacher is being fired just because she is having a baby. Howie tries to get his whole class to form a petition to save his favorite teacher's job so that she can make money to support her new family. The author really had me into this book. Every time I read it, It was always hard to stop reading because I always wanted to know what would happen next. Howie and his best friend Denny, were the masterminds behind trying to save their teacher's job. The exposition got me into the book right away and didn't even wait to introduce all of the characters. It made me want to keep reading for many chapters at a time. The author could have slowed down in the beginning of the book and introduce the characters better. Yes, I would definately reccomend this book to others. This book left me satisfied with the book i read. I would also read more books by this author.

i think that this book is the best book that I ever read. and im a big reader

This book is about a class of kids and they are trying to get there teacher job back.There teachers name is Miss.Gossim and they really like her.Howie Crispers was the first kid in his class to find oun that hisn teacher is geting fired.Howie comes up with an idea to make a pentition and has his class sign it.And just so you know Miss.Gossim is geting fired because she is having a baby.So one day they planed to go but Howie lost the pentition.He found that out after they knocked on the door you would think they would run but they stayed and talked to her.I'm going to tell you if she gets her job back or not I'm going to let you read it for your self and its a goog book I think you should read it.

By Avi

In this book there is a kid name Howard and his friend Denny find out that their teacher is being fired for having a baby. Howard and Denny get in to trouble by many people. They go to the school district administrader and the lady said that in the school district if you are a teacher you are fired right away. Howard felt like punchining her in the stomach.

I could never put this book down.because it was so interesting. When the book was over I felt like I lost a friend. This book showed me to never give up at what you try

I would recommend this book for any person ages 8 and up.