Jimmy's Stars (Hardcover)

by Mary Ann Rodman (Author) "The two people Ellie McKelvey hated most were Adolf Hitler and Victoria Gandeck..." (more)
Key Phrases: salmon pea wiggle, jeep accident, service flag, Miss Granberry, Miss Deetch, Aunt Toots (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 4–6—Ellie McKelvey feels assured that her brother, Jimmy, will not be drafted into the army because he the only breadwinner in the family while their father is recuperating from a broken leg. She is certain that the draft board will have forgotten about Jimmy or that the war will end quickly. But the Nazis and the Japanese continue to advance, and Jimmy eventually receives his orders. As the war and Ellie's story drag on, she displays a typical 11-year-old's childish anger, blaming her brother for promises he cannot keep. She witnesses her neighbors experiencing death notices and the return of wounded soldiers. Rodman's development of a child's emotional response through her protagonist's unwavering wishful thinking climaxes as word comes of Jimmy's heroic death. Ellie's disbelief extends to desperation and then hopeful thoughts that an error has occurred and that her brother will return any day. Ellie's story moves slowly, but readers will sympathize with her loneliness and inner strength to believe in miracles. This psychological, child-oriented war perspective could provide significance in today's military dilemma.—Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Beautifully crafted . . .  Ellie’s intense outpouring of grief is masterfully portrayed, and Rodman’s painstaking attention to historical detail creates a vividly realized sense of time and place. Readers will find this emotionally gripping story of love and loss profoundly moving.” —Starred, Kirkus Reviews

"Finds beauty in every emotional nuance as Ellie hurtles between self pity, denial, and even rage toward her brother for having “welshed on the deal.” The lively spirit of working-class Pittsburgh, where neighborhood families live for news of the war and the fate of their sons, extends Ellie’s personal story with a broader sense of homefront life. Suggest this fine novel as enrichment to World War II curricula." —Starred, Booklist

 

"This psychological, child-oriented war perspective could provide significance in today's military dilemma." —School Library Journal

 

"Rodman's careful attention to Ellie and Jimmy's pre-enlistment domestic rituals and to their upbeat, encouraging correspondence establishes the tight, affectionate bond between brother and sister."

—Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books

“Packed with intimate details about life in America during World War II, this book will leave readers with a meaningful picture of what it was like to live through those very hard years.” —Through the Looking Glass Children’s Book Review

See all Editorial Reviews

---

Product Details Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1 edition (April 29, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 0374337039 ISBN-13: 978-0374337032 Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #108,006 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #86 in  Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > Military & Wars

Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Search Inside This Book:

---

Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
The two people Ellie McKelvey hated most were Adolf Hitler and Victoria Gandeck. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
salmon pea wiggle, jeep accident, service flag

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Miss Granberry, Miss Deetch, Aunt Toots, Macken Street, Movie Star, Miss Ruthie, Commando Kelly, Western Union, Connie Cavendish, South Carolina, Reverend Schuyler, Labor Day, Victoria Gandeck, West View, Room Seven, Fort Jackson, Buddy Gandeck, Bill Schmidt, Bing Crosby, Merry Christmas, West Virginia, Pearl Harbor, Lana Turner, Betty Grable, Union Station

Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Search Inside This Book:

---

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	67% buy the item featured on this page: Jimmy's Stars 5.0 out of 5 stars (6) $11.53
	9% buy If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period 4.0 out of 5 stars (4) $6.99
	9% buy Lawn Boy 4.1 out of 5 stars (29) $6.50
	8% buy Savvy 4.6 out of 5 stars (38) $11.04

Explore similar items

---

Tags Customers Associate with This Product  (What's this?) Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people. Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below. childrens books(1) fiction(1) See all 5 tags... Your tags: Add your first tag

Search Products Tagged with   See most popular tags

Help others find this product — tag it for Amazon search

No one has tagged this product for Amazon search yet. Why not be the first to suggest a search for which it should appear?

---

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

---

 

Customer Reviews

6 Reviews 5 star:  (6) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children, April 12, 2009 By  Yana V. Rodgers "http://econkids.rutgers.edu" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Ellie McKelvey, a sixth-grader from Pittsburgh, enjoyed baseball, going out to the movies with her brother Jimmy, and hanging out with her friends, but she despised Victoria Gandeck. After all, Victoria called Jimmy a slacker because he had not gone off to fight in the war like Victoria's own four brothers. Ellie knew that Jimmy had a deferment from the service because their family depended on his earnings. However, now that their dad had returned to work, it was only a matter of time before the draft board would call her brother into the service. Jimmy reported for duty on October 2, 1943. Ellie missed her brother terribly, and she tried to take comfort in his promise to come home for Christmas. All around her, the war effort impacted every part of Ellie's life. Her Aunt Toots moved from West Virginia into their house, into Jimmy's room, so she could get a factory job. Ellie's mother also joined the likes of Rosie the Riveter and found work at a factory, her older sister got a job at the local diner when the owner's daughter joined a volunteer women's division of the navy, and Ellie found herself performing a growing number of household tasks. Daily routines changed as food items became rationed and as materials from children's toys were recycled for wartime production. Even at school she could not escape the war, with her teacher's bulletin board covered with pictures of former students and family members who had joined the military. Worst of all was the collective shock and grief when the telegram delivery boy brought news about the loss of a loved one. By approaching the difficult theme of war through the eyes of an eleven-year old girl, Mary Ann Rodman makes the story both accessible and spellbinding for middle grade readers. Of particular interest is the book's focus on major adjustments and sacrifices that adults and children made in their daily lives as part of the war effort, even though they were far removed from the actual fighting. Jimmy's Stars also deserves high praise for its unpredictable plot, well-developed characters, and carefully-researched historical backdrop. 5.0 out of 5 stars Jimmy's Stars, February 8, 2009 By  Melissa A. Palmer - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This book takes place during World War 2. Ellie's older brother Jimmy is drafted as a medic in the Army. He promises Ellie that he will be safe and be home for Christmas. She and he are quite close and she is focusing on his promises as a way to keep going while he is fighting the war. This book shows the effects of war on the soldiers in both a physical and mental way. It also shows the effects of war on the family members left behind. This book would be good for MS readers or HS readers. I think both boys and girls would like this book. It has a lot of war stories in it and has strong male and female characters. 5.0 out of 5 stars A Lovely Story of World War II From A Child's Point-of-view, August 31, 2008 By  Genetta Adair - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Using vivid sensory descriptions, Mary Ann Rodman illustrates American family life from a child's perspective during World War II. This gentle, nostalgic story explains how Ellie McKelvey's world turns upside down when her beloved brother Jimmy is drafted into the war. With competence and creativity, Rodman lures the reader into the past, revealing a child's fears from a bygone day. Rodman skillfully exposes the sacrifices that American families experienced amidst the fear, the angst, and the uncertainty of war life from the home front. Jimmy's Stars is a must-read for today's youth who know little of sacrifice, especially from America's own history.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book for adults and children alike Jimmy's Stars is a beautiful, poignant and touching story. Eleven year old Ellie McKelvey finds out one day that her beloved brother, Jimmy, has been drafted into the war... Read more Published 11 months ago by A. Pohren 5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Mid-Grade by an Award Winning Author Mary Ann Rodman has captured the spirit of many youngsters during World War II in her delightful and latest book. Read more Published 13 months ago by Nancy Craddock 5.0 out of 5 stars Jimmy's Stars This is a poignant story about a young girl whose beloved older brother Jimmy is drafted into the army to serve as a medic during WW2. Read more Published 14 months ago by Kirsten G. Cutler Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

---

Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)

New! See all customer communities, and bookmark your communities to keep track of them.

This product's forum (0 discussions)   Discussion Replies Latest Post   No discussions yet Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight Start a new discussion Topic: First post: Receive e-mail when new posts are made Prompts for sign-in   [Cancel] Guidelines Active discussions in related forums   Discussion Replies Latest Post childrens books good stories for struggling readers 105 27 minutes ago fiction Shameless Self-Promotion 151 29 minutes ago fiction Have you written a book - tell us about it 822 32 minutes ago childrens books Books for boys continued... 18 1 hour ago childrens books Where the wild things are... Live action movie. 2 2 hours ago juvenile fiction Re: Historical Fiction Books for "tweens" 7 22 hours ago juvenile fiction Recommendations for 11 year old who reads on lower grade level 40 1 day ago

The Children's Books community Latest activity 4 minutes ago 16,715 customers have contributed 20,669 products, 889 discussions and more... › Explore the community The Fiction community Latest activity 16 minutes ago 21,698 customers have contributed 23,488 products, 3,838 lists & guides and more... › Explore the community The Juvenile Fiction community Latest activity 1 day ago 989 customers have contributed 252 discussions, 1,039 products and more... › Explore the community Related forums childrens books (889 discussions) fiction (348 discussions) juvenile... (252 discussions) Explore more › See all Customer Communities › Your communities

---

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Be the first person to add an article about this item at Amapedia.com.

› See featured Amapedia.com articles

---

Listmania!

Texas Bluebonnet Award 2009-2010 Master List: A list by Elementary Teacher   Fresh Fantasy Picks for Kids: A list by K. Coombs   Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Nominees 2010: A list by Pamela M. "Elementary School Librarian K- 5" Create a Listmania! list

Search Listmania!

---

So You'd Like to...

Discover some really great books: A guide by Bookworm   Be Entertained at Home, instead of going out: A guide by Tanya   discover nice surprises: A guide by Molly Malin Create a guide

Search Guides

---

Look for Similar Items by Category

• Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > Military & Wars
• Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > United States > Fiction
• Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Family Life > Siblings
• Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Situations > Emotions & Feelings

---

Work and Roll with DEWALT While supplies last, enjoy special pricing on the DEWALT work site radio. Power it and you'll be rockin' and chargin' your way through a hard day of work. ›Shop more chargers and radios

Best Books of 2008 Find our top 100 editors' picks as well as customers' favorites in dozens of categories in our Best Books of 2008 Store.

Buy Three Books, Get a Fourth Free Order any four eligible books under $10 and get the lowest-price book free in our 4-for-3 Books Store. See more details.

Generate Electric PowerBrowse through a wide variety of electric motor accessories and other electrical products in the Home Improvement Store.

Ad feedback

 

Feedback If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? Is there any other feedback you would like to provide? Your comments can help make our site better for everyone. Please note that we are unable to respond directly to all feedback submitted via this form, but we'll ask you to sign in so we can contact you if needed.

Where's My Stuff? Track your recent orders. View or change your orders in Your Account. Shipping & Returns See our shipping rates & policies. See FREE shipping information. Return an item (here's our Returns Policy). Need Help? Forgot your password? Buy gift cards. Visit our Help department.

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)

You have no recently viewed items or searches. After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.	Continue shopping: Top Sellers Free by Chris Anderson 3.5 out of 5 stars (15)$0.00 Paranoia by Joseph Finder 4.1 out of 5 stars (204)$0.00 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan, Sir, 1859-1930 Doyle 5.0 out of 5 stars (5)$0.00 My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent 3.1 out of 5 stars (7)$0.00

Amazon.com Home  |   Directory of All Stores

International Sites:  Canada  |  United Kingdom  |  Germany  |  Japan  |  France  |  China

Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Build an eCommerce Site  |  Advertise With Us  |  Developer Services  |  Self-Publish with Us

Help  |  View Cart  |  Your Account  |  1-Click Settings  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage

Careers at Amazon  |  Investor Relations  |  Press Releases  |  Corporate Responsibility

Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1 edition (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374337039
• ISBN-13: 978-0374337032
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #108,006 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #86 in

  Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > Military & Wars

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children, April 12, 2009

By	Yana V. Rodgers "http://econkids.rutgers.edu" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ellie McKelvey, a sixth-grader from Pittsburgh, enjoyed baseball, going out to the movies with her brother Jimmy, and hanging out with her friends, but she despised Victoria Gandeck. After all, Victoria called Jimmy a slacker because he had not gone off to fight in the war like Victoria's own four brothers. Ellie knew that Jimmy had a deferment from the service because their family depended on his earnings. However, now that their dad had returned to work, it was only a matter of time before the draft board would call her brother into the service.

Jimmy reported for duty on October 2, 1943. Ellie missed her brother terribly, and she tried to take comfort in his promise to come home for Christmas. All around her, the war effort impacted every part of Ellie's life. Her Aunt Toots moved from West Virginia into their house, into Jimmy's room, so she could get a factory job. Ellie's mother also joined the likes of Rosie the Riveter and found work at a factory, her older sister got a job at the local diner when the owner's daughter joined a volunteer women's division of the navy, and Ellie found herself performing a growing number of household tasks. Daily routines changed as food items became rationed and as materials from children's toys were recycled for wartime production. Even at school she could not escape the war, with her teacher's bulletin board covered with pictures of former students and family members who had joined the military. Worst of all was the collective shock and grief when the telegram delivery boy brought news about the loss of a loved one.

By approaching the difficult theme of war through the eyes of an eleven-year old girl, Mary Ann Rodman makes the story both accessible and spellbinding for middle grade readers. Of particular interest is the book's focus on major adjustments and sacrifices that adults and children made in their daily lives as part of the war effort, even though they were far removed from the actual fighting. Jimmy's Stars also deserves high praise for its unpredictable plot, well-developed characters, and carefully-researched historical backdrop.

5.0 out of 5 stars Jimmy's Stars, February 8, 2009

By	Melissa A. Palmer - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book takes place during World War 2. Ellie's older brother Jimmy is drafted as a medic in the Army. He promises Ellie that he will be safe and be home for Christmas. She and he are quite close and she is focusing on his promises as a way to keep going while he is fighting the war. This book shows the effects of war on the soldiers in both a physical and mental way. It also shows the effects of war on the family members left behind.
This book would be good for MS readers or HS readers. I think both boys and girls would like this book. It has a lot of war stories in it and has strong male and female characters.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lovely Story of World War II From A Child's Point-of-view, August 31, 2008

By	Genetta Adair - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Using vivid sensory descriptions, Mary Ann Rodman illustrates American family life from a child's perspective during World War II. This gentle, nostalgic story explains how Ellie McKelvey's world turns upside down when her beloved brother Jimmy is drafted into the war.

With competence and creativity, Rodman lures the reader into the past, revealing a child's fears from a bygone day.

Rodman skillfully exposes the sacrifices that American families experienced amidst the fear, the angst, and the uncertainty of war life from the home front. Jimmy's Stars is a must-read for today's youth who know little of sacrifice, especially from America's own history.