Customer Reviews

The Last Mission (Laurel-Leaf Historical Fiction)

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am a high school history teacher. This book is an excellent teaching tool for freshmen or sophomore history classes (some of the older kids thought that the reading level was too easy). The majority of my students liked the book as it brought a wealth of additional color and background to the classroom lecture notes. The fact that the protagonist is 16 and there is a "love story" subplot makes it even better.

As far as the swearing, it is not at all excessive and actually adds to the book as it shows the culture shock that 16 year old Jack underwent when he joined the Army Air Force. Also...from a historical standpoint..people did swear back then! Trust me...it is nothing worse than I as a teacher (quite unfortunately) hear in the hallways on a daily basis.

I am a special educator in a middle school and upon receiving this book as part of our curriculum, my first thought was "Oh no, not about war...my students will hate it...I can hear the complaints now..." but to my surprise, my students loved the story! I had a hard time getting them to put the book down so that other types of learning could occur. Needless to say, we did finish this book in record time and it left me with a great sense of pride for them...and my students felt the same way...not only were they able to finish it before the due date, they surprised themselves! Their recall, as well as quiz and test scores, went through the roof...they even asked me if they could create something as a final project...imagine that!!!!

When I first read this book, I was in 6th grade. Now I am in 11th and I still read this book when I can. It was wonderfuly written and execllent images Harry Mazer used. I say that it was a great book and everyone should read it.Getting in the Air Force at 15 and making it at the end, never read something like it.

I read this book for the first time when I was in 7th grade. Before this book I had never read a book start to finish and enjoyed it. Books were for nerds and were boring. It only took me a few pages before I was obsessed with this book. I could not stop reading it. I found my self carrying it around everywhere I went and reading it every chance I got. The story is great and has alot of action. I don't know what it is about it that makes it so hard to put down but I know I couldn't until I finished it and read it again. If you ask me this is a literary masterpiece. Forget the whole young adult thing I think it would be equally enjoyable to people of any age.

I recommend it and it would be a great gift to people who do not like reading books. Before this book I hated reading but now I find my self looking for another book that I enjoy as much as this one. The only other book that has come close is Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger which I also recommend.

As a baby boomer and a writer of historical fiction for young people, I was thoroughly engaged by this novel. The characters are multi-dimensional and believable. The main character, Jack Raab, grows from a daydreaming fifteen-year-old into a soldier and a man, right before our eyes. While I am not an expert in WW II aeronautics, the vivid detail made my feel as though I was right there with them in their B-17. The language was very rough at times, normally not appropriate for younger readers, and I question whether all of it was necessary. However, it is definitely in context with the characters and their environment. I give it high marks, with the caveat that parents of younger readers should preview the novel to make certain it is appropriate for them to read.

Lavern Holdeman, author of N.U.K.E.S.

When 15-year-old New Yorker Jack Raab uses his older brother's birth certificate to lie his way into the Army, his head is filled with dreams of glorious battle. He hates Hitler on behalf of his fellow Jews everywhere, and considers seeing the Nazi dictator dead a sort of personal mission. Big for his age and training among boys who actually aren't much older, he's surprised at just how easy it is to pull off the deception. Soon he's training as a B-17 bomber's waist gunner, and then he's off to an air base in England. But not before meeting a girl named Dotty, who also believes he's 19.

War's reality hits young Jack in the face soon enough, once he starts flying missions over Germany. 25 of them, the magic number that sends any airman who's still alive back to the U.S. - but that last mission, for Jack, ends on the ground in Nazi Austria after his plane is shot down. He's the only survivor, and by this time the only thing he wants on earth is to go home to his family.

Author Mazer wisely refuses to airbrush or mute the realities of war as Jack experiences it. The raw language of both barracks and battle zone, the terror and exhaustion of crewing a B-17 on a 9-hour mission over the enemy's homeland, the sheer ugliness of death and the even greater ugliness of hatred, all come through as if the reader is right there with him. This former teacher of 15-year-olds absolutely loved this book!

Jack Raab is a 15 year old kid who wants to become a hero. He lies about his age to get into the U.S Air Corps. At his base is england he flies many missions.On his last mission his plane gets shot down, and jack lands behind enemy lines. Jack gets taken to POW Camp with the Germans.
This is a very good war book for readers. But should only be read for young adults for swearing.

I was required to read this book for my 8th grade unit about WWII. At first, I thought, Oh, no, a book about war and dying and noooo I don't want to read it. But I had to, so I tried to keep an open mind about it. It was one of the best books I've ever read. It was truly moving. The last page really got me.... It was beautifully written, documenting the spiritual journey the young boy Jack Raab makes. This new angle on war made visible the ugly, horrible truths: war isn't about being a hero, it's not about killing the enemy, it's not what you think. It made me see deeper into the true meaning of war. Wonderful read. It has some "colorful" language and some gruesome scenes but it's definately worth a look.

I bought this for my 10 year old son. Several pages into it he informed me that it was sprinkled with the F word. I will not let him finish this book and am very disappointed that there is no warning from Amazon.com with regard to inappropriate language. This is supposed to be for young adults and one reviewer actually recommends this for kids as young as 5! Parents be warned!

This book was one of the best books I've ever read. It had sooo much violence, and I like books with a lot of violence. The swearing could be a little bit less, but I thought some of it was hillarious! One line was "A guard said Halt! to Jack. Up yours! said Jack, continuing to go to the drinking fountain. He was too thirsty." Isn't that hillarious? I know some of the parents reading this are going to be angry at my review, but it's just to good of a book! This was my review on a good book.