Customer Reviews

The Letter Home

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What caught my eye was the drawing on the cover. It simply had an innocent child and his letter standing in the 'light'...while an adult, in military boots, looked on. When I reviewed the pages, I realized that the time period was WWI---a period rarely taught these days. The story was of a soldier, a loving father, writing a letter home to his little son from the war. Wondering how Timothy Decker could compose a children's book in this setting compelled me to read the entire book. What astounded me was the fact that no enemy, harsh statements or issues were even addressed. He did succeed, however, in conveying the simple aspects of human loss, love and earnest desire to go home. This is a suitable book in times like these when we cannot seem to understand world events as adults...let alone explain them to our children. This was a work of artistry and sensitivity. I highly recommend it.

The Letter Home, by Timothy Decker is a story written about a medic on the front lines of WW1 in 1918. The author is writing a letter to his young son describing his battle experience. The letter uses child-friendly language in order to protect his son from the evils of war. The illustrations, however depict a stark existance, which the words fail to portray. If you were to read the text without the illustrations you might not understand the harsh realities of war.

The author/illustrators paid careful attention to details and the black and white lithograph depict a harsh and lonely reality of war. The illustrations reinforce what the careful text avoids.

In an attempt to reassure his son back home the author chooses his words with care. He injects humor into an otherwise sorrowful situation and offers immediate comfort when he begins his letter with, "I did not want to write to you until I could say that I would be home soon."

The illustrations in this book give a realistic impression about the difficulties of life on the frontline. The text offers a censored version appropriate for a younger or more sensitive audience. This book would be best suited for an upper elementary classroom in supporting the difficulties soldiers had when communicating their experiences without inflicting fear on their families. I would avoid reading it to a young audience, especially one with family members who have been deployed.

Be sure to read the inside jacket summary prior to the book to set the stage for reading. The story is told in a father's protective perspective to his son, but the story behind the story is told through the illustrations.

The pen and ink drawings portray more of a realistic historical view of WWI and the events leading to the armistice (prelude to peace). The simplicity of the letter protects the reader (his son) from the true horrors and hardships that the main character (the father)experiences during his medic tour of duty in Europe.