Alex, Who Won His War (Walker's American History Series for Young People) [Hardcover]

Chester Aaron (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Walker's American History Series for Young People

In the final months of World War II fourteen-year-old Alex, worried about the fate of his brother fighting in Europe, falls into the hands of two Nazi spies intent on sabotage.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-- Even though 14-year-old Alex lives in a small Connecticut fishing town, thousands of miles from the fighting, World War II seems to permeate all aspects of everyday life. His parents work at the submarine base, and his beloved older brother is fighting the Germans. But the war really comes home to him when he and a friend find a body on the beach. When the boys learn that the dead man is probably one of a team of Nazi saboteurs, Alex is guilt stricken; he has allowed his impoverished friend to take the contents of the man's wallet, and then thrown the rest of the evidence away. While trying to own up to his mistake, Alex is caught by the other two Germans, and is blackmailed into helping them. The story is placed securely within its setting and era; the regularly interspersed radio reports are an effective device. Alex's emotional turmoil is extremely well described, and his motivations and actions are believable. Aaron is not afraid to portray a senile old woman, although Alex cleaning her up after her incontinence might seem a bit too good to believe of a boy that age. The plot, though, is awkward, unconvincing, and strained at times. The title turns out to be untrue--Alex is not instrumental in the capture of the saboteurs in any direct way. What does happen might be more realistic, but is not satisfying. It takes the decision out of Alex's hands, and prevents the character, and readers, from experiencing a pivotal moment of understanding. The book ends abruptly, and readers are given a tacked-on, impersonal afterword chock-full of facts that are either unnecessary or should have been included in the regular narrative. Alex is a good kid, but readers will be left wondering exacly what war he won. --Annette Curtis Klause, Montgomery County Department of Public Libraries, MD
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Alex Kellar, 14, longs for WW II to be over and his soldier brother, Oliver, to come home. When he and a friend find a body on the coast of their New London, Connecticut, town, the dead man's wallet leads Alex into a confrontation with two Nazi saboteurs whose mission is to blow up Electric Boat, a manufacturer of submarines and one of the town's major employers. Nostalgic details of the home front make for a slow start, but the narrative builds to a swift pace as Alex finds himself enmeshed in new promises to elderly neighbors (who are in the hands of the Nazis) and in old vows to his brother (if he breaks them, will he ``jinx'' Oliver's chances for survival?). The evil Nazi and his slightly softer (though still duty-bound) comrade give Aaron ample opportunity for pointing out the impossibly gray areas of war and soldiering; his story is based on large-scale true events, grounded in solid motives and characterizations, and loaded with suspense. (Fiction. 10+) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 156 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Co (August 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802780989
• ISBN-13: 978-0802780980
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,950,343 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Captivating and frightening!, June 28, 2006

By 

Kathleen B. Gillet - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alex, Who Won His War (Walker's American History Series for Young People) (Hardcover)

This is an intense story that makes no attempt to paint over the harsh facts of WWII life. Although the idea of a boy finding a body and becoming so involved in such proceedings is a tad far-fetched, the author made it beleivable and is a spine-chilling read.