Winnie's War [Hardcover]

Jenny Moss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 3, 2009 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

A debut novel set against the backdrop of the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918.

Life in Winnie’s sleepy town of Coward Creek, Texas, is just fine for her. Although her troubled mother’s distant behavior has always worried Winnie, she’s plenty busy caring for her younger sisters, going to school, playing chess with Mr. Levy, and avoiding her testy grandmother. Plus, her sweetheart Nolan is always there to make her smile when she’s feeling low. But when the Spanish Influenza claims its first victim, lives are suddenly at stake, and Winnie has never felt so helpless. She must find a way to save the people she loves most, even if doing so means putting her own life at risk.

Winnie’s take-charge attitude will empower and inspire readers, as Jenny Moss’s lyrical writing beautifully captures the big-time worries of a small-town girl.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Winnie has always been confident that she can look out for herself and her two younger sisters, but her abilities are tested when the influenza pandemic of 1918 sweeps through her small Texas town. The turbulent atmosphere pushes people's strengths and weaknesses to the surface, especially those of her withdrawn mother, mysteriously traumatized since a catastrophic hurricane in her childhood. Desperate to find a way to save those they love, Winnie and a friend assume more responsibility than the adults around them. First-novelist Moss brings poetic language to this story, skillfully mirroring the internal pains and afflictions of influenza in the landscape of Texas. As Winnie learns the many ways in which death changes life, she—in sharp contrast to her mother—discovers how to let the good and the sad live side by side. As sorrowful as the subject matter is, the author treats it romantically: she weights the meaningful relationships and the beautiful moments, and lets the losses pass as quickly as they can. Ages 10–14. (Feb.)
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About the Author

JENNY MOSS is a former NASA engineer. She earned a master’s degree in literature and is an adjunct writing instructor at University of Houston-Clear Lake. Winnie’s War is her first novel. She lives with her two teenagers in Houston, Texas.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Walker Childrens (February 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802798195
• ISBN-13: 978-0802798190
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,221,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Winnie's War, October 20, 2009

By 

The Children's Book Reporter - See all my reviews

This review is from: Winnie's War (Hardcover)

1918: A world war is killing the boys abroad...but at home in Coward Creek, Texas, a feared epidemic is attacking all without discrimination and Winnie is determined to save her family from contracting the deadly Spanish Influenza. Between her controlling, irritable grandmother, her silent father, her traumatized mother, and the possibility of losing her best friend, Winnie has a lot to deal with, but her courage and stubbornness serve her well in her own battle to hold her family together.

Winnie's War is written in a lovely, engaging style, sharing aspects of L. M. Montgomery's or Eleanor Estes' literary qualities. Jenny Moss's portrayal of the era of the First World War was very real and engaging, and her book escaped becoming depressing as one might expect of a book about sickness and death. The plot was fairly simple and some minor secondary characters could have been more developed; however, Winnie herself is a delightful protagonist, very strong and appealing, and the more important secondary characters are unusually complex and believable.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I loved Winnie's War!, April 18, 2009

By 

Teresa S. Atkinson "Terryatk" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Winnie's War (Hardcover)

Winnie's War is a very engaging story of a young girl trying to make sense of her world. Things are confusing enough and then comes an influenze epidemic that hits fast and hard, affecting some of the people she knows and cares about while missing others. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to who gets sick or who recovers.

Young girls should be able to relate to Winnie, especially in how confused she can be by the behavior of many of the adults in her life. However, along the way, she discovers that love is often expressed and demonstrated in unexpected ways. She is a very lucky young lady.

The author, Jenny Moss, really captures the essence of small town living. Having grown up in Texas myself, I can easily picture the area described. It is nice to be reminded of the values of living in such surroundings. I also find this genre a great way of teaching young - and not so young - people about real things that happened in the past. Makes history a lot more palatable for those who generally won't open a History book. I look forward to more such stories from this talented writer.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book!, April 14, 2009

By 

Sally M. Lauck "laucka" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Winnie's War (Hardcover)

Winnie's War is a wonderfully written novel by the fantastic author, Jenny Moss (who is also my aunt). It feels as if you are almost there in Coward Creek, living with this family of six. The mean old grandma, the mother with a sad, mysterious past, the kind father, Winnie's younger sisters, and of course Winnie herself. Though Winnie is afraid of the Spanish Influenza, she is still strong and does everything possible to protect her family and herself. As you read you get lost inside Winnie's head, forgetting your surroundings and sometimes forgetting you are even reading a book. You can't put it down until you finish the very last page!