Pierre-Jacques Ober

An early review copy I will cherish. Lovely illustrations combined with easy text to tell the story of the effects of war, in this story World War I.

It is Christmas and Pierre, a young French soldier longs for home, for his mother and a visit that will warm his heart against the cold, cold fields of death.

Pierre is tired and slips away, wanting only a few days with his family. Alas, he returns, and it doing so he is imprisoned and doomed for execution.

This is an incredible book. Beautiful, unique miniature medal like soldiers illustrate the tale of war and the loneliness of longing for stability and home.

Five Stars… (mer)

This book is a treasure! A beautifully done picture book with a dramatic story. What a unique idea to use miniatures to create all the scenes, which tell the story so vividly! While the faces are pretty much expressionless, the story evokes an emotional response from the reader, and the pictures are almost haunting. Such care was taken to get the lighting just right, and the buildings and backgrounds! The actual 'written' story is concise and to the point, using few words, but it speaks volumes. It is the story young soldier who finds himself in a dilemna, as he was bringing comfort to his widowed mother with a secret Christmas visit, but faced dire consequences when he returns to his post. It brought tears to my eyes as I read it. I was a bit amazed at how the book was able to tell an enormous story with so few words actually used, and the emotional response / sadness it was able to evoke. The war stories that hit us hardest are the ones about the effects it has on the individual combatants and their families....it puts a face on the suffering war causes, and we can easily imagine it being our family members.… (mer)

I received this hardcover book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program.

This is a picture book for children, but don't assume it's about rainbows and happy endings. It's not. This book is intense. It is honest. It is bleak. Without a drop of red, it depicts the horrible nature of war. This is a book that might really bother some kids (and parents), but I see this as a book to inspire some hard but necessary discussions.

Without even considering the content, the The Good Son is an artistic masterpiece. It is fully illustrated through the use of toy soldiers, elaborate sets, and brilliant use of perspective. The effect is stunning. The use of toy props doesn't cheapen the message in the slightest. On the contrary, the pages look eerily realistic at times. I think kids will really connect to the scenes because there ARE toys being used--which again, might be bothersome for some, but that is something to be worked through.

The text is minimal but effective. This book would be quick to read, but so much is happening in many scenes, I found myself lingering on each. The set up for the book is stark: a young French soldier named Pierre went AWOL for two days over Christmas to visit his mother, and upon his return, he is imprisoned and sentenced to death. He is to be made an example of to prevent further desertions. Pierre reflects on his time as a soldier and what he has learned about his German enemies as he awaits dawn and his execution. Again: this is not a book with a happy ending. That's the nature of life, and of war--especially the Great War.

Some people might argue that the very premise makes this a horrible book for kids. I strongly disagree. There's a great Madeleine L’Engle quote: “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” Children aren't oblivious. They see and experience a lot. Teaching them that war is glorious and that heroes can't be killed does not do them favors in the end. This book uses toy soldiers to get on the same level as kids, and respects their ability to understand what unfolds.… (mer)