Ruth Vander Zee

This story is based on true consequences.

Before she dies, Kim's mother tells her that she will always be with her. She is killed as a result of the bombing of the area where they live in Viet Nam. Kim lives, but is blinded by the butt of a gun to her head. She is rendered blind. Rescued by American soldiers, she is taken to an orphanage where the love of Ong and Ba Jones, who run the orphange, she lives there for five years.

When she is afraid, Kim always remembers her mother's words and knows her mother is with her throughout. Told from the perspective of the American soldiers as heros, and therein lies a problematic depicture of who is the hero and who is the villian. Who is responsible for the bombing?
( )… (mer)

"Year after year, Eli watches the solemn lighting of seven candles at his family's celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. On such a happy occasion, his parents and grandparents always seem sad, and Eli can't understand why.Then one year Eli travels to Eastern Europe to learn more about his family history. There, he learns how the candles represent his family's connection to the Holocaust in Lithuania, and how remembering his ancestors can help heal years of grief and shame.This powerful story, illuminated by Bill Farnsworth's sensitive brush strokes and muted palette, can be used as an introduction to World War II and the Holocaust, and will also remind young readers how they can make a difference in the lives of their families."… (mer)