August 1, 2011
Gr 4-6-These titles follow members of the Donovan family and their wartime experiences. In the first novel, PFC Michael Donovan is a paratrooper in World War II. He narrowly escapes being killed by German soldiers on D-Day. Control follows Michael's grandnephew, Lester, a Navy SEAL in Afghanistan. He has just been promoted to commanding officer of his team. They are returning from a successful mission capturing a top-ranking Taliban officer when their Blackhawk helicopters are shot down. Most of the men die, two are captured, and Lester and another man are left for dead. They escape the wreckage and go on to save their captured team members. Each story begins with a brief overview of the war and illustrations of the gear the servicemen wore. Chapters are separated by "Debriefing" spreads that are illustrated with archival photos, describe equipment, and continue the history of the conflict. Color comic-book-style illustrations appear throughout. These books are easy to read, take a serious look at war, and do not glamorize killing or death. Set in small type, the factual sections, however, may be a little too dense for the intended audience.-Erik Carlson, White Plains Public Library, NY
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