Date issued: December 2004
ISBN: 978-0385338134
Contemporary
Trade Sized Paperback
Reviewed by Valerie
Earwig is a young brain-damaged boy who lives in Wisconsin with his family. Although he may not be able to learn how the make change in his mother’s shop, he may not understand everything everyone says, he has a big heart and a lot of emotional intelligence. He has one big supporter in his family, his brother, Jimmy. But Jimmy is shipped out to the Philippines, when he signed up whilst drunk for the National Guard. While Jimmy is away and his family wonder what will become of him, Earwig works hard, makes new friends and finds out a family secret. Jimmy comes home finally, after many years as a POW. He’s a different man and suffers from shell-shock. Earwig and his new friend, Eva Leigh help Jimmy to become the man he once was. And Earwig himself, learns to become an independent young man.
This is not a book I would normally pick up at the book shop, but I was sent this to review and so I started reading it. And the more I read, the more I couldn’t put it down. When I finished it, I thought how honored I felt to be able to read this marvelous book. It’s delightful, hear-warming and Sandra Kring has very cleverly written this book from the perspective of Earwig. The reader may be tempted to think of Forrest Gump while reading, I did, but only in that this story is just as excellent. Sandra Kring tells her readers quite intimately about the Vietnam War, the coming home of the veterans and the way the government left them hanging. It’s also about family values and true friendship. This book will make you smile, laugh and cry. I highly recommend you to read this great story.
No comments:
Post a Comment