Synopsis: Amber
Billows and her family move to Oahu in 1941, as her father, a reporter, is transferred
there to cover the tensions with Japan. Amber, concerned with making friends
and grades, only knows about the tension from the military men her father
brings home as part of his job. Then the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and Amber’s
life – and everyone else’s – changes.
Review: Without realizing it, Amber does an excellent job of
capturing the tension that people in Hawaii felt regarding the possible war
with Japan. While Amber doesn’t always understand the reactions of the adults,
as an adult reader, I do. This is a testament to the author’s writing. He does
an excellent job of capturing the chaos, the shock, the blood, panic, and
surprise, how in one morning, paradise became hell. The characters are engaging
and well-rounded. In particular, I like Amber’s mother, and understood her
actions, as an adult, in ways Amber could not. While the author does not spare
the details of the attack or the hospital scenes after, this is acceptable for
older elementary age readers. It’s an excellent introduction to Pearl Harbor
and what happened after. Worth reading.
Bookmarks: 4 of 5
Awards: None
ISBN: 0-439-32874-8
Year Published: 2001
Date Finished: 2-16-2017
Pages: 156
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