Title: Letters for Victory
Author: Kate Willis
Major Themes: Family, World War II, Letter Writing
Synopsis: With friends and family in the army to fight overseas, the Moorbank family do their best to bring hope and encouragement to people both at home and abroad.
One of my favorite things in middle-grade novels is when a whole family features in the story, and I was delighted to encounter that in Letters for Victory. It’s something I should have expected, I suppose—but I didn’t. As I delved into the story, I encountered all sorts of heartwarming moments that reminded me once again why I love spending time with my family and reading books that feature healthy family relationships.
Publisher’s description:
Fans of the Moffats, the Vanderbeekers, and the five little Peppers, get ready to meet the Moorbanks!
Kathryn, Avery, Jake, and Hanna are doing all they can to help with the war effort. Their new project is writing letters to an orphaned soldier named Tommy Rankin. The only thing standing between them and the post office is raising enough money for postage. Join them as they face the realities of the World War II homefront, have adventures in their small town, and write letters for victory.
My thoughts:
I don’t exactly remember why I signed up for the ARC of this book. I’ve followed Kate Willis for years, and I’m pretty sure she advertised this as a middle-grade historical fiction title, but I don’t remember reading the back cover copy. And by the time the book landed in my inbox, I’d forgotten about it altogether. Imagine my surprise and delight once I got into the story!
The setting—World War II American home front—was excellent. I haven’t read many books set at that time, but I loved getting a peek at what life may have been like then, just post-Depression, and the things different people undertook to try to keep up morale and help with the war effort. I didn’t necessarily agree with the stances of some of the characters in here, but I loved the way they worked and prayed to try to encourage those who were needy, both the soldiers they knew and their neighbors and friends.
Then there’s the family element, which, as I mentioned before, I adored! I loved getting the perspective of having an older, married sister back at home while her husband was away at war, and I also loved the younger children, and how they worked together to encourage, entertain, and help each other. It was wholesome, sweet, and altogether lovely.
If you’re looking for a fairly lighthearted story for your children to read, I’d recommend Letters for Victory. In many ways, it reminded me of The Saturdays, Seacrow Island, or All-of-a-Kind Family—these children may have been a bit less prone to getting into trouble than some of the characters in those books, but they all carry a similar tone. If I see any more middle-grade books coming from Willis’ pen, I’ll definitely be tempted to pick them up!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.
WARNING: As mentioned in the review, this family supported soldiers going to war, which I don’t believe is consistent with New Testament teaching.
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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