Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Honors and Awards:
John Newbery Medal (2016)
Golden Kite Award for Middle Grade Fiction (2018)
Summary:
The War that Saved My Life is told in first person perspective of a 10 year. Old girl called Ada Smith, and her time during WWII. She was born with a clubfoot, and was house bound by a mother who was ashamed of the fact she was a cripple. Her mother often times labelled her as being worthless, and was embarrassed for Ada to be seen out in public, so she was doomed to be stuck in the house, with a chair by the window so she can see the children playing outside, and was forbidden to attend any social gathering. At the beginning of WWII, an order came to evacuate children from London into the English countryside to escape potential danger, so she decided that she couldn’t let her brother go alone, she was going to go with him despite being locked up in her family’s one-room apartment. The book is a strong depiction of Ada’s resilient and tenacious nature, and her strong will to never give up regardless of her handicap.
Reading Level:
Lexile Measure: 580L
Guided Reading Level: Z
Page count: 352
Vocabulary
Venture - a risky or daring journey or undertaking.
Indeterminate - not exactly known, established, or defined.
Curdle - separate or cause to separate into curds or lumps.
Grubby - dirty, grimy
Appalled - greatly dismayed or horrified.
Malnourished - suffering from malnutrition.
Gnarled - Rough, and twisted, especially with age.
Plummet - fall or drop straight down at high speed.
Shrapnel - fragments of a bomb, shell, or other objects thrown out by an explosion.
Resources to Support Text
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley talks about her novel The War That Saved My Life.
Article on: An Honest Struggle: A Q&A with Kimberly Brubaker Bradley about the novel.
Listen to the Award-Winning AudioBook - audiobook
Building / activating schema
Images of UK Victory Gardens.
5 Videos that help students understand world war II:
Lesson Activity
The War That Saved My Life is a historical fiction novel set in England during World War II. This pre reading activity is called:
WWII Activator: Post-It. Everyone receives a post-it. Write what you already know about WWII on your post-it note, for example a fact, or a person involved, the location etc. Stick each post-it to the larger paper on the board.
Recommended grade level:
4th - 8th grade
Common Core State Standard
[ELA-Literacy/W/6/6] Use technology, including the internet to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
ELA-Literacy/RL/4/3] Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
ELA-Literacy/RL/5/3] Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
Key words or phrases
Club foot - a deformed foot that is twisted so that the sole cannot be placed flat on the ground
Flat - apartment
Shabby - showing signs of wear and tear
Cajole - influence or urge by gentle urging or flattering
Evacuee - a person who has moved out of a dangerous place
Farrier - a person who shoes horses
Infantry - an army unit consisting of soldiers who fight on foot
Spies - act of obtaining secret information
London, England - The capital of England
Evacuation of Dunkirk - The Dunkirk evacuation during World War II
Battle of Britain - Began July 10, 1940. Nazi Germany bombed Britain continuously for three months hoping to destroy Britain's Royal Air Force so that Germany could invade.
Before reading activity
Read the article: 11 fun and easy ideas for random acts of kindness. During the war, there were many people who volunteered their time and money to help others in need, even when they were struggling. After reading the article, brainstorm ways that you can help in your local community to demonstrate a random act of kindness.
During reading activity
While reading the book, craft a sequel - how do you think this story ends for Ada? Make predictions of specific plot points then write our own version of events.
After reading activity
Make a Book Commercial using the Seesaw app, recording yourself telling others why they should read this book. There are three elements to a good book trailer that are:
The hook: start with something that grabs the attention of your audience, such as a statement / quote you liked, or reading a favorite scene from the book.
The summary: Share a little about the title, the author's name, and a brief overview of the characters.
The reason to read: Explain why this you love / like this book and why they will too.
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