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Friday, April 25, 2014

V is for Vietnam

Welcome to V day happy challengers! 




I'd like to be slightly serious for a moment and share a book title with you about the Vietnam War.  To be sure, war is not a kid subject but it provides a good opportunity for kids to study the reasons and the effects of war.  The problem is, though, that sometimes the subject matter is too intense for our little ones to handle.

I found a series, mostly aimed at the younger fellows, that brings the serious subject to a level they can understand.


Vietnam: I Pledge Allegiance by Chris Lynch


Few authors write about history and war and this is just the kind of stuff young guys like to read about. Read the blurb from Goodreads.com and see if you don't think your guy might like this:
Four best friends. Four ways to serve their country.

Morris, Rudi, Ivan, and Beck are best friends for life. So when one of the teens is drafted into the Vietnam War, the others sign up, too. Although they each serve in a different branch, they are fighting the war together--and they pledge to do all they can to come home together.

Haunted by dreams of violence and death, Morris makes it his personal mission to watch over his friends--and the best place to do that is in the US Navy. Stationed off the coast of Vietnam on the USS Boston, Morris and his fellow sailors provide crucial support to the troops on the ground.

But the Boston itself isn't safe from attack. And as Morris finds his courage and resolve tested like never before, he keeps coming back to a single thought.

He made a pledge. He must keep them safe.
What do you think? Sounds great right?  The only other author I know of that writes about this topic for the guys is Walter Dean Myers.

What do you think? Have you read anything by Chris Lynch or Walter Dean Myers?

~Pammy Pam, An Unconventional Librarian

36 comments:

Ida Thought said...

Hi Tina, timely post as it is ANZAC day in Australia today - a day to remember war veterans... I have read neither of those authors but loved reading books from veterans as a teenager, especially the vietnam war. One that I can remember about WWII was Fly away Peter by David Malouf - a beautiful story.
Ida
Reflex Reactions

kaykuala said...

V it is:
http://imagery77.blogspot.com/2014/04/virtuoso-of-vital-virtues.html

Hank

Tina said...

Hi All You Wonderful Alphabet Fans!
I'd love to take the credit for this post, but it was written by Pam. It says Tina because I'm the schedule girl and she forgot to change it to her name. No biggy. Just give the praise to PAM!
Thanks,
Tina @ Life is Good
A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014

Anonymous said...

My Uncle came back (but only physically) from the war there. I was in my teens when it finally became evident he needed to go to the Vet's home and I would have loved to have a book to give some insight for that age group back then. Kudos to the author!!

Unknown said...

I've given this subject some thought lately, about how to handle the subject of war with young people. We need to take violence seriously. A lot of video games and movies make violence look fun and a lot of kids are laughing and joking about it. This can be healthy but only on rare occasions and in a not-sadistic manner. As it is many kids are equating other people's pain with funny; this ought not to be.

pamlovesbooks said...

Hi Ida! Thanks for the comment. I'm glad for the opportunity to share the sacrifices veterans have made. David Malouf sounds familiar. I'll hafta revisit.

pamlovesbooks said...

Tina is my stage name. Like Madonna. Only better.

pamlovesbooks said...

Sorry to hear about your uncle. Its important to share these stories with kids!

pamlovesbooks said...

i couldnt agree more.

JoJo said...

I've never read anything by those authors....my exposure to Vietnam is only through documentaries and movies, and what I remember seeing on TV as a child. When I was very little I was convinced that I had a big brother who was killed in Vietnam but no one would tell me. It wasn't till I was an adult that I realized the presence I'd felt was that of a 19 year old cousin who was over at my mom's all the time and adored me; he was killed in a car accident when I was 17 months old, in 1966.

Chris J. Nugent said...

One of my favorite books about Vietnam is "Chickenhawk" by Robert Mason. Tells the story of his adventures flying Hueys. Great book.

Thomas Charles MacInnes said...

It is so vitally important for young people to understand their history. I had not heard of these authors, despite being a bibliophile myself. So, thanks for pointing my nose in a new direction. It is always great to discover a good book; especially one that deals with this sensitive subject matter so well. Just as an fyi, my posts for "A", "H", "U" and "Z" were/will be all about books and reading and teaching. This is my first A-to-Z Challenge and I am having a lot of fun. Thanks for contributing to my enjoyment with this good post. :)

photography of robert dodge said...

Another way to further their education about war is to show the spoils of peace! I have traveled throughout Vietnam over the last eight years working on my book, Vietnam40YearsLater(dot)com, photography book that looks at what has happened to the country in the four decades since the war. It is an optimistic book of hope for the country, although it is balanced by recognition that Vietnam still needs to make progress on free speech, justice and human rights. Check-out the book website, as I think it would make a great addition to any school library.

Michelle Stanley said...

I can see myself reading the book and sharing it with the younger generation. They really need to more aware of what happens in a war, and reading a book they can connect to will make a difference. Thanks for sharing this. http://www.writer-way.blogspot.com

Tina said...

My boys play a lot of video games, some of them violent. One son wants to join the army and go fight "for real, for a real cause, with real risk, to make a real difference." This mom is one part proud and one part scared spitless to let him go. It's the ones willing to sacrifice who have made us who we are today as a nation, and we owe every single service person our undying gratitude.
Tina @ Life is Good
A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014

Tina said...

Gee, I've never been a stage name before...that's rather cool! Thanks, Pammy Pam!
Tina @ Life is Good
A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014

Kathleen Jennette said...

I remember when the guys would leave on the ships from Alameda to Nam. Til this day I will never forget. I now know many VN vets and they tell their stories with patriotism. Something they didn't receive on their way back. I love my Vets.
Katy Did

Life's Ride In Between

Susan Kane said...

I haven't read those books, but have read other accounts of Vietnam. My post today is also "Hearts Heavy, the Letter V" on Vietnam.
We live in San Diego, near the Marine base and the Naval base. Recently the traveling Wall dedicated to Vietnam soldiers who did not come home was here by the ships. Everyone sought out those whom they knew. Everyone was crying, myself as well. There were many names from my farming area in Illinois.

Good post. Thank you.

Cheryl said...

I haven't read anything by these authors, but it is important to make history interesting for young people so that they are encouraged to learn more.

Unknown said...

this book looks great thank you for sharing mine is here http://ussminnow1964.blogspot.com/2014/04/a-z-challenge-v.html

Anonymous said...

i've read several Vietnam novels; I would recommend Paco's Story by Larry Heinemann, which was one of the first serious 'literary' novels to come out after the war. It's out of print now sadly. I also had the pleasure of meeting Heinemann when he conducted a writing workshop in Dublin several years ago. A lovely man and a great writer. I would also advise looking for Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" .... and for historical context, everyone should read 'The Quiet American' by Graham Greene. I went to Vietman in the mid 90s (just as its tourism industry was gettinvg going). fantastic place, truly wonderful people.

Dean K Miller said...

I haven't read either authors that I can recall, though I read extensively about Vietnam back in the late 70;s-80's. I'm not sure how I would react to a historical fiction novel for youth about this subject. Can the story be told with enough realism to convey not only the honor of serving, but the horrors as well? Working with veterans through the program Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (many from the Vietnam War) I have seen and witnessed the affects of the war experience. I'm not sure I could read it with an open mind and make an honest opinion.

Anonymous said...

agreed.

Anonymous said...

oh. dear. nice that the cousin looked after you i'm sure.

Anonymous said...

never heard of it. thanks!

Anonymous said...

yay a noob! I hope you're enjoying!

Anonymous said...

interesting perspective. to see how a country has recovered when war was fought there.

Anonymous said...

thanks for visiting!

Anonymous said...

its a shame the way they were treated upon their return. still is.

Anonymous said...

oh I bet that wall was amazing. thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

i agree.

Anonymous said...

Hey Alex, Thanks for popping in!
Hey GANG!! C Alexander London is a huge ROCKSTAR at my house and I LOVE his Dog Tags series about working military dogs!!!
DO check his books out they are grrrrrreat!!

Anonymous said...

thank you for your suggestions.

Anonymous said...

I respect your opinion. You'll get no argument here.

Jean Katherine Baldridge said...

This sounds great. Thanks for the recommendation.

jean

Kirsten said...

I just finished reading 'The Things They Carried' and can highly recommend it. The writing is breathtaking and honest, and gets right into the heart of what war means and is.
I cried when I finished it, and will probably read it again soon ...
Kirsten @ A Scenic Route