Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Gateway 7: Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick


I think kids will enjoy this. And I do think it was an interesting look at the war from a young soldier's point of view. There are some obvious liberal, anti-war statements in the book. Which to me kind of make it so the book is not objective, giving kids a chance to make their own opinions. As I have not read any other books by this author, I wonder if her other books lean the same way. While I have wanted to read her other books, Sold, and Cut for sure, now I'm a bit turned off from just the little digs that were in this one. I will definitely check with friends I have who were over in the war to see if what was said is true.


Our main character is Matt. When we meet him he has just woken up in a military hospital in the Green Zone. The place where Saddam Hussein's palace was that has been taken over by the US military. Matt can't remember exactly what happened to lead up the time when he was injured by the explosion of an RPG. So we go with him as he heals, as he must tell the higher ups what happened, or as they tell him what happened. We get to be with him as he goes back to be with his unit. And what happens soon after he gets back is traumatic as well. I think a look into what life might be like inside this situation would be a good thing for teens to read.