Awards: Newbery Honor Book, Winner of the 2016 Schneider Family Book Award, Children's Book Committee Award for Fiction, The Wall Street Journal's Best Children's Books, Publishers Weekly Best Books, The Horn Book Fanfare Book, Kirkus Reviews Best Books, Miami Herald's Best Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grades: Ages 9 and up or grades fifth and above
Ada, a ten-year-old girl, lived trapped in an apartment with her evil mother and younger brother, Jamie. She would never leave her apartment because her mom was humiliated by Ada's clubfoot. She would spend her days inside getting abused by her mother while her brother was able to do regular activities like go to school and play outside. When WW II started, all the children were to get shipped out of London to escape, so Jamie and Ada used this opportunity to escape and leave their mother.
They were taken in by Ms. Smith, a single rich woman who lived alone with only a pony named, Butter. She took good care of the children and bathe them, feed them, and educated them. Ada felt odd here because she was used to the abuse she received from her mother at home. Here she was able to walk out and leave the house. She learned how to ride Butter and was passionate about it. Ms. Smith treated them kindly, was patient, and never once hit them. During their stay, Ms. Smith would write to her mother in hopes of getting permission to operate Ada's foot, but their mother never replied.
When the war started, Ms. Smith was faced with the decision to keep the children with her or send them away to keep them protected from the war. She decided to keep them which gave Ada the chance to help during the war. She even helped find a spy while she was riding butter. This gave her the confidence she needed to get through the emotional time she was going through.
Her mother appeared at Ms. Smith's soon after with the letters they had written her. She took Ada and Jamie back home and continued the verbal and physical abuse they grew up with. Ada had the courage to defend her brother and herself and told her mother they were leaving her since she never wanted them to begin with.
Although hearing her mother confirm those words hurt them both deeply, they found the strength the next day to leave. When they were leaving, a bomb hit the city and they had to flee to a shelter home. As they were leaving the shelter the next day, they found Ms. Smith on the street who had come looking for them to take them back home with her. Ada and Jamie were happy to see her again and left with her to go back home. They got back home only to discover their house destroyed by a bomb. Thanks to Ada and Jamie, Ms. Smith did not die in the attack since she was out looking for them. They saved her the same way she helped save Ada and Jamie from their mother.
I would definitely use this book in my classroom if I were to teach upper elementary grade levels. I think this book is appropriate for students in grades fifth because of the language used in the book as well as the content. Older students would understand the time period a lot better compared to younger students therefore I think it would benefit children in fifth grade to read it rather than students who are in a lower grade. This book would enhance a social studies unit about the war because it is a fiction story taking place in a realistic setting or time period. It would also be a great book to have students read for a book club because it can open a lot of discussion for students to talk about.
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