Under a War-Torn Sky - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Under a War-Torn Sky is a young adult war novel

War novel

A war novel is a novel in which the primary action takes place in a field of armed combat, or in a domestic setting where the characters are preoccupied with the preparations for, or recovery from, war...

about a young man flying a B-24 in World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. When his plane is shot down and he is trapped behind enemy lines, he is helped by kind French citizens to escape and get back to his home. Written by American author L.M. Elliott

L.M. Elliott

L. M. Elliott is the award-winning author of young adult novels, including Under a War-Torn Sky , Flying South , Annie Between the States , Give Me Liberty , and A Troubled Peace , the sequel to Under a War-Torn Sky.The author, who lives in Virginia, appears frequently at middle schools and high...

, the novel was first published in 2001. It won a number of awards on publication and has sold over 200,000 copies in the U.S. and abroad.

Elliott drew inspiration for the novel from her father, who served in World War II

World War II

. He was a bomber pilot in real life and was shot down behind enemy lines, much like the main character in the novel.

The sequel to this novel, A Troubled Peace
A Troubled Peace
A Troubled Peace is the sequel to the historical fiction novel Under a War-Torn Sky, written by Virginia author L.M. Elliott.- Summary :World War II may be ending, but for 19-year-old bomber pilot, Henry Forester, the conflict still rages on. Shot down over France, Henry endured a dangerous trek...

, came out in August, 2009.

General information on the author and specific information for students, teachers, and media center specialists can be found on the author's website.

Summary

Just 19 years old, Henry Squirrel Forester decided to join war. Still, he’s one of the best fliers, facing Hitler’s Luftwaffe

Luftwaffe

Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....

in the war-torn skies above Northern France. But when his plane is shot down on a mission behind enemy lines, Henry finds himself on a whole new battleground. Wounded, hungry, and afraid, he struggles toward freedom on foot, relying on the kindness and cunning of the French Resistance

French Resistance

The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...

to reach the next town alive. Each day brings him nearer to home and closer to danger. Yet even as Henry struggles for his own survival in a hostile country, he quickly grows to realize the great peril that surrounds all the French people, and to admire the strength and determination of the freedom fighters who risk death to protect him.

Awards

Notable Book in Social Studies for Young People (NCSS/CBC), 2002
Jefferson Cup Honor Book, 2002
Winner, Borders’ Original Voices Award for Young Adult Literature, 2001
Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2002, Bank Street College of Education, CBC
Maryland Black-eyed Susan Award, finalist, 2004-5
Iowa Teen Award, finalist, 2003-4
Pennsylvania Young Readers’ Choice, finalist, 2002-3
South Carolina Jr. Book Award, finalist, 2003-4
Books About Trauma, Tragedy and Loss, 2002, CBC
they all die

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.