Dont You Know Theres a War On? by Avi

Dont You Know Theres a War On? Reviews

• 
  The Book Girl

  This review and more published on
  The Young Girl Who Loved Books.
  
  This was an annoying middle-grade novel. Although at least it was quite short. I picked this up on a whim at a bookstore for around fifty cents. Due to its length, I decided to read it while on break from school. I hate that I am rating this book one star. I sort of feel bad about it. I just feel like it would bore anyone who reads it. It isn't a bad book it is just sort of too young for older readers, and too boring for the young ones.
  
  I was surprised because Avi is usually such a good writer of children's literature. The writing in this book is weak. The plot is nonexisting and extremely predictable. It is almost like the author is trying to disappoint you. I am not sure how he even finished this book. I would have fallen asleep writing it. I am not the intended audience, but if I was, I know younger me would be bored also.
  
  The best part of this book was the slang. That's not a good sign. The old time dialogue was amusing and made me laugh. I enjoyed the historical nods to yesteryear. So that is a plus.
  
  It also was sort of interesting thinking about what the emotional and psychological ( can you tell what my major is? ) ramifications of growing up in the middle of war would be. A war like World War II. The book did have random, albeit wise, profound moments. Things that made you think about things. An example:
  
  "I mean, it should be that grown-ups stay put. It’s kids that are supposed to go. But during the war, see, it was just the opposite. It was us kids who had the job of trying to keep things normal.”
  
  I did find the book to be a little bit unrealistic and predictable as I mentioned earlier. I believe even children would know that Howie's petition is not going to work. I just really didn't find myself caring for Howie Crispers at all.
  
  Overall a big disappointment. You should check it out for yourself.
• 
  Claudia

  RECORDED BOOOKS (unabridged) 2003, narrated by Nick Landrum.
  Cass: I can't figure out how to add the audio cassette version, so I've attached my review to the paperback listing.
  
  (CIP) In wartime Brooklyn in 1943, eleven-year-old Howie Crispers mounts a campaign to save his favorite teacher from being fired.
  
  (Claudia) For the narration alone, Don’t You Know… is an irresistible read, as Howie Crispers confidentially gives us the scoop on his wartime (WWII) experiences in Brooklyn during his 5th grade year … in marvelous period slang, ably performed by Nick Landrum. Howie is a believable, and likable, pre-adolescent, worrying about his Dad (in the merchant marine), falling for his strict but beautiful teacher, trying to uncover an unpopular principal as a spy ... There’s plenty of period detail and some homefront perspective on the war, all well integrated into an active plot that keeps Howie—and the reader’s attention—moving briskly along. Gr. 4-7
  
  (SLJ) “This fast-paced, realistic, and heartwarming story will be appreciated by young readers.”
  
  (Booklist) “… an affectionate comedy … Avi keeps the story-telling light, with fast dialogue and lots of lively detail.”
  
• 
  Carolyn

  wide reading for CI 546
  
  grade level: 4th/5th grade reading level-wise, middle school content level-wise
  
  genre: historical fiction.
  
  themes: war, spies, friendship, promises, secrets
  
  school use: Great way to dip kids into WWII--from a kid standpoint. rather than "what was it like to be in the war" this book looks at "what was it like to be a kid while this war was going on." also lots of neat details re: censorship of military letters, women at work, blackouts, etc. = stuff that it's hard to get a flavor for from, say, one's social studies textbook.
  
  review: Really enjoyed this. Lots of great Brooklyn details (I lived near Hicks Street for awhile!). Some really fun sleuthing going on. I think kids would really be able to relate to that idea of promising to keep a secret...but figuring out that what you really need to do to be a good person in that scenario is to share the secret. Also I think it's great to show kids taking a stand, fighting for what they believe in (in this case, their teacher keeping her job!) even when they know the adults may not agree.
  
  Particularly loved this description: I was in the basement all right. It was long, low, and hot, with stale, dusty air thick as butterscotch pudding.
• 
  Carl Williams

  Sixteen year old Howie Crispers narrates this story about his 11 year old, 5th grade self. In Brooklyn during the Second World War shortages and facing shortages and anxiety of the unknown whereabouts of parents and others serving, Howie lives like most preteens—grudgingly watching his little sister, sharing secrets—and crushes—with best friend, and taking risks in the adventures his world offers him.
  
  The story is full of dialog heavily peppered with wonderful innocent slang of the era (“Holy smokereno!” “Jiminy.” “Wilikers.” “Tell me another one while that one’s still warm.”) and a palatable flavor of life on the homefront for kids. There’s a real feel of Brooklyn and you can (as I did) follow the story on a map and get the sense of Howie’s Brooklyn Heights neighborhood.
  
  Good stuff. Highly recommended—especially for reluctant (especially boys as the main characters are all boys) late elementary/middle school readers, anyone interested in cultural history (Avi really captures a slice of wartime life at home from a youngster’s perspective), and aficionados of Brooklyn (as I have become over the last 3 or 4 years).
  
• 
  Becky

  First sentence: I was late that Monday morning because my shoelace broke just as I was leaving for school. Meant I had to use some string. Now, you might think string would be easy to find, but it wasn't. String was something you gave away for the war effort. Besides, my sister had already left for school and my mother was at her job at the Navy Yard. Those days me and my family lived in Brooklyn. During the war. When I was eleven.
  
  Premise/plot: Howie Crispers is madly, truly, deeply in love with his fifth grade teacher, Miss Gossim. Howie's best friend, is also madly, truly, deeply in love with her. Both are obsessed with finding out as much as humanly possible about their teacher's personal life. Both report back with each sharing juicy and not so juicy details about her life. Wanting almost to one up each other in how good they can be at learning more, more, more. Howie will do just about anything--including following her home, spying at her apartment building, overhearing private conversations, etc. He even 'accidentally' finds himself in her apartment building during a blackout and 'has' to seek refuge in her apartment until the all clear is given. (As far as I know, this is more of a drill or routine practice than actual emergency). She takes him in, confides super personal information to him, and tells him to keep it very quiet--not telling a soul. He tells everyone everything. I don't think Howie could keep a secret if his life depends on it.
  
  Howie rallies his class around 'saving' Miss Gossim's teaching job.
  
  My thoughts: I started off liking this one. Howie is a class-clown, goofy guy. He's presented as a trouble-maker who you can't help liking in spite of it all. But I thought the boys' obsession over their teacher was a little troubling. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be taken that seriously? Perhaps it was supposed to be a 'how cute' moment for readers. Bless their hearts. Those boys are so in love with their teacher. But to me, the more I read, the creepier I found it. Like boundaries were crossed in my opinion. If it's not 'cute' and 'precious' for a grown man to follow a woman home, to listen to her private conversations, to watch what she's doing, who she's seeing, etc., then why is it 'cute' and 'precious' if an eleven year old does it? I know that Howie and his friend aren't going to physically harm their teacher or pose an actual threat. But still. I also felt it very odd that a teacher would confide very personal information to an eleven year old student and ask them to keep it a secret. I also thought it odd that we get a flash forward to the end of war when he's sixteen and *still* having obsessive thoughts over his teacher whom he hasn't seen since fifth grade.
  
  Maybe I'm taking it too seriously? Maybe all the intentions were to be about a boy's puppy love, his first crush, etc.???
• 
  Rona Karen

  Avi is one of my favorite authors and I've read most if his books. So I think the reason I give this one only 3 stars is the comparison I made with his other works. The first part of the book didn't hook me at all and I almost put it down but since it is a short read, I just gave it a go. I love Denny's character, in fact, I like him better than Howie. Though Howie is also adorable. The mystery around Mrs. Gossim's character wasn't so much intriguing. I guess it lacks depth unlike the other characters Avi has written on his other books. I like the 'blackout' part. It made me feel nostalgic about the outage days that we had in the past and I could relate to the looking up at the stars and seeing them better when everywhere is dark. Overall, it was okay but this book pales in comparison to Avi's other works.
• 
  Pat Salvatini

  March 1943, America was at war. Father’s were away, mother’s were working, newspaper headlines were scary, food was rationed and Howie Crispers believed his principal was a Nazi spy. That was why he felt compelled to enter a Brooklyn brownstone through the coal shut, travel upstairs in a dumbwaiter, and eavesdrop on Mr. Lomister’s conversation. He is horrified to discover, not wartime secrets, but that his beloved teacher is about to be fired. Avi creates a wonderful character in Howie who struggles with the reality of everyday life amidst a time of uncertainty feeling the need to make a difference in his own way, “I couldn’t do nothing for my pop, or Denny’s dad, but I could do something for Miss Gossim.” The title is misleading in that the storyline is more about ordinary life than about the war.
• 
  Victoria Lees

  Don’t You Know There’s a War On? by Avi is an interesting middle-grade book. The story is told through the perspective of fifth grader Howie Crispers in all the grammar and slang of the time period. I learned quite a few things I didn’t know about how families coped with all the rationing and air raids and blackouts. Actual newspaper headlines and dates break up the sections of the book.
  
  The core of the story is Howie’s desire to help others, especially his favorite teacher Miss Gossim. Since he’s ten, he thinks in terms of the radio programs he listens to or the movies he sees on Saturdays. Spies. Bad guys. Ladies in distress.
  
  Day-to-day, Howie’s reality is missing his father, who is serving in the war, helping his mother, who works in the factory, building supplies for the war effort, and caring for his kid sister Gloria. Howie has a method to help Gloria deal with the war. Think about cake, chocolate cake. And even though she’s a pest to Howie, Gloria helps Howie find a way to help his favorite teacher.
  
  The war draws to a close in the book, but not without sadness. The realities of war. Don’t You Know There’s a War On? by Avi offers a perspective of World War II through a young person’s eyes.
  
• 
  Rose

  I’ve been a massive fan of Avi for over twenty years. I was excited to read this one — which I hadn’t read before — in preparation for an upcoming virtual book club.
  
  I figured I’d like it. What I wasn’t prepared for was the parallels between living in wartime and living in the middle of a pandemic. The odd “new normal,” the little details that permeate every aspect of life, the fear of what may happen next. Avi captures it all beautifully, and through the eyes of a main character who tries to find small ways to help because “doing something is better than doing nothing.” The ending made me cry!
• 
  Mohan Vemulapalli

  "Don't You Know There's a War On?" Is a charming and slightly bittersweet YA book about life on the homefront during the Second World War. Set primarily in 1943 the book portrays one of the worst and most uncertain times for the civilian population without becoming melodramatic or dark. Howie, the eleven year old protagonist and narrator, recounts food shortages, war time fears of spies and sabatoge and the uncertainty that comes from having his father in a combat zone while still maintaining a sense of innocence and wonder. This book is surprisingly poignant and thought provoking.
• 
  April

  Even though this book is 13 yrs old - older than my students I read it with - like most AVI works it is timeless. We laughed, and we cried and everything doesn't always end with happy ever after. My students were especially intrigued to find out what happened to Denny and his mom after the war - they felt they were left hanging. Many said it needed a sequel...hmmm, maybe a new boo idea for you AVI!
• 
  Sue

  Not my favorite of the Avi books I’ve read, he wrote about the life of a fifth grade boy during WWII trying to cope with the things happening in his life. The switching between the ah shucks, if I don’t pass my math test, my mom won’t let me go to the movies, daydreaming about his cute teacher, who is being fired for getting pregnant and being somewhat worried about his father on a ship didn’t work for me. Might be more appropriate for Middle school readers.
• 
  Ron Popp

  So I came across this book on a list of WW2/Homefront books. I had no idea it was YA but it came in from the library and I decided to read it....it took less than a day.
  
  It's cute and a good introduction to the time period for its intended audience (hence the 4 stars). I can't say I enjoyed it much but had I read it when I was 8 or 9, I probably would have loved it.
• 
  Dylan

  My favorite of Avi's novels. The most involved I ever felt in a story as a kid was while reading this. It was gripping, funny, romantic, and ultimately devastating. One of the very, very few books I never forgot.
• 
  JoEllen Morris

  Ok middle grade book about a fifth grade boy in WWII. Great Brooklyn voice and wartime description; I could envision it easily as I read. However, the kid does some stupid stuff that had me inwardly cringing. It was compelling enough to finish.
• 
  Margi

  I loved this book. From the setting, to the characters, to the emotions. What a great tribute to coming together in bad times. With all our WWII vets and those who lived through it perishing, these books hold great importance. It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s an adventure. Great read.
• 
  Karie

  Told from a young boys point of view; this book is funny, sad and shows the enormous compassion children can have toward others. I only wish it ended a little different. This is a feel good, easy read book.
• 
  Melissa Le Roux

  I grabbed this from the book box. Intrigued by the cover. Clearly not checking the genre or age range. When I opened it I realized it was for a young reader. However, I needed a short book to read and gave it a shot. Not my cup of tea. Not much of a story and the characters were a bit stale.
• 
  Moop

  Good book about WW II. A group of fifth graders are trying to save their teachers job. Some historical info in it for kids to learn a bit about the war.
• 
  Diane Carrozzo

  Gave this 4 stars for young people. It really catches the essence of what it was like living in Brooklyn during WW2 for children in elementary school. I enjoyed it.
• 
  Anthonio Keim

  I like how the book was made and how the characters acted and on how the dates changed on when a big event happened in World War Two.
  please wright more and maybe make a book about the Cold War.