Reason for Reading: Read aloud to the 10yo as part of our history
curriculum.
This is a book I've read several times. I've read the entire book
to myself and aloud to each of my children plus I've read the poem
from the book numerous times. This is not really a book about World
War 1, or the Great War as it lets children know it was once
called. Plenty of information about the war is imparted but that is
through the telling of the story of Lt. Col. John McCrae, Canadian
soldier and poet, how he came to write the poem "In Flanders
Fields" and the impact that poem had on the people at the time as
well as its lasting effect.
Textually, the book starts with a copy of the poem written in
McCrae's own hand. Then there is a very brief set up for WWI, and a
brief background on John McCrae before he was in Flanders. It then
goes on to describe in detail the conditions of war at Flanders and
McCrae is quoted from his own letters. We are given the story, well
the two variations, of how and why John wrote the poem and the
public's immediate overwhelming response to its heartfelt message.
Then how the imagery of poppies became incorporated into war
posters, advertisements for Victory Bonds and quotes from "In
Flanders Fields" were used as taglines to inspire people. We get a
good look at McCrae's war life as a surgeon and how he lived out
his life, eventually dying on the front lines of pneumonia. But the
message of the poppy didn't end with Lt. Col. John McCrae's death
nor the end of WWI, it became a symbol of remembrance of those who
have fallen in wars to fight for our freedom and the custom of
wearing a poppy, which started during McCrae's life, is still
followed today in many countries throughout the world as they
honour a national day of Remembrance on November 11th.
Visually, the text pages are illustrated with a few drawings,
photographs, postcards, and artifacts such as medals. But the true
impact of this book comes from the beautiful yet haunting paintings
of Janet Wilson which illustrate the poem a few lines at a time. In
between the text pages every so often the poem is slowly told a few
lines at a time using a two page spread entirely filled with the
painting while the words are written along the bottom of the page.
These paintings truly bring the poem's meaning forward to anyone
who looks at them. Words and picture combine to tell the haunting,
powerful cry of the poem. One cannot read the poem along with these
paintings and not feel this poem in their gut, perhaps have their
voice crack; it gets to me every time.
While I certainly love this book as a whole I would recommend it
solely for the illustrated version of the poem alone.