Eyes Like Willy's

From School Library Journal Grade 5-9–Childhood friends are separated by tragic world events in this thoughtful World War I tale. Guy and Sarah live in Paris and vacation with their parents in Austria in the summer of 1906. There they make a fast friend in Willy, who is Austrian. The three children become inseparable and spend every summer vacation together. However, as Europe is drawn into the political turmoil leading to World War I, Guy and Willy, now young men, find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. Both become soldiers and fight for their countries, hoping to be reunited as friends someday. The story is told from Guy's point of view, from his childhood with Willy to his experiences as a soldier in the trenches. It follows a natural progression from the three characters' youthful innocence to a more mature, worldly wise voice. The pacing is quick and the depiction of war is not glossed over, but realistic and honest. The writing is spare; every word counts. Pair this memorable story with Theresa Breslin's