{"id":30396,"date":"2019-01-18T23:52:28","date_gmt":"2019-01-19T03:52:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=30396"},"modified":"2019-01-18T23:52:28","modified_gmt":"2019-01-19T03:52:28","slug":"review-of-a-year-of-borrowed-men-by-michelle-barker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=30396","title":{"rendered":"Review of A Year of Borrowed Men, by Michelle Barker"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>A Year of Borrowed Men<\/em><\/p>\n

by Michelle Barker
\nillustrated by Renn\u00e9 Benoit<\/p>\n

Pajamapress, 2016. First published in Canada in 2015. 40 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a picture book for older readers that\u2019s based on a true story from wartime Germany. The author used a story her mother told her.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the book begins:<\/p>\n

I was seven when the French prisoners of war arrived at our house. <\/p>\n

It was 1944. Mummy told us the government had sent them because all our men were gone to war, and someone needed to keep the farms running. She said we were just borrowing the French men. When the war was over, we would give them back.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The French men do work on the farm. The family is supposed to treat them like prisoners. When they slip up one cold night and let the borrowed men eat with the family, the next day the mother is taken in for questioning and warned that if there is any repeat, she will go to prison.<\/p>\n

So they have to keep their distance \u2013 but this story is how friendship builds between them, anyway.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s lovely. I like the scenes where they speak to each other in their own languages. Gerda (the narrator) shows them her Christmas doll. They learn that eine Puppe<\/em> in German is very close to une poup\u00e9e<\/em> in French.<\/p>\n

Old photographs at the back of the book emphasize the truth of this story.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s always inspiring when those who are told to be enemies make friends.<\/p>\n

pajamapress.ca<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/year_of_borrowed_men.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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