“In the fall of 1962, the world went crazy – and took a young girl with it.” from the cover of Bertie’s War…
Barbara Tifft Blakey (of Total Language Plus) brings us a coming of age story about a young girl, Roberta, growing up in the fear-worn 1960’s. Bertie, as the girl is often called, spends her days staving off panic and anxiety by immersing herself in pretend play and imagination. Worry and fear drive her very being until one day, she’s forced to confront her deepest terror and realizes it’s nothing she thought it was. It was worse.
I love this story. It starts out and continues in a manner very familiar with the times but the story takes a dramatic turn at the climax and ends in a surprising, refreshing way. I was completely caught off guard at the ending and so glad the author chose this direction. Most would not have thought to write such an original ending.
At first, I was really bothered by the fact that Bertie’s character seemed so much younger than her supposed age. I had a hard time remembering that she was a middle school-aged child rather than a third grader. It was annoying me. But the more I thought about it, the more I understood why the author did this. Bertie did behave in a manner younger than her age – she was driven by her fear and insecurities. But not only this, I realized this story takes place in the 1960’s. Children in the 60’s had a younger maturity that children of the 21st century. As I kept this in mind, I was bothered less and less toward the end of the book. Still, I couldn’t keep the image of a smaller child out of my head.
In the end, I really love this book! We will definitely be adding Bertie’s War to our read aloud list when we cover this time in history. It’s difficult to find quality literature that not only demonstrates an accurate picture but also one from a Christian perspective. You can pick up your own copy from the Kregal website for only $7.99.
Two thumbs up for Mrs. Blakely. I look forward to reading her next book. : )
-Sara O’
Hi, this is Barbara, the author of Bertie's War. I want to thank you for taking the time to read and review my first attempt at fiction. I appreciate your comments greatly!