I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review or be compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.
Finding good, clean books for children ages 8-12 has become a real struggle. We have some favorite authors, but I am always looking to add more books to our shelves because our children love to read. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review Operation: Happy by Jenni L. Walsh.
Operation: Happy is a hardcover, 230-page book geared towards children ages 8-12 published by Zonderkiz. It is "a World War II story of courage, resilience, and an unbreakable bond" between a young girl and her dog, Happy. Over the course of 40 chapters, we see the main characters move from one difficult situation to another and persevere.
About Operation: Happy
The main characters of this historical fiction are Jody, her dog Happy (who is a fictional addition), her sister Peggy, her mom, and her dad (who all play prominent parts in the book). Jody is inspired by a real-life Pearl Harbor survivor named Joan Zuber Earle. Jody also has several friends in the different locations in which she lives. And while the work is fiction, Walsh borrowed from real people, places, and events. This helps bring the book to life.
We start the novel in 1938 at Christmas when Jody receives Happy as a gift. He is a retired sentry dog for a military base whose eyesight is going and is aging. Happy is quite content to be back on duty as he 'shares' in one of the chapters told partially from his perspective. He loves Jody and his new family and sets out to take care of her and – in turn – them.
The plot starts to take shape when Jody's father is sent a telegram to report to Ford Island at Pearl to assume command of the Marine Barracks. Her mother is not very happy. She does not want to go, but they are "Team Zuber" and always move together. Her mom's feeling of unease continues after the move and through the rest of the book in varying degrees.
While on the island, Jody and her sister Peggy make friends, enjoy their new school, and push through their relationship as sisters. Air raid drills and blackouts on the island become another big part of their lives. Eventually, the drills stopped because December 7, 1941 occurred: Pearl Harbor and their small island were attacked. That leads to more changes in which Mom, Jody, and Peggy leave Ford Island and end up in San Francisco.
The events in San Francisco demonstrate the courage and resiliency of Jody in a different way. Jody's mom is very distraught and depressed about being away from her husband. So, while Jody does her best to lead Team Zuber at the request of her father, things start to fall apart. Jody's mom stays on the couch most days, sleeping. Jody and Peggy have to fend for themselves in regards to laundering their clothes, reheating meals that their mom cooks once or twice a week, and getting to and from school.
In the end, everything works out, but there are some bumps on the road to happiness for Team Zuber. Jody must find a way to trick others into believing her mom is well and taking care of them. And Peggy suffers a trauma that changes her. Through it all, Happy remains a constant and loyal companion to the entire family.
My Thoughts
One of the things I enjoyed about Operation: Happy is the lists that Jody creates when they move to a new place. As a military family, they move often. So, in each new location, Jody makes a top ten list of the best things. For example, on Ford Island, she adds:
4. It's still 80 degrees in January.
5. The other kids here are nifty.
I think this is a wonderful thing to encourage in children. Have them look for the positive things in life, especially during difficult times such as moving.
Even in the midst of danger and tension, there are funny moments. One such event occurs when Jody, Peggy, and their friends have a mango war. And while the children have fun in this adventure, we see consequences happen for the main characters. A valuable lesson is learned in some respect (they continue to lie to their mom about what happened).
While I really enjoyed this book, I do have a few concerns before handing it off to our children. The trauma that changes Peggy is quite dramatic. She is cornered by a strange man in their first apartment building lobby in San Francisco. Happy knows something is up and gets Jody to bring him downstairs, where he rescues Peggy. As a mom, I do not think this exact situation was necessary to demonstrate Happy's courage and bond with the family or change Peggy. I would much rather have seen Peggy facing bullies or something that would fit into the normal scope of an 8- to 12-year-old rather than a potential assault of this type.
And of course, parents would need to consider the fact that this book is providing a first-hand account of the events at Pearl Harbor. If your children enjoy learning about history, and in particular, World War II, this might not cause any problems for you. As long as you are there to talk about the events and your children's feelings, then it should be okay.
Even with my reservations, I would recommend this book. Every parent can make their own decisions about the book. If one has concerns, then read it aloud together. Then, you can edit what you feel is necessary until a time when your children are older.
I am looking forward to seeking more books by Jenni L. Walsh. I enjoyed her writing style. The characters really come to life through the actions and dialogue. Overall, Operation: Happy is a good book.
Other Reviews of Zonderkidz and Zondervan Books
- Book Club: Book Review of Sunny Days Ahead
- Book Club: Book Review of 'Twas the Season of Lent
- Book Club: Book Review of Kiki Finds Her Voice
No comments:
Post a Comment