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Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam – A Picture Book Story-Poem About Fear in War for Children
Vietnam.
A young American soldier waits for his enemy, rifle in hand, finger on the trigger. He is afraid to move and yet afraid not to move. Gunshots crackle in the still air. The soldier fires blindly into the distant trees at an unseen enemy. He crouches and waits -- heart pounding, tense and trembling, biting back tears. When will it all be over?
Walter Dean Myers joined the army on his seventeeth birthday, at the onset of American involvement in Vietnam, but it was the death of his brother in 1968 that forever changed his mind about war.
In a gripping and powerful story-poem, the award-winning author takes readers into the heart and mind of a young soldier in an alien land who comes face-to-face with the enemy. Strikingly illustrated with evocative and emotionally wrenching collages by Caldecott Honor artist Ann Grifalconi, this unforgettable portrait captures one American G.L's haunting experience.
A young American soldier waits for his enemy, rifle in hand, finger on the trigger. He is afraid to move and yet afraid not to move. Gunshots crackle in the still air. The soldier fires blindly into the distant trees at an unseen enemy. He crouches and waits -- heart pounding, tense and trembling, biting back tears. When will it all be over?
Walter Dean Myers joined the army on his seventeeth birthday, at the onset of American involvement in Vietnam, but it was the death of his brother in 1968 that forever changed his mind about war.
In a gripping and powerful story-poem, the award-winning author takes readers into the heart and mind of a young soldier in an alien land who comes face-to-face with the enemy. Strikingly illustrated with evocative and emotionally wrenching collages by Caldecott Honor artist Ann Grifalconi, this unforgettable portrait captures one American G.L's haunting experience.
40 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
4 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Walter Dean Myers
232 books1,181 followerspseudonyms:
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
November 3, 2009
This is an outstanding work, blending vivid poetic images with rich collage illustrations. Walter Dean Myers’ poem takes us into the vulnerable side of every soldier. He uses contrasting images of the lush beauty of the forests of Vietnam and the searing danger of combat, along with contrasting emotions of a cunning pursuit and the weary soldier’s longing for relief. In addition, he uses realistic details of combat to “put us there.” I think that whenever our young readers begin to learn about war, it’s important to balance honoring the soldier without glorifying war, and this book does the job wonderfully. We feel the suspense, the tension of the silence, the shock of the thundering bombers streaking overhead—the paradox of villagers going about their lives in the midst of a war zone. I was particularly drawn in by the author’s ability to bring the characters alive. I felt an instant connection to all the characters in the story. Poets amaze me in how they can do this is so few words. Ann Grifalconi’s illustrations are fantastic and capture all the nuances of the text. I kept finding new details in the collages every time I looked at them again. Together, text and illustrations bring honor to those who must survive war’s horrors. This is a book for ages 11-14, and the strengths of the poetry and the images make it worth reading and re-reading. Older readers would find much to discuss and analyze on many levels—a soldier’s life, combat, Vietnam history, civilians in war, as well as the poetic elements. One of the most moving picture books I've ever read.
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May 6, 2012Rebecca Weimert
Picture Book
Patrol: An American Solider in Vietnam is a story from the point of view of the solider. The solider describes what he is thinking and feeling as he waits for the enemy in the rice paddies of Vietnam. He also describes the village and what he feels when he sees the enemy up close. Although he is fighting for his country, the solider is also ready for the war to be over and wants to go home.
As I was researching this book I noticed it was mostly listed as a children’s book, but I would disagree. The story describes killing and bombs. I do not feel this is appropriate for children, but for young adults. Young adults would understand the language used and the metaphors better than a child. In one scene the solider invades a local town and describes the people they are going to attack. This seems a little too old for young children. The story is sad, but the reader gets a first-hand experience of what a real solider in Vietnam actually thought and felt, especially at the end when he describes how much he just wants to go home.
Picture Book
Patrol: An American Solider in Vietnam is a story from the point of view of the solider. The solider describes what he is thinking and feeling as he waits for the enemy in the rice paddies of Vietnam. He also describes the village and what he feels when he sees the enemy up close. Although he is fighting for his country, the solider is also ready for the war to be over and wants to go home.
As I was researching this book I noticed it was mostly listed as a children’s book, but I would disagree. The story describes killing and bombs. I do not feel this is appropriate for children, but for young adults. Young adults would understand the language used and the metaphors better than a child. In one scene the solider invades a local town and describes the people they are going to attack. This seems a little too old for young children. The story is sad, but the reader gets a first-hand experience of what a real solider in Vietnam actually thought and felt, especially at the end when he describes how much he just wants to go home.
February 23, 2013
Walter Dean Myers nevers disappoints. His account of a young American soldier facing the enemy in combat is emotional, intense, and frightening. This soldier's story is not told from moment to moment but rather emotion to emotion. Desiring a reason to kill the enemy, the soldier struggles with his plight but remains steadfast in his desire to stay alive.
We stare across the distance.
I know he wants me to lift my rifle, to be the enemy.
I want him to lift his rifle.
I want him to turn away.
In a heartbeat, we have learned too much about each other.
The story addresses the tradegy of the Vietnam War: the difficult terrian, the involvement of civilians, and the dropping of bombs.
This book is intense. The reading level is listed as third grade, but the content is really more appropriate for older readers. It certainly provides a first person account of war. A perspective young students don't often get to see.
We stare across the distance.
I know he wants me to lift my rifle, to be the enemy.
I want him to lift his rifle.
I want him to turn away.
In a heartbeat, we have learned too much about each other.
The story addresses the tradegy of the Vietnam War: the difficult terrian, the involvement of civilians, and the dropping of bombs.
This book is intense. The reading level is listed as third grade, but the content is really more appropriate for older readers. It certainly provides a first person account of war. A perspective young students don't often get to see.
May 31, 2019
Walter Dean Myers is one of my favorite authors and this picture book by him is a treasure. A young African-American soldier is in the rain forest of Vietnam. He is preparing for a battle that involves villagers and unseen enemy. No blood and gore. But psychological stress of battle and war is recorded. I am using this with a middle school African American boy I tutor.
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July 7, 2016First person perspective of going to war. Who's the enemy?
July 2, 2016
Personal Review:
This is definitely not a picture book for small children. I am in love with the fact that this story is told in poem format and the illustrations really enhance the text with relevant details. While it doesn't get too graphic. it truly portrays what fighting in the Vietnam War was like for some soldiers. This is an excellent pairing for Myers's Fallen Angels due to the same subject matter and the fact that it offers the same basic ideas in a different format while including illustrations. This would be an excellent alternative book to Fallen Angels for students who A) couldn't handle the language and graphic nature of Fallen Angels or B) couldn't handle the length of the novel. This gets the same idea across as Fallen Angels in a much shorter more visual manner. I will definitely buy this book for the collection if I end up in a middle or high school library. This is one book, however, that I would not include in an elementary school collection.
Official Review:
Title of Resource: Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam
Type of Resource: Picture Book – Pair for Fallen Angels
Complete Citation: Myers, W. (2001). Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam. New York: HarperCollins
Publishers.
Ordering Information:
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780060283636
Price: $16.95 Paperback
SOL: English 11.4f) Explain how the sound of a poem (rhyme, rhythm, onomatopoeia, repetition, alliteration,
assonance, and parallelism) supports the subject, mood, and theme. AND Virginia/USHistory VUS.13b) The student will demonstrate knowledge of United States foreign policy since World War II by the describing…the American role in wars in Korea and Vietnam.
Student/Teacher Description:
I would put this book in the hands of a Language Arts or Social Studies teacher whose students are studying the Vietnam War and want an easy resource to supplement the study of the war or spur creative writing. This book offers a personalized view of what the war was like for a soldier and is written in verse instead of prose. I could also collaborate with language arts or social studies teachers to provide them additional resources on poetry, the Vietnam War, or activities for differentiated instruction either in the library or in the classroom.
Paragraph Version:
Patrol offers a truthful view of what life was like for soldiers during the Vietnam War using details and illustrations. Walter Dean Myers served in Vietnam and his brother was killed there. He experienced many events that help him accurately portray a soldier’s life during that time. This would be a worthwhile picture book to use during the study of the Vietnam War in Social Studies or in 11th grade English when studying American Literature. The rawness of emotions and simplicity of text make this an excellent addition to the study of a serious time in history. This would be appropriate for an honors class, regular class, or remedial class, since it presents a difficult subject in simple poetry but could inspire a range of assignments. This book may be too intense for some students who are from war-torn areas or whose parents are deployed or part of the military. While Patrol doesn’t explain the whole war, it offers a deep look into one soldier’s experiences while on patrol in the jungles of Vietnam by explaining the boy’s feelings and actions. The illustrations offer students a detailed look into the events and surroundings in Vietnam during war time. The writing is gripping, typical of Myers’s style. This is one of the few high school picture books that portray the Vietnam War experience. Appropriate for all levels of students, Patrol stands out as a welcome addition to any library to be enjoyed by students as well as Language Arts and Social Studies teachers. Review: Black Issues Book Review, Sept./Oct. 2002, p.61.
This is definitely not a picture book for small children. I am in love with the fact that this story is told in poem format and the illustrations really enhance the text with relevant details. While it doesn't get too graphic. it truly portrays what fighting in the Vietnam War was like for some soldiers. This is an excellent pairing for Myers's Fallen Angels due to the same subject matter and the fact that it offers the same basic ideas in a different format while including illustrations. This would be an excellent alternative book to Fallen Angels for students who A) couldn't handle the language and graphic nature of Fallen Angels or B) couldn't handle the length of the novel. This gets the same idea across as Fallen Angels in a much shorter more visual manner. I will definitely buy this book for the collection if I end up in a middle or high school library. This is one book, however, that I would not include in an elementary school collection.
Official Review:
Title of Resource: Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam
Type of Resource: Picture Book – Pair for Fallen Angels
Complete Citation: Myers, W. (2001). Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam. New York: HarperCollins
Publishers.
Ordering Information:
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780060283636
Price: $16.95 Paperback
SOL: English 11.4f) Explain how the sound of a poem (rhyme, rhythm, onomatopoeia, repetition, alliteration,
assonance, and parallelism) supports the subject, mood, and theme. AND Virginia/USHistory VUS.13b) The student will demonstrate knowledge of United States foreign policy since World War II by the describing…the American role in wars in Korea and Vietnam.
Student/Teacher Description:
I would put this book in the hands of a Language Arts or Social Studies teacher whose students are studying the Vietnam War and want an easy resource to supplement the study of the war or spur creative writing. This book offers a personalized view of what the war was like for a soldier and is written in verse instead of prose. I could also collaborate with language arts or social studies teachers to provide them additional resources on poetry, the Vietnam War, or activities for differentiated instruction either in the library or in the classroom.
Paragraph Version:
Patrol offers a truthful view of what life was like for soldiers during the Vietnam War using details and illustrations. Walter Dean Myers served in Vietnam and his brother was killed there. He experienced many events that help him accurately portray a soldier’s life during that time. This would be a worthwhile picture book to use during the study of the Vietnam War in Social Studies or in 11th grade English when studying American Literature. The rawness of emotions and simplicity of text make this an excellent addition to the study of a serious time in history. This would be appropriate for an honors class, regular class, or remedial class, since it presents a difficult subject in simple poetry but could inspire a range of assignments. This book may be too intense for some students who are from war-torn areas or whose parents are deployed or part of the military. While Patrol doesn’t explain the whole war, it offers a deep look into one soldier’s experiences while on patrol in the jungles of Vietnam by explaining the boy’s feelings and actions. The illustrations offer students a detailed look into the events and surroundings in Vietnam during war time. The writing is gripping, typical of Myers’s style. This is one of the few high school picture books that portray the Vietnam War experience. Appropriate for all levels of students, Patrol stands out as a welcome addition to any library to be enjoyed by students as well as Language Arts and Social Studies teachers. Review: Black Issues Book Review, Sept./Oct. 2002, p.61.
March 29, 2010
Summary: A young American soldier waits for his enemy, rifle in hand, finger on the trigger. He is afraid to move and yet afraid not to move. Gunshots crackle in the still air. The soldier fires blindly into the distant trees at an unseen enemy. He crouches and waits -- heart pounding, tense and trembling, biting back tears. When will it all be over?
Walter Dean Myers joined the army on his seventeeth birthday, at the onset of American involvement in Vietnam, but it was the death of his brother in 1968 that forever changed his mind about war.
In a gripping and powerful story-poem, the award-winning author takes readers into the heart and mind of a young soldier in an alien land who comes face-to-face with the enemy. Strikingly illustrated with evocative and emotionally wrenching collages by Caldecott Honor artist Ann Grifalconi, this unforgettable portrait captures one American G.L's haunting experience.
Written by: Walter Dean Myers
Illustrated by: Ann Grifalcone
Audience: 3rd-6th
Genre: Poetry
Topics: war, Vietnam War, persons in war, soldier of war, fear, sacrifice, and courage
Literary Elements: Man versus Man Conflict
Illustrations: Ann Grifalcone’s artwork clearly depicts the setting and people of the Vietnam war. Her color usage is symbolic of war and danger. Overall, her use of collage in such a book is absolutely perfect!
Usage: This particular book can be used in a variety of setting in the classroom including independent reading, guided reading, and reading out loud. One could easily introduce such a book while learning poetry, war, or etc.
Thanks GoodReads!
Walter Dean Myers joined the army on his seventeeth birthday, at the onset of American involvement in Vietnam, but it was the death of his brother in 1968 that forever changed his mind about war.
In a gripping and powerful story-poem, the award-winning author takes readers into the heart and mind of a young soldier in an alien land who comes face-to-face with the enemy. Strikingly illustrated with evocative and emotionally wrenching collages by Caldecott Honor artist Ann Grifalconi, this unforgettable portrait captures one American G.L's haunting experience.
Written by: Walter Dean Myers
Illustrated by: Ann Grifalcone
Audience: 3rd-6th
Genre: Poetry
Topics: war, Vietnam War, persons in war, soldier of war, fear, sacrifice, and courage
Literary Elements: Man versus Man Conflict
Illustrations: Ann Grifalcone’s artwork clearly depicts the setting and people of the Vietnam war. Her color usage is symbolic of war and danger. Overall, her use of collage in such a book is absolutely perfect!
Usage: This particular book can be used in a variety of setting in the classroom including independent reading, guided reading, and reading out loud. One could easily introduce such a book while learning poetry, war, or etc.
Thanks GoodReads!
July 20, 2016
Pages: 40
Age range: 8 (or maybe a little older) and up
Genre: Picture/Poetry
Race/Culture/Ethnic Group: African American
Summary: Through poetry and the voice of a young African American soldier, Myers tells of the experiences of soldiers in Vietnam.
Evaluation: Soldiers in Vietnam is a familiar topic for Myers (author of Fallen Angels, among others). The young soldier narrating the poem is very frank about his fear, about killing and about death. His view of “the enemy” changes over the course of the text, beginning with “he is the harvest” to episodes of wondering if the enemy is doing and feeling the same things he is. At the point when the speaker begins to humanize the Vietnamese in this way, he admits to being tired of war. Grifalconi’s collage type illustrations provide a beautiful setting for Myers’ text. The illustrations highlight the dichotomy between the beauty of the landscape and the horrors of war. While many aspects of the illustrations are somewhat fantastical and brighter than life, the faces of both the American soldiers (African American, mostly) and the Vietnamese are realistic, probably photographs.
A few reviews that I saw listed the age range for this book as low as 5 years old. I completely disagree. Even though it is a picture book, I would probably not use it until upper elementary or even middle school. In fact, this book could still be part of a high school curriculum when teaching about Vietnam. (At my local library this was shelved with the children’s chapter books, not with the picture books, which I think was appropriate.)
Age range: 8 (or maybe a little older) and up
Genre: Picture/Poetry
Race/Culture/Ethnic Group: African American
Summary: Through poetry and the voice of a young African American soldier, Myers tells of the experiences of soldiers in Vietnam.
Evaluation: Soldiers in Vietnam is a familiar topic for Myers (author of Fallen Angels, among others). The young soldier narrating the poem is very frank about his fear, about killing and about death. His view of “the enemy” changes over the course of the text, beginning with “he is the harvest” to episodes of wondering if the enemy is doing and feeling the same things he is. At the point when the speaker begins to humanize the Vietnamese in this way, he admits to being tired of war. Grifalconi’s collage type illustrations provide a beautiful setting for Myers’ text. The illustrations highlight the dichotomy between the beauty of the landscape and the horrors of war. While many aspects of the illustrations are somewhat fantastical and brighter than life, the faces of both the American soldiers (African American, mostly) and the Vietnamese are realistic, probably photographs.
A few reviews that I saw listed the age range for this book as low as 5 years old. I completely disagree. Even though it is a picture book, I would probably not use it until upper elementary or even middle school. In fact, this book could still be part of a high school curriculum when teaching about Vietnam. (At my local library this was shelved with the children’s chapter books, not with the picture books, which I think was appropriate.)
November 5, 2012
Main Characters: An unnamed American soldier
Setting: This story takes place in Vietnam during the Vietnam war.
Grade/Interest Level: Upper Elementary
Reading Level: 280 L
Genre: Historical Fiction, Picture Book
Summary:
Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam, written by Walter Dean Myers and illustrated by Ann Grifalconi, is a very powerful story about the day in the life of an American soldier during the Vietnam war. This story doesn't go into detail about the war, but it doesn't need to. Instead, this story demonstrates the fear of a soldier during this war and the inner struggles fighting within, one of the most prevalent being "Who is the enemy?". Several times throughout the story, the soldier thinks if his "enemy" is doing similar things as him. One of the most interesting parts of the story is when the American soldiers enter a village and surround the "enemies", who consist of women, farmers, elders and crying babies. At the end of the story, the main character is shown writing a letter and saying "I am so very tired of this war". This story is powerful because it avoids showing the soldier as a fearless hero, but instead as a young man who is confused and afraid.
Classroom Use:
One of the things I loved about this book is that it is such a low reading level, but covers very powerful themes and content. This book would be a great read aloud to include in a history unit about the Vietnam war or any wars. I believe that a lot of powerful conversations could come out of this text and I think it could be used as a great catalyst to discuss more serious themes that this book presents.
Setting: This story takes place in Vietnam during the Vietnam war.
Grade/Interest Level: Upper Elementary
Reading Level: 280 L
Genre: Historical Fiction, Picture Book
Summary:
Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam, written by Walter Dean Myers and illustrated by Ann Grifalconi, is a very powerful story about the day in the life of an American soldier during the Vietnam war. This story doesn't go into detail about the war, but it doesn't need to. Instead, this story demonstrates the fear of a soldier during this war and the inner struggles fighting within, one of the most prevalent being "Who is the enemy?". Several times throughout the story, the soldier thinks if his "enemy" is doing similar things as him. One of the most interesting parts of the story is when the American soldiers enter a village and surround the "enemies", who consist of women, farmers, elders and crying babies. At the end of the story, the main character is shown writing a letter and saying "I am so very tired of this war". This story is powerful because it avoids showing the soldier as a fearless hero, but instead as a young man who is confused and afraid.
Classroom Use:
One of the things I loved about this book is that it is such a low reading level, but covers very powerful themes and content. This book would be a great read aloud to include in a history unit about the Vietnam war or any wars. I believe that a lot of powerful conversations could come out of this text and I think it could be used as a great catalyst to discuss more serious themes that this book presents.
May 1, 2010
Summary: A young American soldier waits for his enemy, rifle in hand, finger on the trigger. He is afraid to move and yet afraid not to move. Gunshots crackle in the still air. The soldier fires blindly into the distant trees at an unseen enemy. He crouches and waits -- heart pounding, tense and trembling, biting back tears. When will it all be over?
Walter Dean Myers joined the army on his seventeeth birthday, at the onset of American involvement in Vietnam, but it was the death of his brother in 1968 that forever changed his mind about war.
In a gripping and powerful story-poem, the award-winning author takes readers into the heart and mind of a young soldier in an alien land who comes face-to-face with the enemy. Strikingly illustrated with evocative and emotionally wrenching collages by Caldecott Honor artist Ann Grifalconi, this unforgettable portrait captures one American G.L's haunting experience.
-Thanks to goodreads
Literary Awards and Nominations:
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award
Genre: Fiction, Poetry
Reading Level: 3rd-6th Grade
Social Issues: War, Vietnam
Topic: Fear, Courage, Sacrifice, War, Internal Struggle
Use: Read Aloud
Written by Walter Dean Myers Illustrated by Ann Grifalcone
Illustrations: The illustrations in the picture book are very deep and realistic. “The author artfully converys the outward events of warfare and the resulting inner turmoil.” – Publishers Weekly
Published: 2002 by HarperCollins
Walter Dean Myers joined the army on his seventeeth birthday, at the onset of American involvement in Vietnam, but it was the death of his brother in 1968 that forever changed his mind about war.
In a gripping and powerful story-poem, the award-winning author takes readers into the heart and mind of a young soldier in an alien land who comes face-to-face with the enemy. Strikingly illustrated with evocative and emotionally wrenching collages by Caldecott Honor artist Ann Grifalconi, this unforgettable portrait captures one American G.L's haunting experience.
-Thanks to goodreads
Literary Awards and Nominations:
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award
Genre: Fiction, Poetry
Reading Level: 3rd-6th Grade
Social Issues: War, Vietnam
Topic: Fear, Courage, Sacrifice, War, Internal Struggle
Use: Read Aloud
Written by Walter Dean Myers Illustrated by Ann Grifalcone
Illustrations: The illustrations in the picture book are very deep and realistic. “The author artfully converys the outward events of warfare and the resulting inner turmoil.” – Publishers Weekly
Published: 2002 by HarperCollins
May 14, 2014
The cover of this book calls it a "story-poem." This story is of an American GI's experience in Vietnam during the war. It is an interesting perspective of a "traveler." He is somewhere new, experiencing the land, but he is there as an "enemy." He is trying to reconcile himself as an enemy and the people he meets as an enemy. One very moving part says,
The enemy.
A brown woman with rivers of age etched deeply into her face.
And babies. Babies.
Little enemies crying on the mud roads.
Little enemies with tears running down dusty cheeks.
What does it mean to travel when you are a soldier? What position of outsider does it put you in? What insider experience does it offer? This book would be a great introduction to an excerpt from The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien.
Also, the pictures are very interesting. It seems like the people are glued onto the landscape..this could be an interesting way to talk about what it means to travel and to suddenly be "pasted" onto a new landscape as a foreigner. What's interesting is the Vietnamese are also pasted onto the landscape...so who belongs to this land and who doesn't? What is home if we are all pasted onto the land and can easily move about?
The enemy.
A brown woman with rivers of age etched deeply into her face.
And babies. Babies.
Little enemies crying on the mud roads.
Little enemies with tears running down dusty cheeks.
What does it mean to travel when you are a soldier? What position of outsider does it put you in? What insider experience does it offer? This book would be a great introduction to an excerpt from The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien.
Also, the pictures are very interesting. It seems like the people are glued onto the landscape..this could be an interesting way to talk about what it means to travel and to suddenly be "pasted" onto a new landscape as a foreigner. What's interesting is the Vietnamese are also pasted onto the landscape...so who belongs to this land and who doesn't? What is home if we are all pasted onto the land and can easily move about?
July 2, 2010
This vibrant picture book depicts the experience of a young American soldier during the Vietnam War. It deals with his struggle to survive in a harsh and unforgiving terrain while trying to come to terms with his role as a soldier. He is afraid but wants the enemy to fear him more. He feels conflicted about who his enemy actually is and whether or not he is the enemy. This situation climaxes when he is face to face with an enemy combatant. He realizes how young the boy is and is unable to even point his rifle at him. He finally admits how much he misses home and how tired he is of the war.
The illustrations were impactful and helped to fulfill the depth of the experience. I was especially moved when he was describing the enemy and there on the page were pictures of fragile, elderly people and mothers with toddlers and babies. How difficult it must have been to distinguish friend from foe and to be forced to defend yourself from an enemy who appeared to be so innocent.
The illustrations were impactful and helped to fulfill the depth of the experience. I was especially moved when he was describing the enemy and there on the page were pictures of fragile, elderly people and mothers with toddlers and babies. How difficult it must have been to distinguish friend from foe and to be forced to defend yourself from an enemy who appeared to be so innocent.
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April 27, 2010This book is a wonderful resource for showing just how great descriptive language can be. The author does a wonderful job of using descriptive language to really make the reader feel as if they, too, are fighting in this war. We are given everything possible in these descriptions: sight, sounds, smells, tastes, emotions, and thoughts. On top of the use of descriptive language, we also get great insight into the mod of the American soldier. This book does a great job of showing that soldiers aren't hardcore, emotionless machines, but rather people with feelings, feelings of fear and a want to go home. This is a great book with a lot of great literary tools used, and will be a great addition to an elementary classroom.
May 1, 2010
Title: Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Illustrator: Ann Grifalcone
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year of Publication: 2002
Grade level: 3-7
Genre: Picture Book
Topics: War; fear; Vietnam
Social Issues Addressed: Vietnam War
Summary: Patrol is about a soldier during the Vietnam War. He is very scared and waits in the fields of Vietnam for the enemy. Fear has overtaken, and he can barely move. He comes across the enemy but doesn’t shoot. This is a very descriptive book.
Interactions Between Text and Illustrations: The illustrations compliment the text by showing realistic scenes that set a tone throughout the book.
Curricular Uses: Read aloud and independent reading
Literary Elements: Plot and setting
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Illustrator: Ann Grifalcone
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year of Publication: 2002
Grade level: 3-7
Genre: Picture Book
Topics: War; fear; Vietnam
Social Issues Addressed: Vietnam War
Summary: Patrol is about a soldier during the Vietnam War. He is very scared and waits in the fields of Vietnam for the enemy. Fear has overtaken, and he can barely move. He comes across the enemy but doesn’t shoot. This is a very descriptive book.
Interactions Between Text and Illustrations: The illustrations compliment the text by showing realistic scenes that set a tone throughout the book.
Curricular Uses: Read aloud and independent reading
Literary Elements: Plot and setting
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April 27, 2010Book about an American soldier in the bloody mess that was the Vietnam war. This book follows a particular soldier who shows real human feelings for himself and the "enemy." This book allows the reader to look at the emotional side of war.
Audience: 3-6 grade
Genre: historical fiction
Topic: War
This book is great for any kind of reding; independent, shared, or read aloud
The illustrations compliment the text very well, being able to really give the reader a clear view of what is happening.
This book brings up the issue of war and the effects it can have on a person actually fighting. This book would be especially good for now considering the War on Terrorism.
Audience: 3-6 grade
Genre: historical fiction
Topic: War
This book is great for any kind of reding; independent, shared, or read aloud
The illustrations compliment the text very well, being able to really give the reader a clear view of what is happening.
This book brings up the issue of war and the effects it can have on a person actually fighting. This book would be especially good for now considering the War on Terrorism.
January 25, 2012
I thought this was a book where the text, illustrations and format all worked well together. The words are potent somehow gentle as well. The collages seem a lovely echo of the words- not realistic enough to be scary and beautiful enough to entice without loosing the place and meaning. This is a good example of a picturebook for older readers- the text has poetic gaps for a sophisticated reader to fill and the subject matter invites more inquiry into the Vietnam War. Would actually be an interesting comparison to My Brother Sam is Dead, since Myers's Fallen Angels is perhaps too similar except for the media.
April 28, 2013
Beautifully written piece of poetry that brings up a lot of great questions that soldiers who faught in Vietnam probably asked themselves. I used this one in class as a follow-up to Inside Out and Back Again (the story of a 10 year-old Vietnamese refugee who escapes South Vietnam to come to America during the Vietnam War). My kids were silent as mice during certain parts that were thick with emotions. It certainly raised a lot of questions that I encouraged them to research about what happened in Vietnam during the war. It was also a great way for them to see a different perspective on the same event after having heard Ha's story.
November 2, 2014
Excellent picture book with a strong themes that leaves room for interpretation by the reader, such as a page where real pictures are inserted in the book amidst the dominant illustrations of the novel. Among the more sophisticated facets of this book is the character's knowledge of humanity and knowing his enemy is human being with feelings who most likely writes to people and receives letters, just like himself.
The tone doesn't necessarily jump out at me with this book, but the more mature audience is made clear throughout, and especially as the book ends with war-like conditions of uncertainty and forlorn feelings.
The tone doesn't necessarily jump out at me with this book, but the more mature audience is made clear throughout, and especially as the book ends with war-like conditions of uncertainty and forlorn feelings.
January 25, 2017
-I was initially surprised that such a controversial and intense story would be shared with a youthful audience.
-I however found the manner by which the story was presented to be brilliant, depicting war as a horrible thing, but showing the humanity that is involved with it.
-I also liked how the author showed that even in war, your enemy isn't all that different than yourself, so in smaller, every day affairs, there is likely very little difference between yourself and your perceived enemies.
-The depiction of fear was also striking, I particularly liked when they told we were scared to move, but even more scared to stay still.
-I however found the manner by which the story was presented to be brilliant, depicting war as a horrible thing, but showing the humanity that is involved with it.
-I also liked how the author showed that even in war, your enemy isn't all that different than yourself, so in smaller, every day affairs, there is likely very little difference between yourself and your perceived enemies.
-The depiction of fear was also striking, I particularly liked when they told we were scared to move, but even more scared to stay still.
November 9, 2010
Definitely a picture book for older students, Walter Dean Myers pulls from his own experience in Vietnam to develop a story of one soldier as he sees the world and war around him. While there isn't anything overly graphic, there is a lot that is unsaid in this story and requires the inferential comprehension skills of older readers. This book moves beyond the naive myth of glory and looks at the fear of the boy asked to fight in a foreign land. I appreciate Mr. Myer's willingness to talk to children about war and wish there were more picture books on the subject.
April 15, 2012
Patrol by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Ann Grifalconi
Published January 2005 by HarperCollins
Picture book, poetry, realistic fiction
-A young solider tells this gripping story about the Vietnam War. His realistic thoughts amidst the remarkable illustrations by collage produce an unsettling new look into the war. The combination of poetic text, surreal illustrations, and message of the book explains why I chose it. The grand conversation after this read-aloud would address tough questions and cause students to think deeply and critically.
Published January 2005 by HarperCollins
Picture book, poetry, realistic fiction
-A young solider tells this gripping story about the Vietnam War. His realistic thoughts amidst the remarkable illustrations by collage produce an unsettling new look into the war. The combination of poetic text, surreal illustrations, and message of the book explains why I chose it. The grand conversation after this read-aloud would address tough questions and cause students to think deeply and critically.
January 16, 2019
Illustrated account of one young American soldier in the jungles of Vietnam waiting for the enemy. The soldier is both tired and afraid as he waits and begins to try to understand the enemy as people like him. The text reads like poetry flow and description. Ann Grifalconi's collage illustrations complement the setting and the soldier's feelings. Although the format appears to be like a picture book, it's best read by school-age children, middle-grade and older. This is an important read for its view into soldier life during the Vietnam War and for gaining empathy for those who are the enemy.
September 5, 2014
Patrol, An American Soldier in Vietnam isn't so much of an informational read about the Vietnam War, but a small glimpse into a soldier’s patrol through “enemy” territory. This is a good discussion book to share with students when covering this time in history. What makes someone an enemy? When confronted with that enemy what do you think they may be feeling? How might this knowledge affect the situation?
November 28, 2011
This was my Historical Picture book.
This was a stunning story, told in poem format, and wonderfully illustrated. Telling the story of a young man who finds himself fighting in the Vietnam War, you begin to feel his fear and pain in a way that one doesn't often experience in picture books. It does a really good job of showing the sights, sounds and emotions of war, and that soldiers are sometimes afraid too.
This was a stunning story, told in poem format, and wonderfully illustrated. Telling the story of a young man who finds himself fighting in the Vietnam War, you begin to feel his fear and pain in a way that one doesn't often experience in picture books. It does a really good job of showing the sights, sounds and emotions of war, and that soldiers are sometimes afraid too.
November 1, 2010
This is a powerful story about a soldier in the Vietnam War. Geared more towards advanced readers and young adults, Myers uses poetic words accompanied by Ann Grifalconi's artistic collages to send a message of fear, hardship, and determination. I would reccommend this book to supplament a curriculum about war, particularly the Vietnam War.
January 18, 2012
This book would work well into a social studies unit or lesson on the Vietnam War. It would allow the students to think critically about the different emotions that are involved when a person goes off to war. It also poses the question of "who is the enemy," which is an important aspect of all fighting and wars that the students should confront.
April 17, 2012
The illustrations of this book combined many different mediums. A response activity could be to make a collage of pictures and add in drawings and paint all into one. This book provides a segway into talking about enemies and the Vietnam War. It brings up many emotions that surface when there is war.
April 21, 2012
This is a book that I definitely want to add to my classroom library. I text uses powerful imagery to convey the emotions and the illustrations make the text come to life. This book could be used not only to teach children about the Vietnam War but, about how to put yourself in the shoes of your enemy.
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February 14, 2013Tags: picture book, Vietnam, soldier, youth, violence, collage, challenged, controversial, fear
A young American soldier has his first experience with war in the jungles of Vietnam. When he and an enemy soldier come face to face they both leave each other without shooting. The collage illustrations show the travesty, fear and heartbreak of war through the eyes of a novice soldier.
A young American soldier has his first experience with war in the jungles of Vietnam. When he and an enemy soldier come face to face they both leave each other without shooting. The collage illustrations show the travesty, fear and heartbreak of war through the eyes of a novice soldier.
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May 7, 2013A young American soldier waits for his enemy, rifle in hand, finger on the trigger. He is afraid to move and yet afraid not to move. Gunshots crackle in the still air. The soldier fires blindly into the distant trees at an unseen enemy. He crouches and waits -- heart pounding, tense and trembling, biting back tears. When will it all be over?
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