Foster's War

by Carolyn Reeder

Set in San Diego in 1941-42, this novel vividly evokes life on the home front during World War II. As the US battles tyranny overseas, 11-year-old Foster Simmons finds a way to make peace at home.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Juvenile, Young Adult, War

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Carolyn Reeder was an American writer best known for children's historical novels. She also wrote three non-fiction books about Shenandoah National Park for adults together with her husband. She won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.

Reviews

[Pamela Bronson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this 21 years ago at a book sale, presumably for homeschooling, and just realized last week that none of us had ever read it. So I did.

It's worth keeping and I recommend it. I found it absorbing. I like Foster, who is 11 and likes to read. WW II is starting and that's scary, but his dad is also scary, though there's no physical violence. Foster misses his big brother who's in the army.

It made me feel like I was living through that time. No one knew that the US mainland wouldn't be bombed like Pearl Harbor had. Foster's little brother is scared and maybe Foster is, too. Everyone is working hard for the war effort.

Foster and his mom may have been a trifle unusual in liking and trusting their Japanese -American neighbors, but I hope not. His mom says they're working for the peace effort.

I think kids as young as 8 might like this book, though there are sad parts. It's on the whole hopeful.

[Atharva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foster's war is a story about a boy who goes through lots of problems with his family while Japan bombs pearl harbour. This book shows he is confident when something happens to his brother. I liked this book as a thriller through foster's life in WW2.

[Theoni Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved discussing family life with my daughter while reading this. The mom is so good to her husband even when he is awfully mean, and it is because she understands him. But she is always there to comfort her children after he is rude. The story also deals with racism against the Japanese during WWII. It was great to experience with my daughter the pain and sadness of the characters as they dealt with this problem. It was touching also to see my daughter's shock and protectiveness toward certain characters. Finally, it's a great perspective of a normal American's life during the war.

[Kev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read this book (the next time will be my 6th) I understand the book's message of how personal war can be.

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been 20 years since I first read this Scott O'Dell Award-winning middle grade novel about the WWII home front when I was teaching 7th grade, and it has stood the test of time pretty well. My first grader loved The War That Saved My Life by Kimberley Brubaker Bradley and asked if we could read a book about the WWII home front in the United States, and this one immediately came to mind. It worked pretty well as a read-aloud chapter book to read with a younger kid.

My son didn't find it nearly as exciting as Brubaker Bradley's WWII books, but it helped him to understand that daily life on the home front in the United States was actually not as action-packed as it was in England simply because for the most part, the U.S. did not live with daily fears about being invaded or bombed. Still, he was fascinated by the details of air raid drills and scrap collecting. He was [spoiler alert] heartbroken when the main character's brother was killed in action and didn't fully understand that the ending was meant to be somewhat hopeful in terms of Foster's emotionally and verbally abusive father beginning to change for the better.

My son was most engaged by (and outraged by) the storyline about Jimmy, Foster's best friend, being taken away to an internment camp for Japanese-Americans. This led to many questions and us looking at some nonfiction about Japanese internment together, and he quickly made connections with what is happening today with the Trump administration unjustly targeting people from other countries via his travel ban. Unfortunately, that storyline was dropped somewhat in the last 5th of the book, so my son felt like it was left unresolved. A historical note at the end of the book about what happened to many Japanese-Americans after the war and information about the government's eventual formal apology and reparations would have been helpful. The frequent use of the term "Jap" among the characters should be put in context with an author's note as well and would need some parental or teacher context.

I'd imagine that, if published today, the book might have included an author's note about how verbal abuse is not okay, with suggestions for readers for how to get help if they feel unsafe in their homes, including information on domestic violence and child abuse organizations.

It's certainly worth keeping in a library or classroom collection of historical fiction. It's good enough to deserve a reprint with the publisher's notes above.

[Brenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Children's literature historical fiction that may offer perspectives of a white American family during the outbreak of U.S. involvement in WWII. However, it leaves much to be desired: Foster's best friend is sent to a Japanese Internment camp, but this issue is glazed over and their friendship is not maintained. The book also lacks enriching character development.
There are a lot of topics in here (women's equality, young soldiers going to war, patriotism, racism, sexism, nationalism, family dynamics, etc) but they aren't evaluated by any of the characters, making it easy for the reader to look over them. Therefore, this book would be best paired with an additional history curriculum in which the teacher can provide students with more information and encourage critical thinking.
This book is less about issues of WWII, and more about issues surrounding a family.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent in all respects. First, physical aspects (at least of my copy).

—good thickness
—good size font

Also, there’s no bad language, so it’s okay for younger readers.

This book intrigued me. At first I thought it would be a boring book, but it had me hooked the entire time. It paints a detailed picture of a family at home with a boy overseas during WWII. It also is very emotional when a tragedy strikes the family, and especially when younger brother Richard/Ricky finds out...

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fosters war is about kid name foster and the year is 1941 when the United States declared war on japan and Germany.his older brother Mel gets shipped over seas as a B-26 pilot.In the worst case he best friend jimmy which is from Japanese desent is moved to a interment camp.

[Dev Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book 21 years ago while I was in elementary school. Absolutely loved this book. This book along with seeing Saving Private Ryan at a very young age changed the trajectory of my life to say the least. Yes, I joined the military. Lol

[Dereck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was a good book because it talks about the view point of a boy that lives in America

[Caden · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really interesting but a little bit short.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It always surprises me when I come across ww2 books I've never read before

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children’s chapter book about WWII.

[Ty S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about a kid named Foster that's in the middle a of big war.The first part of the story begins with that there going threw a air-raid and he's trying to wake his father but he just wont wake.After a few minutes the air-raid is over and then his father finally wakes up and starts yelling at Foster saying why did you wake me up whats so important.Foster says in a low voice we just had another air-raid.The Father says we have to go before they come back around with more air-raids go get your mom and brother and tell them to pack.Then after a few years pass Foster got recruited to join the army. So he told his Mom and Dad that he was leaving for awhile so he could go serve the army so then two years passes and he comes back home.And he sees his mom on the front door step with tears in her eyes then foster walks out the car then she gets up and runs to him.Foster asked wheres Dad. Mom said he died one year ago why you were in the army Fosters eyes fills up with tears.The lesson I learned from the book was to always to say you love someone like your family because you don't know if they will be there the next day like Foster never said to his father i love you so that's why he was so sad.This book was OK. I would recommend this book to people that was alive during that time cause they would understand more about what it was like back then.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foster Simmons, an eleven-year-old boy living in California at the time Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, lives the type of life people at home had to live during World War II. His older brother joins the air corps to fight for his country, Foster starts a kids' group of buying savings stamps and gathering scrap metal for the war effort, Foster's best friend Jimmy, a Japanese-American, and his family are sent to an internment camp because of their heritage even though they are loyal Americans, Foster's father works at an aircraft plant, his mother volunteers at a hospital, food and other things are rationed--all things that the public endured at home. But the story is told from Foster's point of view, with a father who is harsh and unreasonable with all his four children and his wife, so much so that his oldest son volunteers for the service as soon as possible so he can get away from his father. The story is told from the point of view of the effects of the war on the folks at home, but especially how it affects Foster.

[M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Foster Simmons lives in San Diego with his very angry, demanding, and inflexible father, his mother who tries to mediate and conciliate, his older sister Evelyn (Evil Lynn), and his little brother Ricky. Foster’s older brother Mel has joined the Army Air Corps to get away from their father which only fuels the father's anger. And then Pearl Harbor is bombed. This is essentially a coming of age story set in the first months of WWII. It’s a good story, but probably only interesting to a small number of 5th graders unless read as part of an assignment to read historical fiction. Not enough action for most boys, but some girls may well enjoy it.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is sad, but I enjoyed seeing the growth of the characters. I remember the days of being afraid of my dad when he came home and could really feel for Foster and his siblings.

I thought Reeder was spot on with the hard feeling of many Americans towards Japanese-Americans, a sad commentary, but it happened. I enjoyed reading a WWII story about what was happening here in America - the blue stars in the windows and the unfortunate gold stars in the windows, the victory gardens, scrap metal and rubber drive, bond drives, air raid drills, and everything else.

[GiLbErTo MeNa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is fascinating because it tells you what happened when Japan bombed pearl harbor but, in a childish way. They play games and they betray, attack each other with these mud balls. Then, something horrible happens because their parents or the protagonists parents it is really sad. The protagonists dad is really messed up like a drunkard and his mom is his only friend.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super good historical fiction about life in during the second world war. The main character is a fifth grade boy whose brother is in the air force and best friend is a Japanese American. The book begins just as the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. I love reading it to my fifth graders - and they seem to love hearing it!

[Yolanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Both boys and girls would enjoy this. Set in 1941 this book is about a boy named Foster and what he does to help during the war. He has a difficult relationship with his demanding father. The book involves many different relationships Foster has and how they develop through the war.

[Humberto Arauz · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author does a good job at describing what life was like during WWII for the average American family. The book itself failed to keep my attention but it does provide some good lessons for children or families in general.

[Avaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

The attack on Pearl Harbor affected many of Americans in 1941. Go on a journey with Foster and his family and see how it impacted their life. A great way to appreciate the patriotism and sacrifice of a day that will go down in infamy.

[Margret Melissa (ladybug) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! It was about an historical event (Pearl Harbor) and one child's life during that period. I could really relate to Foster, Ricky and Evelyn's fear of their father. My father is the exact same way and I also "fear" him now though he wasn't that way when I was growing up.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! But it was really sad. It was a story about Foster and his journey through the war. I loved how each of the characters grew throughout the story. The message was about family. Read this book if you like historical fiction! It was really interesting!

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read for anyone but especially 5th-10th graders who want a little historical fiction about WW 2

[Edward Pizano · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good book

[Joey]

it was a good book

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of great detail, but the book gets long and dry often.

[William Romo]

It is about a boy named Foster and he is in the middle of World War II. His dad is serving in the war and he can't go outside of his home because its dangerous. He tries to figure out a way of to help in the war without his dad getting mad at him.