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Adam Pelko #1
A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941: A morning like any other, but the events of this day would leave no one untouched.
For Adam, living near Honolulu, this Sunday morning is one he has been looking forward to -- fishing with friends, away from the ever-watchful eyes of his father, a navy lieutenant. Then, right before his eyes, Adam watches Japanese planes fly overhead and attack the U.S. Navy. All he can think is that it's just like in the movies. But as he sees his father's ship, the Arizona, sink beneath the water, he realizes this isn't make-believe. It's real.
Over the next few days, Adam searches for answers -- about his friends, the war, and especially, his father. But Adam soon learns sometimes there are no answers.
112 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2001
125 people are currently reading
1128 people want to read
About the author
Harry Mazer
42 books45 followersHarry Mazer is an American author of books for children and young adults, acclaimed for his 'realistic' novels. He has written twenty-two novels, including The Solid Gold Kid, The Island Keeper, Heroes Don't Run, and Snow Bound, which was adapted as an NBC After school special, as well as one work of poetry and a few short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 388 reviews
October 8, 2025
Flat characters and a poorly executed plot? Definitely not my cup of tea....
✏️ Review ✏️
Despite it having the potential for a dynamic story, A Boy at War is stifled by a narrative that is shallow and characters that are underdeveloped. I felt quite unimpressed with this story. The plot is way too rushed, which makes this story seem incredibly unrealistic. While this story's focus is on the events of the Pearl Harbor attack, these details sit mostly untouched until the "Author's Note" at the end — almost as if they were an afterthought. The story's presentation of these historical events is either minimal or vague at best. Not to mention that the MC being mistaken for a sailor and happening to be everywhere on or near Pearl Harbor — the harbor itself, on the aircraft carriers, in Honolulu — comes across as hopelessly contrived. In other words, the plot is speeding along at 65 mph on a 30 mph road, which means you miss the scenery and cringe at every bump and dip.
Sadly, as is the case with most stories featuring a poorly executed plot, the characters suffer from underdevelopment and superficial portrayal. The MC is flat due to the storyline's extremely quick delivery. Having hardly any intro time greatly hinders him from having a backstory. Even more annoying is the narrative's portrayal of the MC's apparent dynamic development from a pre-war to post-war personality. Although the MC does experience the violence of war and becomes perhaps a bit more sober minded, the internal change necessary to suggest dynamic development in this transitional area isn't there. The so-called character development in A Boy at War is annoyingly superficial.
I've certainly read better WWII fiction marketed to younger readers. A Boy at War's focus seems to be too much on providing an excessively streamlined tale. Historical fiction, however, should make past events relevant and alive by making the reader feel connected to them through relatable characters and/or realistic plot pacing; this will educate readers while at the same time providing an engaging and memorable read. Unfortunately, A Boy at War mostly fails at doing this.
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📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• One historical aspect I liked was the story's realistic portrayal of the racism against Japanese-Americans during and after the Pearl Harbor attack.
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The plot — it's excessively fast-paced and leaves the events of Pearl Harbor quite vague.
• The pacing — leaves the story feeling shallow and the characters lacking development.
• The characters — they're flat and superficially portrayed.
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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Maybe?* I honestly don't think I would, though. (I'd rather recommend Alan Gratz's Pearl Harbor novel, Heroes. It's storyline is way more engaging and the characters are a lot more dynamic and realistic.)
— To whom? To those who are looking for a incredibly fast-paced look at the Pearl Harbor attack. And if you don't mind a shallow storyline, flat and superficial characters, and an ending that is rather incomplete (meaning you're going to have to commit to reading this entire trilogy if you're looking for answers).
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 2/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 2/5
— 📝 Writing: 2.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 1.5/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• Four vain uses of God's name, one use of "cr*p," and two uses of "hell."
— ⚔️ Violence: 1/5
• A few scenes of war violence; includes some brief descriptions of injuries (mentions blood).
— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5
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📣 Random Comments 📣
• Content notes: (1) One brief scene where one of the minor characters asks the Hawaiian stonefish god, Ku'ula, to "bring [him and his friends] fish." (2) The MC's mother allows the MC to smoke a cigarette (and he's just in his first year of highschool — hello!!?? 🤦🏼).
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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• (None)
✏️ Review ✏️
Despite it having the potential for a dynamic story, A Boy at War is stifled by a narrative that is shallow and characters that are underdeveloped. I felt quite unimpressed with this story. The plot is way too rushed, which makes this story seem incredibly unrealistic. While this story's focus is on the events of the Pearl Harbor attack, these details sit mostly untouched until the "Author's Note" at the end — almost as if they were an afterthought. The story's presentation of these historical events is either minimal or vague at best. Not to mention that the MC being mistaken for a sailor and happening to be everywhere on or near Pearl Harbor — the harbor itself, on the aircraft carriers, in Honolulu — comes across as hopelessly contrived. In other words, the plot is speeding along at 65 mph on a 30 mph road, which means you miss the scenery and cringe at every bump and dip.
Sadly, as is the case with most stories featuring a poorly executed plot, the characters suffer from underdevelopment and superficial portrayal. The MC is flat due to the storyline's extremely quick delivery. Having hardly any intro time greatly hinders him from having a backstory. Even more annoying is the narrative's portrayal of the MC's apparent dynamic development from a pre-war to post-war personality. Although the MC does experience the violence of war and becomes perhaps a bit more sober minded, the internal change necessary to suggest dynamic development in this transitional area isn't there. The so-called character development in A Boy at War is annoyingly superficial.
I've certainly read better WWII fiction marketed to younger readers. A Boy at War's focus seems to be too much on providing an excessively streamlined tale. Historical fiction, however, should make past events relevant and alive by making the reader feel connected to them through relatable characters and/or realistic plot pacing; this will educate readers while at the same time providing an engaging and memorable read. Unfortunately, A Boy at War mostly fails at doing this.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• One historical aspect I liked was the story's realistic portrayal of the racism against Japanese-Americans during and after the Pearl Harbor attack.
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The plot — it's excessively fast-paced and leaves the events of Pearl Harbor quite vague.
• The pacing — leaves the story feeling shallow and the characters lacking development.
• The characters — they're flat and superficially portrayed.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Maybe?* I honestly don't think I would, though. (I'd rather recommend Alan Gratz's Pearl Harbor novel, Heroes. It's storyline is way more engaging and the characters are a lot more dynamic and realistic.)
— To whom? To those who are looking for a incredibly fast-paced look at the Pearl Harbor attack. And if you don't mind a shallow storyline, flat and superficial characters, and an ending that is rather incomplete (meaning you're going to have to commit to reading this entire trilogy if you're looking for answers).
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 2/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 2/5
— 📝 Writing: 2.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 1.5/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• Four vain uses of God's name, one use of "cr*p," and two uses of "hell."
— ⚔️ Violence: 1/5
• A few scenes of war violence; includes some brief descriptions of injuries (mentions blood).
— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
• Content notes: (1) One brief scene where one of the minor characters asks the Hawaiian stonefish god, Ku'ula, to "bring [him and his friends] fish." (2) The MC's mother allows the MC to smoke a cigarette (and he's just in his first year of highschool — hello!!?? 🤦🏼).
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• (None)
April 13, 2018
An intense read. At the end of every chapter, you were pushed to keep on reading. I wouldn't really call it a "page-turner" but elements of a page-turner in the sense that it gripped you to keep reading.
That being said, there is something that is keeping me from giving that extra star to call it that amazing five-star book. Here's the thing: I can't put my finger on it. It was a great book, don't get me wrong, but it just isn't up to my five-star book standards (which, not going to lie, aren't that extremely difficult to live up to).
I still liked this book a lot and I recommend if you like to read historical fiction books. One of the quicker reads of historical fiction books, but that doesn't make it any less great than others.
That being said, there is something that is keeping me from giving that extra star to call it that amazing five-star book. Here's the thing: I can't put my finger on it. It was a great book, don't get me wrong, but it just isn't up to my five-star book standards (which, not going to lie, aren't that extremely difficult to live up to).
I still liked this book a lot and I recommend if you like to read historical fiction books. One of the quicker reads of historical fiction books, but that doesn't make it any less great than others.
April 30, 2021
A Boy at War is the first installment in the book trilogy entitled "Boy at War" written by Harry Mazer and published on April 3, 2001. The other two sequels, "A Boy No More" and "Heroes Don't Run" follow the same storyline and protagonist. However, for this book review, I will be focusing on the first installment of the series. The story follows a young Adam Pelko, the son of an American navy commander stationed at Pearl Harbor, and depicts his story during the Pearl Harbor attack by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. Although the trilogy is fictional, the setting is based off on real events during World War 2.
The story starts off with Adam's family being forced to move to Honolulu, as his father, naval commander Lieutenant Pelko has been reassigned to Pearl Harbor. Adam is enrolled at the local high school, however, he struggles to make friends as the people in Honolulu High School have a dislike of military kids. Luckily, he still manages to make two friends, a Japanese-American named Davi Mori, and a Native Hawaiian named Martin Kahahawai. One day, the trio decide to go fishing early in the morning at Pearl Harbor. As they got closer to the shores, they spot a rowboat and decide to take it out into the water. A few minutes later, a group of planes is seen flying overhead and the three boys cheer on believing that those were American planes, but they soon realize that those planes were Japanese bombers, and soon after, the planes dropped bombs on the American naval ships only hundreds of meters away from them. The first bombs had caused part of their rowboat to explode, causing a large piece of wood to penetrate Martin's chest. The boys struggle to escape as they panic for their lives. Adam can only watch as his father's ship, the USS Arizona, sink as it gets destroyed by the Japanese. Several hours later, Adam wakes up from being unconscious ashore, he and Davi are surprised to see the large wound caused by the large piece of wood on Martin's chest. They hurriedly rush to the hospital and leave Martin to the care of the nurses, unaware of the survival rate of their friend. The whole town is in shock from the attack, and everyone is on their guard for any Japanese soldiers nearby. The two boys had decided that it would be best for them to run home, despite the danger of the situation. Davi, being half-Japanese, agrees and leaves his friend to go home. Adam, on the other hand, is still regaining his composure after what he had seen that happened on his father's ship. Adam finds a rifle and runs home. As he attempts to enter their house, he is unable to unlock the door as the people inside have barricaded it for protection. Realizing that it was her son, Adam's mother opens the door. Adam is met by her younger sister, Bea, and the family next door. The two families discuss what had happened and were able to confirm that the bombs were an attack from the Japanese. For the following days, Adam struggles to find information regarding his father. He desperately checks from several military camps but has no success in confirming the survival of his father. A week later, a telegram is sent to his family saying that his father, Lt. Emory Pelko, had been missing and was presumed dead by U.S. Navy due to the Pearl Harbor attack. The family wants to move back to the mainland, but Adam refuses to believe what had happened to his father and still sought to find any sort of confirmation about his survival. Eventually, Adam and his family move back to the mainland, and on the ship ride back to their old town, Adam finally accepts the death of his father and bids his final goodbye to him and to Pearl Harbor.
I first read this story when I was an elementary student back in 2014. I had taken a liking to reading books by then and happened to stumble upon this book in the elementary library. I was instantly fascinated by the story and the difference in life between me and the protagonist had only increased my curiosity about how the story would end up. Being a reader, I had imagined the same experiences of the protagonist happening to me, and the main thing that I could think of was being thankful nothing similar to that had ever happened to me. Although World War 2 had ended decades prior, the thought of living in an age wherein a war had broken out had scared me, and the thought of losing a family member made me feel even more sorrow for the protagonist. Countries engaging in a war due to their differences, in my opinion, has always been pointless. The same argument stands until one country loses enough lives to the point that they would simply be forced to surrender. Hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost to wars and the lives of innocent soldiers are the ones to be sacrificed for one country to prove their point. Although serving your country is seen as an act of patriotism and is something to be proud of, the act of killing human beings is something that can never compensate to prove a point.
I would recommend reading this book and the trilogy as it provides an insight into how life was like back in the 1940s. The author himself, Harry Mazer, has served in the army back in World War 2 and has amazed people due to the detail in his written works. The first entry focuses on learning to accept how life is. Although an event or happening may be painful, there is no other choice but to accept the fate that life has brought upon us. The second entry focuses on the same protagonist looking and finding who he really is, what sacrifices his father had done, and how the war could affect his morals and friendship towards his half-Japanese friend, Davi. The third and final installment focuses on Adam himself serving in the military and finding out about the life that his father had lived to serve his country.
The story starts off with Adam's family being forced to move to Honolulu, as his father, naval commander Lieutenant Pelko has been reassigned to Pearl Harbor. Adam is enrolled at the local high school, however, he struggles to make friends as the people in Honolulu High School have a dislike of military kids. Luckily, he still manages to make two friends, a Japanese-American named Davi Mori, and a Native Hawaiian named Martin Kahahawai. One day, the trio decide to go fishing early in the morning at Pearl Harbor. As they got closer to the shores, they spot a rowboat and decide to take it out into the water. A few minutes later, a group of planes is seen flying overhead and the three boys cheer on believing that those were American planes, but they soon realize that those planes were Japanese bombers, and soon after, the planes dropped bombs on the American naval ships only hundreds of meters away from them. The first bombs had caused part of their rowboat to explode, causing a large piece of wood to penetrate Martin's chest. The boys struggle to escape as they panic for their lives. Adam can only watch as his father's ship, the USS Arizona, sink as it gets destroyed by the Japanese. Several hours later, Adam wakes up from being unconscious ashore, he and Davi are surprised to see the large wound caused by the large piece of wood on Martin's chest. They hurriedly rush to the hospital and leave Martin to the care of the nurses, unaware of the survival rate of their friend. The whole town is in shock from the attack, and everyone is on their guard for any Japanese soldiers nearby. The two boys had decided that it would be best for them to run home, despite the danger of the situation. Davi, being half-Japanese, agrees and leaves his friend to go home. Adam, on the other hand, is still regaining his composure after what he had seen that happened on his father's ship. Adam finds a rifle and runs home. As he attempts to enter their house, he is unable to unlock the door as the people inside have barricaded it for protection. Realizing that it was her son, Adam's mother opens the door. Adam is met by her younger sister, Bea, and the family next door. The two families discuss what had happened and were able to confirm that the bombs were an attack from the Japanese. For the following days, Adam struggles to find information regarding his father. He desperately checks from several military camps but has no success in confirming the survival of his father. A week later, a telegram is sent to his family saying that his father, Lt. Emory Pelko, had been missing and was presumed dead by U.S. Navy due to the Pearl Harbor attack. The family wants to move back to the mainland, but Adam refuses to believe what had happened to his father and still sought to find any sort of confirmation about his survival. Eventually, Adam and his family move back to the mainland, and on the ship ride back to their old town, Adam finally accepts the death of his father and bids his final goodbye to him and to Pearl Harbor.
I first read this story when I was an elementary student back in 2014. I had taken a liking to reading books by then and happened to stumble upon this book in the elementary library. I was instantly fascinated by the story and the difference in life between me and the protagonist had only increased my curiosity about how the story would end up. Being a reader, I had imagined the same experiences of the protagonist happening to me, and the main thing that I could think of was being thankful nothing similar to that had ever happened to me. Although World War 2 had ended decades prior, the thought of living in an age wherein a war had broken out had scared me, and the thought of losing a family member made me feel even more sorrow for the protagonist. Countries engaging in a war due to their differences, in my opinion, has always been pointless. The same argument stands until one country loses enough lives to the point that they would simply be forced to surrender. Hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost to wars and the lives of innocent soldiers are the ones to be sacrificed for one country to prove their point. Although serving your country is seen as an act of patriotism and is something to be proud of, the act of killing human beings is something that can never compensate to prove a point.
I would recommend reading this book and the trilogy as it provides an insight into how life was like back in the 1940s. The author himself, Harry Mazer, has served in the army back in World War 2 and has amazed people due to the detail in his written works. The first entry focuses on learning to accept how life is. Although an event or happening may be painful, there is no other choice but to accept the fate that life has brought upon us. The second entry focuses on the same protagonist looking and finding who he really is, what sacrifices his father had done, and how the war could affect his morals and friendship towards his half-Japanese friend, Davi. The third and final installment focuses on Adam himself serving in the military and finding out about the life that his father had lived to serve his country.
March 9, 2015
I would rate this book a 4 because it was a very good and intense read and every chapter making you want to read more. This was an easy read and very easy to understand and it was also short which i liked most of all. This book is about a kids father who is in the Navy which while Pearl Harbor is being bombed him and his friends are in the harbor and watch his dads ship sink. He is mistaken as a young sailor so he is put to work defending the Harbor from another attack by the Japanese Torpito launcher Planes. I would reccomend this book because it was a very easy read and easy to understand
January 26, 2018
It was kind of boring and lacked detail.
November 29, 2021
Nadie gana en una guerra.
November 1, 2017
Personal response: I really liked this book, because there was a lot of action. Plus I could relate to the characters, because I understand why they made the decisions that they did. Like when Adam was getting bullied by a kid, and then they became friends. I liked how they played some of the same sports as the rest of the United States, but used other objects for some of the games than someone that lives in other climates would use. For example, in one of the games they used a coconut. Adam thought it was weird at first, but then he liked it, as well as I would.
Plot: Adam, his mom, and his dad all had to move to Hawaii. Adam’s dad was in the Navy. They moved there, because of threats from Japan. Adam did not like it there at first, because he missed his friends. Adam got bullied by one kid, and after awhile they became friends. Adam’s mom let him drive the car around their yard every once in awhile. When he wanted to show his dad how good he was at driving, or how good he thought he was. Adam’s dad thought that he needed more practice, and needed a couple more years. So Adam got upset, but agreed. Adam was biking home, and his bike broke. Davi brought him to his house, and his dad fixed his bike. Then Davi showed him his house, so Adam got home late. Adam’s dad wanted to know where he went that he was late, but his dad got mad because he went to Chinatown. Adam’s dad said to never go back there because of everything that was happening between the United States and Japan. Adam argued with his dad that they were nice and would not hurt anyone. Adam’s dad did not believe him and told him to stay away from Davi. Adam avoided Davi for a little bit, but then he asked him to come fishing with him. Adam decided to go with, and disobey his dad’s orders. They went out early in the morning. It was Adam, Davi, and Martin. They went to an old military base. Adam did not want to go at first, but they convinced him it was okay. They said they do it all the time. Adam, Davi, and Martin went into the Army base and found a boat, so they decided to go out in the boat. Adam did not want to go at first but decided to go, because they really wanted to take the boat. They started to fish, and saw all the military boats. Then they heard a plane. The plane flew over, and had a Japan flag on it. At first they thought it was fake, but then more came and they started shooting. Then the Army and Navy started shooting back. Adam, Davi, and Martin started paddling back to shore. Martin had a stick go through his chest, and Adam had a bullet graze his back. When they got to shore everybody was freaking out, and they went to the hospital right away. Then Adam left, because he wanted to make sure his mom was ok. Adam stole a jeep that he hot wired to start it. He got a gun from someone that was in the Army. He got stopped once by the military, and they asked him where he got the gun from. Adam said he was part of the Army. So they let him go through. When he got home his mom had the neighbors in their house, and his mom was crying. Adam’s sister did not even know what was happening, because she was used to her dad being gone all the time with him being in the military. So Adam and her mom did not tell her, because they wanted her to be happy and not worry about her dad. They promised each other they would not tell her until it was the right time. Then Adam left to go see how his friends are doing, and he went to Davi’s house. When Adam showed up, Davi was not happy with him. He wanted Adam to leave and fight him, but Adam would not listen to Davi. Adam asked Davi what happened, and he said the military took his dad. Davi said they thought he was a spy. Adam thought that it was dumb because they did not have any proof, except that he was from Japan. Then Adam and Davi went to the hospital to see Martin, to see how he was doing. When they showed up at the hospital, Martin’s parents were there. Martin’s parents were crying, and hugged both of them. Then Martin told Adam to show his parents his back, and told his parents that he was indestructible. Adam tried to tell them that he was not, but Martin told him to go along with it. Then Adam went back home. He got rid of the jeep, but kept the gun. His mom wondered why he needed the gun, and Adam said to defend the house. They waited awhile for any information on Adam’s dad. They got a letter in the mail from the secretary, and it said that his dad was MIA. In a couple of days the government said they had to go back to the mainland, but Adam did not want to go back. He did not want to go back, because he still wanted to look for his dad. His mom argued with him asking where he was going to live, and what he was going to eat. Adam said he would live with Davi, and give him money for food. Adam’s mom did not like the idea. Adam’s mom eventually convinced Adam to come back home with her. So Adam grabbed his stuff, and got on the navy boat with his mom. Adam and his mom went back home.
Characterization: Adam is a 14 year old boy that just moved to Hawaii, and is a military boy. He went there with his family, but left without his dad. Davi is Adam’s best friend, that goes to his school. Martin is another one of Adam’s friends from his school.
Setting: It occurs at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On Dec. 7th, 1941. Adam, the main character, goes to Honolulu High School. The setting is important because it helps to understand how the people are the way they are, such as the way they talk and the way they go about things.
Recommendation: I recommend this book to boys, because it is about a war and boys are usually more interested than girls. I rate this book a 4 out of 5, because I enjoyed the book and it was well written. I recommend this book to 13+ year olds to read this book, because it is pretty detailed, and anybody that is under the age of 12, will probably not understand this book.
Plot: Adam, his mom, and his dad all had to move to Hawaii. Adam’s dad was in the Navy. They moved there, because of threats from Japan. Adam did not like it there at first, because he missed his friends. Adam got bullied by one kid, and after awhile they became friends. Adam’s mom let him drive the car around their yard every once in awhile. When he wanted to show his dad how good he was at driving, or how good he thought he was. Adam’s dad thought that he needed more practice, and needed a couple more years. So Adam got upset, but agreed. Adam was biking home, and his bike broke. Davi brought him to his house, and his dad fixed his bike. Then Davi showed him his house, so Adam got home late. Adam’s dad wanted to know where he went that he was late, but his dad got mad because he went to Chinatown. Adam’s dad said to never go back there because of everything that was happening between the United States and Japan. Adam argued with his dad that they were nice and would not hurt anyone. Adam’s dad did not believe him and told him to stay away from Davi. Adam avoided Davi for a little bit, but then he asked him to come fishing with him. Adam decided to go with, and disobey his dad’s orders. They went out early in the morning. It was Adam, Davi, and Martin. They went to an old military base. Adam did not want to go at first, but they convinced him it was okay. They said they do it all the time. Adam, Davi, and Martin went into the Army base and found a boat, so they decided to go out in the boat. Adam did not want to go at first but decided to go, because they really wanted to take the boat. They started to fish, and saw all the military boats. Then they heard a plane. The plane flew over, and had a Japan flag on it. At first they thought it was fake, but then more came and they started shooting. Then the Army and Navy started shooting back. Adam, Davi, and Martin started paddling back to shore. Martin had a stick go through his chest, and Adam had a bullet graze his back. When they got to shore everybody was freaking out, and they went to the hospital right away. Then Adam left, because he wanted to make sure his mom was ok. Adam stole a jeep that he hot wired to start it. He got a gun from someone that was in the Army. He got stopped once by the military, and they asked him where he got the gun from. Adam said he was part of the Army. So they let him go through. When he got home his mom had the neighbors in their house, and his mom was crying. Adam’s sister did not even know what was happening, because she was used to her dad being gone all the time with him being in the military. So Adam and her mom did not tell her, because they wanted her to be happy and not worry about her dad. They promised each other they would not tell her until it was the right time. Then Adam left to go see how his friends are doing, and he went to Davi’s house. When Adam showed up, Davi was not happy with him. He wanted Adam to leave and fight him, but Adam would not listen to Davi. Adam asked Davi what happened, and he said the military took his dad. Davi said they thought he was a spy. Adam thought that it was dumb because they did not have any proof, except that he was from Japan. Then Adam and Davi went to the hospital to see Martin, to see how he was doing. When they showed up at the hospital, Martin’s parents were there. Martin’s parents were crying, and hugged both of them. Then Martin told Adam to show his parents his back, and told his parents that he was indestructible. Adam tried to tell them that he was not, but Martin told him to go along with it. Then Adam went back home. He got rid of the jeep, but kept the gun. His mom wondered why he needed the gun, and Adam said to defend the house. They waited awhile for any information on Adam’s dad. They got a letter in the mail from the secretary, and it said that his dad was MIA. In a couple of days the government said they had to go back to the mainland, but Adam did not want to go back. He did not want to go back, because he still wanted to look for his dad. His mom argued with him asking where he was going to live, and what he was going to eat. Adam said he would live with Davi, and give him money for food. Adam’s mom did not like the idea. Adam’s mom eventually convinced Adam to come back home with her. So Adam grabbed his stuff, and got on the navy boat with his mom. Adam and his mom went back home.
Characterization: Adam is a 14 year old boy that just moved to Hawaii, and is a military boy. He went there with his family, but left without his dad. Davi is Adam’s best friend, that goes to his school. Martin is another one of Adam’s friends from his school.
Setting: It occurs at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On Dec. 7th, 1941. Adam, the main character, goes to Honolulu High School. The setting is important because it helps to understand how the people are the way they are, such as the way they talk and the way they go about things.
Recommendation: I recommend this book to boys, because it is about a war and boys are usually more interested than girls. I rate this book a 4 out of 5, because I enjoyed the book and it was well written. I recommend this book to 13+ year olds to read this book, because it is pretty detailed, and anybody that is under the age of 12, will probably not understand this book.
August 31, 2018
“He’d read about war. He’d imagined himself in a war, but never like this. War was a fight between equals. It was clean. It was fair. The best man won. But this—what was it? There were no words that he’d ever learned, no book he’d ever read, that had prepared him for this. What was it? It was stink and blood and dying.”
A Boy at War is a historical fiction novel about the attack on Pearl Harbor told from the point of view of Adam Pelko, a boy around 14 years old. His father is a navy lieutenant on the Arizona. Adam happens to be in the harbor when the attack strikes and we see the events unfolding through his eyes.
The chapters are short, and the book itself is around 100 pages, but Harry Mazer manages to squeeze several nuanced issues into this space. Adam’s closest friend is Davi, a Japanese-American boy, and there’s some racial tension between them as well as Adam’s father giving him a whole “our kind/their kind” speech. Of course, the book deals with the horrifying reality of war, but also how it feels to grow up military and the unspoken hierarchy of military kids according to who (what rank) their father is. It’s book one of a three book series. Good for readers who don’t want to commit to a long book, but still read a quality story with some poignant themes.
A Boy at War is a historical fiction novel about the attack on Pearl Harbor told from the point of view of Adam Pelko, a boy around 14 years old. His father is a navy lieutenant on the Arizona. Adam happens to be in the harbor when the attack strikes and we see the events unfolding through his eyes.
The chapters are short, and the book itself is around 100 pages, but Harry Mazer manages to squeeze several nuanced issues into this space. Adam’s closest friend is Davi, a Japanese-American boy, and there’s some racial tension between them as well as Adam’s father giving him a whole “our kind/their kind” speech. Of course, the book deals with the horrifying reality of war, but also how it feels to grow up military and the unspoken hierarchy of military kids according to who (what rank) their father is. It’s book one of a three book series. Good for readers who don’t want to commit to a long book, but still read a quality story with some poignant themes.
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September 30, 2019At first i thought the book was kinda boring. I wondered how long it was gonna be until adam made friends at his new school. I really like his one friend. I didn't like that his dad was so strict. I thought it was funny when adam didn't really care that he was late to get home. I wonder how worried Adam was when his dad got a call to get onto the boat. It's kinda harsh that adams dad doesn't like adams friend because he japanesse. .I wonder if adam will go into the military just like his father. I wonder how freaked out adam was when the harbor got attacked. I would be really scaredd if my dad was on the ship and i saw it sinking.
May 18, 2023
Mon cousin devait faire un projet sur ce livre et voulait de l’aide, j’ai donc lu ce livre dans une heure et my god que c’est bon. Ça fait penser et te fait réaliser que dans les années 1900 y’a eu beaucoup de guerre et plusieurs personnes ont vécus d’horribles expériences… J’avais sûrement appris au secondaire sur la guerre de Pear Harbour mais je ne me rappelais pas des détails. Ce livre explique l’histoire d’un jeune de 14 ans qui a vu de ses propres yeux l’attaque des Japonais sur les Américains et qui a survécu ce drame.
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October 27, 2020it was an intriguing book.
January 12, 2021
Great Pearl Harbor story for middle-grade readers. No sugar coating, just age-appropriate details. Stirred a curiosity to know more about this chapter in history. Anxious to read the rest of the trilogy.
February 14, 2022
Very intense.
May 22, 2024
This is a good short story about what pearl harbor was like for kids. I read this for school but after reading i decided i would have read it at home too.
March 17, 2021
A WWII story of the Pearl Harbor attack with a perspective from a young boy, Adam. Unlike other WWII stories, this is from a witness to the attacks, which makes it unique for this story. We see Adam as he lives for a short period in Hawaii due to his military family: observing his new home, making friends with Hawaiian citizens, and looking up to his father. When the bombings occur, Adam not only deals with the lose of his father but also the uneasy anti-Japanese sentiments that soon spreads as the US declares war with Japan. While the story is slow, it does build up to a potential look at how ordinary people were affected by the war.
February 17, 2020
I haven't finshed the book yet. So far it has been pretty good. I don't understand why Adam's dad dosn't like Japaness people. I think It is good that Adam is making friends. It seems like Adam's dad get mad if he dosn't treat other people with respect. I think that Davi is a good friend for Adam but Adam's dad dosn't like Davi. I think when they are fishing that the bombing will happen at Pearl Harbor. I don't get they Adam dosn't tell Davi that he can't fish. I can't wait to read more of this book. So far I would recomend this book to someone.
October 4, 2017
I really enjoyed reading Boy at War because it had adventure and excitement. The dialog between the characters was perfect, I highly suggest read Boy at War and go on adventures with Adam and his friends.
February 6, 2024
A Boy At War is an exciting and suspenseful novel about Pearl Harbor. The main character is Adam Pelko whose father is a Navy officer on the Arizona when it was bombed by the Japanese on a Sunday morning, December 7, 1941. Adam was out in the harbor fishing with his friends Davi who was Japanese, and Martin when the bombs hit. He was told to help carry guns and ammunition crates. Adam found out that his dad died on the ship. His mom wanted to leave Hawaii after the attack but Adam wanted to stay with his friends. Now I want to read the sequel to see what happens.
October 14, 2014
"A Boy at War" to me was a very interesting book and was very fun to read. I would recommend it for people that like war and adventure because that is what kind of book that it is. The book is not that long and if you want a book to read on a road trip this is it. It is short but a very interesting book. I had to keep reading on and couldn't put the book down and finished it very quickly.
The book is about a young boy by the name of Adam and he is in a military family and they move from city to city a lot and he struggles to make friends. He moves to Honolulu and he makes friends with a boy named Davi and one day they go to the Harbor and Japan bombs Pearl Harbor. Adam's dad was on the Arizona which sinks and throughout the story he searches for him until they find out that he died. It is very sad but and Adam's mom wants to move back to the mainland but Adam wants to stay here with his dad's spirt. It shows us what happened to those families that were affected during the bombing.
The beginning was boring because he was just trying to find friends and there is no adventure in that. After that the book becomes very interesting because the bombing and it feels like he is in a war. I think that if people start reading this book they won't stop until their done because of the how many adventure their is. When he searches for his dad he has to go through a lot of things and he even gets shot and has to go to the hospital. That is why I would recommend it for people who like adventure and war because it mixes them both into one great story.
The book is about a young boy by the name of Adam and he is in a military family and they move from city to city a lot and he struggles to make friends. He moves to Honolulu and he makes friends with a boy named Davi and one day they go to the Harbor and Japan bombs Pearl Harbor. Adam's dad was on the Arizona which sinks and throughout the story he searches for him until they find out that he died. It is very sad but and Adam's mom wants to move back to the mainland but Adam wants to stay here with his dad's spirt. It shows us what happened to those families that were affected during the bombing.
The beginning was boring because he was just trying to find friends and there is no adventure in that. After that the book becomes very interesting because the bombing and it feels like he is in a war. I think that if people start reading this book they won't stop until their done because of the how many adventure their is. When he searches for his dad he has to go through a lot of things and he even gets shot and has to go to the hospital. That is why I would recommend it for people who like adventure and war because it mixes them both into one great story.
December 16, 2014
The book I read is the Boy at War by Harry Mazer,this book is about a boy naked Adam on the day of the pearl harbor attack by the Japanese. This was a important day in history not only because hundreds of American lives were lost but also because the day after the attack the United States entered World War two. This book is written from the view point of a teenager whos father is stationed at pearl harbor and is on one of the battleships. On the morning of the attack on pearl harbor Adam is out exploring with his friend Davi near the shore line, they find a rowboat that had washed up on shore. The two decided to row out into the water just for fun, once they were far enough out they were able to see the entire harbor with all the navy battleships. One of the ships that stood out to Adam was the USS Arizona, this was the ship his father was on, the flags were flying high above it and he thinks it looks beautiful. Then all of the sudden a plane roars past there boat extremely low, because of Adams hobby of building model planes he notices that the plane has red circles, what the Japanese plans are marked with instead of bars and stripes of what the American planes are marked with. the plane drops something into the water and then seconds later one of the ships explodes and a wave of heat rushes over the friends. Weeks after the attack Adam and his mother got the news that his father was MIA, shortly thereafter the family moved back to the main land USA.
April 3, 2009
A Boy at War is a portrait of American history during those few, horrifying days before and after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Adam Pesko, a Navy brat, goes fishing off Pearl Harbor just before the bombs fall. He and his friends, Davi and Martin, are injured, confused, and terrorized. When Davi and Martin are swept away to hospitals, Adam is left to fend for himself and try to make his way back home amidst terror in war-torn streets. Every man for himself is the watchword, and Adam must grow up in a hurry. Finally, he makes it home, to find his home has become a fortress. In the next few days of worry and hope, his mother and sister, along with Adam, struggle to believe that his father is still alive...even though he was stationed on the U.S.S. Arizona.
A seemingly true portrait of the attack on the United States and what it meant for the lives of American citizens, especially those living in Hawaii. It also mentions the horrific way Japanese-Americans were treated and feared. This historical novel would be a good choice for boys who are reluctant readers. Told in short, concise chapters, it doesn't sugar coat the facts of the war and the toll it took on American lives.
A seemingly true portrait of the attack on the United States and what it meant for the lives of American citizens, especially those living in Hawaii. It also mentions the horrific way Japanese-Americans were treated and feared. This historical novel would be a good choice for boys who are reluctant readers. Told in short, concise chapters, it doesn't sugar coat the facts of the war and the toll it took on American lives.
May 13, 2013
The title of my book is called the boy at war by Harry Mazer.In the beginning of this book adam needs to move to Hawaii because his dad was relocated to pearl harbor. it was extremely hard to move to another high school because no one in Hawaii likes military kids.after a while adam is able to make to friends, Davi Mori and Martin Kahahawai. My favorite part of this book was when adam made friends with Davi because he davie helped mack adam's life a lot easier. This was my favorite part because this was like the turning point. This part really got my attention. I think the authors purpose of the book was to teach young adults about pearl harbor in a way that will keep there attention. I would recommend this book to any one how wants to learn about pearl harbor in a fun way.
May 16, 2013
A Boy at War
By: Harry Mazer
Andrew Hartze
The book I read was A Boy at War, by Harry Mazer. He has two other books in this series, but this is the first. I am not a big fan of this book, or any of the ones in this series.
My favorite part was mid way into the book, because that’s when the bombs fell and that’s when it got interesting. Before and after that part was basically stuff that was boring and didn’t have to be in the book. When the bombs were falling he even got to be a soldier for a few hours because he was at the pearl and they assumed that he was a Navy man.
I don’t think I would not recommend this book to anyone. I just thought the book went on and on too much about silly things. Thank you for reading my report.
By: Harry Mazer
Andrew Hartze
The book I read was A Boy at War, by Harry Mazer. He has two other books in this series, but this is the first. I am not a big fan of this book, or any of the ones in this series.
My favorite part was mid way into the book, because that’s when the bombs fell and that’s when it got interesting. Before and after that part was basically stuff that was boring and didn’t have to be in the book. When the bombs were falling he even got to be a soldier for a few hours because he was at the pearl and they assumed that he was a Navy man.
I don’t think I would not recommend this book to anyone. I just thought the book went on and on too much about silly things. Thank you for reading my report.
September 10, 2009
High school student, Adam, moves to Hawaii to be with his father, a naval officer on the Arizona, based at Pearl Harbor--in December 1941. Adam and his friends are out on the harbor fishing that fateful morning. Vivid descriptions of Pearl Harbor from the point of view of participants, and relationships and racial issues between Japanese American Hawaiians, native Hawaiians, and haoles like Adam lift the book from the norm. The descriptions of the battle are explicitly gory, but the book is engaging and well told.
October 16, 2013
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Nēnē Children's Choice Book Award
Grade Level: 5-6
I would have my students read this book while they were learning about Pearl Harbor. It will give them a first-hand perspective on what happened that day from someone maybe their own age. For a follow up activity I would ask the students these following questions: Now that you have read the story, consider the title of the book. Why do you think the author chose this title for his book? Do you think it was a good choice? The students would have to also use evidence from the text to support the argument.
Awards: Nēnē Children's Choice Book Award
Grade Level: 5-6
I would have my students read this book while they were learning about Pearl Harbor. It will give them a first-hand perspective on what happened that day from someone maybe their own age. For a follow up activity I would ask the students these following questions: Now that you have read the story, consider the title of the book. Why do you think the author chose this title for his book? Do you think it was a good choice? The students would have to also use evidence from the text to support the argument.
April 17, 2009
A short, compelling novel about the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. 3 new friends are fishing in a boat when the bombs and planes attack. Adam, Davi, and Martin's lives will never be the same. Adam's father's ship the USS Arizona is ripped apart by a bomb, Adam is pressed into heroics by people who think he is an sailor. I didn't like the Marine or Hawaiin vocabulary that wasn't explained.
April 15, 2015
This story is about a boy who is growing up in a changing world in Hawaii when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. His father is a man who believes that his boy is a role model and is going to change from boy to man. I love this book Because it describes Adam's story. You are practically screaming for Adam to do what you what him to do and you feel like you are Adam because of the description. I learned that when the USS Arizona sunk so fast it killed 15 thousand people.
October 7, 2015
This story is about a boy who experiences the bombing of pearl harbor and who fights the Japanese fighter planes. I liked the book so much that I would give it a five star rating. I would recommend this book to a person who likes to read novels and historical fiction.
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June 13, 2022It was a good book
January 3, 2020
Adam is the son of a lifer in the American Navy and as a consequence he has attended many schools. His father’s most recent deployment was to Pearl Harbor and it is early in the month of December 1941. His father is often at sea, but his household is always run as if it was a ship and the father is the commander. There are many comments about always acting so that the navy would be proud of you. At this time the father is stationed on the battleship Arizona.
Since he is in a new school, Adam is in the process of making new friends, in this case it is a bit difficult as most of the boys his age are not white. They also use slang expressions where Adam has no idea what they mean. The other boys also often engage in insult contests, an alien environment for the son of a man that runs a tight ship.
When Adam starts making friends with a Japanese boy, his father objects, even though they employ a Japanese governess. His father basically says that it is all right to hire them as help, but you do not fraternize with them.
The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor and Adam and the two boys with him narrowly avoid being killed, one of the boys is seriously wounded and Adam is grazed by a bullet. During the battle, a soldier organizes Adam and some other boys/men into a unit that is issued rifles and shoots back. Once the planes are gone, he assists in doing what they can to help the injured.
This is a story of having to grow up very quickly when circumstance get very nasty very quickly. It also points out the bias against the Japanese before the attack and how quickly it got much worse, even though there was no evidence that the Japanese on the Hawaiian islands ever did anything to aid the attack. That is a historical fact that should receive more emphasis in the education of young people. This is even more significant given the growing anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States.
Since he is in a new school, Adam is in the process of making new friends, in this case it is a bit difficult as most of the boys his age are not white. They also use slang expressions where Adam has no idea what they mean. The other boys also often engage in insult contests, an alien environment for the son of a man that runs a tight ship.
When Adam starts making friends with a Japanese boy, his father objects, even though they employ a Japanese governess. His father basically says that it is all right to hire them as help, but you do not fraternize with them.
The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor and Adam and the two boys with him narrowly avoid being killed, one of the boys is seriously wounded and Adam is grazed by a bullet. During the battle, a soldier organizes Adam and some other boys/men into a unit that is issued rifles and shoots back. Once the planes are gone, he assists in doing what they can to help the injured.
This is a story of having to grow up very quickly when circumstance get very nasty very quickly. It also points out the bias against the Japanese before the attack and how quickly it got much worse, even though there was no evidence that the Japanese on the Hawaiian islands ever did anything to aid the attack. That is a historical fact that should receive more emphasis in the education of young people. This is even more significant given the growing anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States.
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