A Gem of a Book for Any Age
Here's one I've picked up for my little guy's library. We can't resist a book with a shiny medal on the cover and now that I've read it I will declare it to be one of my new all time favorites. I can't believe I haven't even heard of this little gem.
It's a story set in China during the Japanese invasion of WW II. A little boy is separated from his family and must survive alone except for his little pig behind Japanese lines. He saves an American airman who then repays him in a most remarkable way.
The story is a gentle but truthful first lesson on the sadness of war. Just enough reality to wet the eyes but not break the heart. It also beautifully portrays human kindess.
What a treat. I highly recommend this to anyone. I rarely give five stars and this one deserves it. Don't worry about the slow start, the momentum picks up a quarter of the way through and rushes like a river toward the end.