Hope's War by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch Date of Publication: 2001 ISBN: 1895681197 Number of Pages: : 247

REQUIRED READING ABILITY: Average
GENRES: Realism
THEMES: Bullying, Prejudice, Good versus Evil, Appearance versus Reality, Family, Responsibility, Isolation, Coming of Age

SUMMARY:
Kat is hoping to have a fresh start at Cawthra School for the Arts, after a disastrous year at the neighbouring Catholic high school. Her hopes are shattered when she comes home from school and finds the RCMP interrogating her grandfather, Danylo. Kat learns that Danylo is accused of being a policeman for the Nazis in World War II Ukraine, and even worse, he is suspected of having participated in atrocities against civilians.

Kat and her family become the centre of a media storm. Her grades in school and her friendships suffer. Her only support comes from her family and Ian, a classmate who also knows what it feels like to be judged by surface appearance.

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK? A kid who...

• wants to expand his or her understanding of World War II
• enjoys stories that weave fact with fiction
• can identify with both female and male protagonists
• has a strong sense of what it means to be part of a family
• has a strong identity with his or her national heritage
• is Ukrainian
• is interested in Goth culture
• is interested in the Holocaust
• has suffered from bullying
• is interested in historical knowledge about the 20th century
  

WHAT ELSE?
This is written by the author of Nobody's Child and The Hunger, and was a nominee for three provincial readers' choice awards: MYRCA, Snow Willow and the Rocky Mountain. It seems to be very popular with both male and female readers, and is a great piece for provoking conversations about prejudice, bureaucracy, and the nature of truth.

RELATED LINK:
Author's Website
Teacher's Resource Guide