Book Summary: Piet is a young boy who lives in the
Netherlands during World War II. He
loves to ice skate wants to someday compete in a race. When a friend’s father
is arrested, Piet and his friends plan to escape to Belgium. They skate there to escape the Germans.
APA
Reference of Book: Borden,
L., & Daly, N. (2004). The greatest skating race: a World War II Story
from the Netherlands. New York, NY: Margaret K. McElderry Books.
Impressions: The
book is historical fiction. Again, not
one of my favorite types of books, and this one is no different. There’s nothing that appealed to me about
this book, besides the fact that it was very informative. The book has many side notes and
explanations, and to me just has more of reference book feel than an
entertainment one. Not something that I
would read for fun.
Professional Review: To be Dutch, Piet's mother says, is "to
love skating on our canals
[and] to be brave in our hearts." Piet proves both his courage and his
speed on ice in the emergency following the arrest of a neighbor caught
radioing messages in early 1942. The man's two children will be safer with an
aunt in Belgium; Piet, only ten but "a strong skater" with "a
quick mind," will guide them,, on skates. The sixteen-kilometer journey is
tense: Little Joop tires; they hide from German soldiers; caught, they're saved
only by Piet's quick wits; uncertain, they don't dare ask directions.
Throughout, Piet is sustained by thoughts of Holland's
"Elfstedentocht," a 200--kilometer race that's
held in years when the canal ice is especially strong, and of doughty Pim
Mulier, who first skated its route in 1890. Piet's taut narrative is set
verse-style on broad, snowy pages. Daly's colored pencil and watercolor
illustrations evoke the story's drama with eloquent body language, its
seriousness with winter grays and browns enhanced with deep reds, and the
somber, flat landscape in a few deft strokes. Borden adds an epilogue plus
notes on skating and the
Elfstedentocht. Handsome, carefully researched, this picture book makes a fine
introduction to the period.
Long, J. (2004). The Greatest Skating Race: A World War II
Story from the
Netherlands. (Book Review). Horn Book Magazine, 80(5),
564-565.
Library Uses: Just as Piet is inspired by his
country's skating champion, I would ask my students to find a book
on their champion and share it with us. After they have
read their book, I would ask them to share with us why this person is their "Hero"
or their inspiration in life.
Book Summary: Piet is a young boy who lives in the
Netherlands during World War II. He
loves to ice skate wants to someday compete in a race. When a friend’s father
is arrested, Piet and his friends plan to escape to Belgium. They skate there to escape the Germans.
APA
Reference of Book: Borden,
L., & Daly, N. (2004). The greatest skating race: a World War II Story
from the Netherlands. New York, NY: Margaret K. McElderry Books.
Impressions: The
book is historical fiction. Again, not
one of my favorite types of books, and this one is no different. There’s nothing that appealed to me about
this book, besides the fact that it was very informative. The book has many side notes and
explanations, and to me just has more of reference book feel than an
entertainment one. Not something that I
would read for fun.
Professional Review: To be Dutch, Piet's mother says, is "to
love skating on our canals
[and] to be brave in our hearts." Piet proves both his courage and his
speed on ice in the emergency following the arrest of a neighbor caught
radioing messages in early 1942. The man's two children will be safer with an
aunt in Belgium; Piet, only ten but "a strong skater" with "a
quick mind," will guide them,, on skates. The sixteen-kilometer journey is
tense: Little Joop tires; they hide from German soldiers; caught, they're saved
only by Piet's quick wits; uncertain, they don't dare ask directions.
Throughout, Piet is sustained by thoughts of Holland's
"Elfstedentocht," a 200--kilometer race that's
held in years when the canal ice is especially strong, and of doughty Pim
Mulier, who first skated its route in 1890. Piet's taut narrative is set
verse-style on broad, snowy pages. Daly's colored pencil and watercolor
illustrations evoke the story's drama with eloquent body language, its
seriousness with winter grays and browns enhanced with deep reds, and the
somber, flat landscape in a few deft strokes. Borden adds an epilogue plus
notes on skating and the
Elfstedentocht. Handsome, carefully researched, this picture book makes a fine
introduction to the period.
Long, J. (2004). The Greatest Skating Race: A World War II Story from the
Netherlands. (Book Review). Horn Book Magazine, 80(5), 564-565.
Library Uses: Just as Piet is inspired by his
country's skating champion, I would ask my students to find a book
on their champion and share it with us. After they have
read their book, I would ask them to share with us why this person is their "Hero"
or their inspiration in life.
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