Scan barcode
blackerbird's review against another edition
5.0
"Even the broken pieces are worth something to me." Very touching book.
librariandest's review against another edition
3.0
It only took me an hour to read this, but it was intense. Between all the death, dismemberment, guilt, racism, violence and fear, there's baseball, piano playing, family dinners and lullabies. But that's what you get from books about the Vietnam War. Ann Burg's story doesn't shy away from gruesome details, but she also shows that life goes on.
I wasn't blown away by the writing (like I was by, say, [b:Out of the Dust|25346|Out Of The Dust|Karen Hesse|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1184485196s/25346.jpg|808243]). But it didn't make me roll my eyes (like, say, [b:Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba|6151004|Tropical Secrets Holocaust Refugees in Cuba|Margarita Engle|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255700915s/6151004.jpg|6330166]). I think the story was so moving because it rang true. It is difficult for most of us to imagine life as a Vietnamese boy adopted by a suburban American family in 1977. A boy who witnessed terrible things before being airlifted to a totally different world, a world where people blame him for the deaths of their loved ones. He tells his story as if he's just barely able to get through it. It's harrowing.
What age is this best for? That's a little tough. Matt, the narrator and main character, is 12 or so. There's no mature language, but there are enough disturbing scenes from war-torn Vietnam to make me think twice about giving this to a 10 or 11 year old. And the fact that the writing can be a little difficult to sort out makes me think it'd be best for 8th grade and up. It definitely requires a reader who is relatively skilled and mature.
Mock Newbery 2010
I wasn't blown away by the writing (like I was by, say, [b:Out of the Dust|25346|Out Of The Dust|Karen Hesse|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1184485196s/25346.jpg|808243]). But it didn't make me roll my eyes (like, say, [b:Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba|6151004|Tropical Secrets Holocaust Refugees in Cuba|Margarita Engle|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255700915s/6151004.jpg|6330166]). I think the story was so moving because it rang true. It is difficult for most of us to imagine life as a Vietnamese boy adopted by a suburban American family in 1977. A boy who witnessed terrible things before being airlifted to a totally different world, a world where people blame him for the deaths of their loved ones. He tells his story as if he's just barely able to get through it. It's harrowing.
What age is this best for? That's a little tough. Matt, the narrator and main character, is 12 or so. There's no mature language, but there are enough disturbing scenes from war-torn Vietnam to make me think twice about giving this to a 10 or 11 year old. And the fact that the writing can be a little difficult to sort out makes me think it'd be best for 8th grade and up. It definitely requires a reader who is relatively skilled and mature.
Mock Newbery 2010
rlafleur85's review against another edition
3.0
A story in verse. A very quick read. Eye opening perspective on the Vietnam War told from a refugee named Matt. Worth reading and connecting to a poetry unit or Vietnam War study.
cjmedinger's review against another edition
2.0
an interesting look at adoption, trauma, the vietnam war. probably not really that accessible for the youth of the 20's.
cachdo's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
gm111111's review against another edition
5.0
This is truly a wonderful book for young adults to those older who need to know how connected the world truly is. I enjoyed the prose style of the author, it really worked well for this particular novel. The comparison to the baseball was profound, and the characters really seemed to be interconnected. In a world where so much is closed off right now, this made things more open.
apotts's review against another edition
4.0
Written in verse, All the Broken Pieces tells the story of a boy remembering his past, and learning that family can be as limited or expansive as one wants. The main character, Matt, was adopted from Vietnam, and struggles with reconciling his desire to find his biological mother and brother, with the worry that he's letting down his family in America. When he finds baseball as an outlet for so many things, he's reminded that the Vietnam War impacted more than just himself, but that it had far-reaching effects to not only those that experienced the war first-hand, but those who loved them.
I can definitely see this working in all grade-levels in middle school and even high school. While most late elementary students would be able to read the words, the bigger meaning might be hard to decipher.
I can definitely see this working in all grade-levels in middle school and even high school. While most late elementary students would be able to read the words, the bigger meaning might be hard to decipher.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
Oregon Battle of the Books
I thought this was a great story. I like that it was told in verse. I thought it helped ease a younger reader into the complex world of a young boy who has grown up so much. He has to struggle with prejudice, guilt ~ and so much more.
Vietnam is a story told in history class, but this is one of the first ones I've read that helped me understand it from a different perspective - from the story of a young boy.
I'm glad they picked this as a battle book. I hope at least some of the kids reading learn something from it.
I thought this was a great story. I like that it was told in verse. I thought it helped ease a younger reader into the complex world of a young boy who has grown up so much. He has to struggle with prejudice, guilt ~ and so much more.
Vietnam is a story told in history class, but this is one of the first ones I've read that helped me understand it from a different perspective - from the story of a young boy.
I'm glad they picked this as a battle book. I hope at least some of the kids reading learn something from it.
mindfullibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Stellar historical fiction verse novel - I'd say the sweet spot for this book is grades 5-7 but it's still appropriate for mature 4th graders. Set in the US post-Vietnam War, it is narrated by a Vietnamese boy who was sent to the US by his Vietnamese mother after his American father left. It's a story about fitting in, adoption, baseball and the difficulty of soldiers returning to the US after the war. Due to the structure, this is one I will be handing to SO MANY of my middle school boys who are wanting shorter sports books. I'll also be adding it to my 6th grade lit circle list.