Reviews

All the Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg

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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.

joseworksatarbys's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I loved this book because of all of the details in the story /spoiler The sad part is when the football coach got cancer and one of the players gets bullied for being from Vietnam.. The reason I rated this story a 4.25 is because I think there was enough plot. but either way I loved this book.

sandraagee's review against another edition

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3.0

This was a very nice look at the aftermath of the Vietnam War from the unique perspective of a Vietnamese kid adopted by an American family. I appreciated the story's perspective, both that of the main character and of the other people around him who all view him and the war differently.

The poetry was nice, but nothing to write home about. It's another of those books in verse that pretty much just uses short lines - and not even in a terribly creative way. However, the use of language and the minimalist anecdotes pack a lot of power into a few words. This is a quick read with plenty of high/low appeal.

amymck05's review against another edition

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5.0

Another great read. I am still hesitant when I see a story is written in prose but the last four I've read have not disappointed. I've got to figure out how to incorporate this into the classroom. A boy who loves baseball has a lot of appeal for reluctant readers.

afro8921's review against another edition

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4.0

The poems in this book were written with an imaginative combination of beauty and sorrow. I loved the way the author used the struggles of a half american-half vietnamese kid to highlight the pain being experienced on both sides of the vietnam conflict.