All the Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg - OPTIONAL

Burg, Ann E. All the Broken Pieces, 224 pg. Scholastic, April 2009.

MS - ADVISABLE, HS - OPTIONAL

Matt Pin was rescued from Vietnam by a desperate mother who thrust him into the arms of a brigade of American soldiers. Now, two years later, he has somewhat adjusted to his American home and is loved by his American family, but the war persists and so do bad feelings towards the "enemy". Piano and baseball maybe a refuge for Matt, but not every one on his team welcomes him with open arms.

Though I don't usually like free-verse novels, this one reads well, giving the bones of the narrative without excessive filler, fluff or distracters. Like Out of the Dust, All the Broken Pieces makes an historic time period accessible to younger students, or a savvy teacher can use it as a springboard to a deeper look at the Vietnam War.

Cindy, Library-Teacher