One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II One thousand tracings: healing the wounds of World War II; Lita Judge; Hyperion Books for Children; 2007 Illustrator: Lita Judge. Grade Level: 3 – 5 ISBN: 978-142310008-9 Blanket Permission to Reproduce Book Jackets: Used by permission of the Publisher |
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Synopsis:
The author describes her family's efforts to help their friends and others who were left homeless and hungry in the aftermath of World War II.
General Review:
One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II tells the story of an American family's efforts to aid friends in need following the war. The story of the tracings is told in two page spreads resembling very short chapters. Each print page begins with a title followed by a subtitle of the date. The first is “Papa Came Home” and “December 1946.” Several lines of text ensue. The last sentence on that opening page ominously predicts something other than utter happiness because of father's return from the war. Tracings are the outlines done on any available paper of the thousands of feet so dearly in need of shoes. As the work of securing shoes, soap, sugar, cocoa, clothing and other necessities enlivens the story, a little German girl writes to the American girl, the main character. Her writing picks up the thread of the first page, “Papa Came Home.” Unfortunately, her papa has not yet come home.
Author Information: The author/illustrator's own web site, www.litajudge.com provides much information on Lita Judge. She is daughter of the little girl who tells the story of the tracings of the feet of the suffering people in post war Germany. While the book focuses on the efforts of the little girl and her mother, it was both Lita's grandparents who worked diligently to obtain the shoes and other needed items for thousands of families in fifteen war-torn European countries. Like the story, Lita's family asked friends, neighbors and colleagues to help them in this great effort. The author's website is worthy of a visit to learn more about this compassionate work done by many, many Americans following World War II. In communities throughout the United States people sent packages and money to aid those suffering from the effects of war and not just to Germany but to all afflicted countries. Do not miss the “Author's Note” at the end of the book.
Discussion Topics and Questions: (Library Standard 3, Benchmark 3)
• In order for many students to grasp the full meaning of the story, it would be helpful to discuss World War II in Europe.
• Wars cause hardships for families in all the involved countries. This is made evident in the story because used clothing and shoes must be sent because new items are not yet affordable for even the families of those Americans who are giving so generously.
• One of the somewhat chapter like pages mentions battles. What are the battles that the little girl and her mother are fighting? In what other ways can the word battle be applied to their lives?
• Although it is not mentioned in this book, many American relief packages sent to Germany and other European countries had to have the word, GIFT marked on them. To the German that word meant poison. Imagine and talk about the recipients' reaction to seeing that for the first time. How would the students feel?
• How does the ending of the story from the final two chapters bring a conclusion to the difficulties of the war's aftermath?
• Continue discussion of the peoples' and the countries' recoveries from wars as inferred from the last paragraph of the “Author's Note.”
Activities
• Using the endpapers, have an information search. Use the information to connect to the story and to create new stories. What can be learned about the people in need? With maps of Germany find the places from which the letters came. (Standard 3, Benchmark 1; Standard 8, Benchmark 2)
• As the war in Iraq seems to be ending, predict similar reactions for the people there in making contact with Americans. What might the Iraqis needs be? Could Americans aid them as the people of the USA did for the Germans? (Standard 3, Benchmark 1; Standard 3, Benchmark 3)
• Imagine the situation of Eliza. After discussing the aftermath of World War II or doing research on war-torn Germany, write or illustrate the situation in which Eliza lives. Include colorful details so that anyone reading or seeing this project would get a clear picture of Eliza's suffering. (Standard 3, Benchmark 1)
• Is it possible for enemies during a war to forgive one another after a war? Perhaps someone with recent war experience could contribute to such a discussion. (Standard 3 Benchmark 2)
• Read the book, Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming. Using a graphic organizer such as a Venn diagram, compare and contrast Boxes with One Thousand Tracings. ( Standard 3, Benchmark 1)
• High school students must now be involved in service learning projects or volunteering. Student councils are encouraged in elementary schools to promote good citizenship and a type of service learning. Was the little girl at the center of the story practicing good citizenship? Is it important to help others, even those who might have been enemies just a short time before? Is it important to help others in need? Why or why not? Using the example from One Thousand Tracings what could be done in your school through your classroom to help others in need? Could a book be created to tell the story? (Standard 3, Benchmark 2)
• Author and illustrator Lita Judge has developed activities for the book at her website. On her blog on the website, Lita Judge tells how she develops her characters both in the illustration and in the story. Refer to those activities and the blog for more information on the book and to enhance its meaning.
Similar Books for Further Reading
- Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming
- Freedom Writers Diary : How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them by Zlata Filipovic
