The War I Finally Won

The War I Finally Won

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade historical
• Originally Published: 2017
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile HL520L; grades 4-7
• Structure/Length: 63 chapters; approx. 416 pages; approx. 8 hours, 46 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: In this sequel to The War That Saved My Life, Ada wakes up from surgery to find her life greatly changed, while World War II still rages. She and her brother move into a small cottage with Lady Thornton and her daughter, Maggie, and the cramped space makes them all tense. This mood intensifies when Ruth, a Jewish German girl arrives. In the wake of her life-changing surgery, Ada grapples with her identity. Who is she meant to be? Who can she save? How can she keep fighting?
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Death; death of a family member in a concentration camp; bombings; war violence

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Author

• Bio: Born 1967; earned a chemistry degree from Smith College; worked as a chemist, writer, editor; published 17 books; loves horses; lives on 52-acre farm; enjoys traveling around the world and learning about different places; Publisher’s Week “Flying Start” Award (1998); ALA Notable Children’s Book (2012); Kirkus Prize Finalist (2020)
• Other Works: Ruthie’s Gift (1998); Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children (2013); The War That Saved My Life (2015); Fighting Words (2020)
• Awards: Bank Street Children’s Book Committee’s Best Books of the Year (2018)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• Finding Humanity in a Perceived Enemy
• The Pervasive Consequences of War
• The Importance of Family

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the social and cultural context regarding the Blitz that incites Ada’s conflict.
• Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections using the text’s themes of Finding Humanity in a Perceived Enemy, The Pervasive Consequences of War, and The Importance of Family.
• Plan, design, and construct visual media to convey news reports based on text details and historical research.
• Analyze and evaluate the plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding World War II, Lady Thornton, and other topics.