Release: October 9, 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Meadowlark Books
Source: Netgalley
Find it at: Smashwords, Meadowlark-books, B&N
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World War II contains millions of stories, for it affected millions of lives. A Time for Tears examines three.
André Jabot, a teenage French aristocrat, is enraged by the killing of his young brother as the Nazis blitz the nearby village of Soissons. He swears vengeance and finds his way to England to join De Gaulle and the Resistance.
Daniel Hagelman, a young Jewish grocer from Kansas, cannot turn his back on the horror of Hitler’s Nazis. He travels to England to volunteer in the Royal Air Force, leaving behind a wife and newborn baby girl.
Fifteen year old Rachel’s parents, upper class Parisian Jews, see the oncoming disaster as France falls to the Nazis.
They arrange sanctuary for their daughter in the remote village of Le Chambon. She assumes a new identity there, Simon Bouret, a twenty year old art teacher. Each of these characters become members of the French Resistance. They find themselves pursued by the relentless SS officer, Fredrik Haught. Then follows the Murder, torture, chaos, orphaned children, caged babies, starving captives. Cyanide tablets become a reasonable alternative. In war, many die, some survive. War ends, but survivors rarely remember and teach future generations what they have learned. If only they remember then is A Time for Tears.
About the Author:
Jerilynn Jones Henrikson has lived her life loving the rolling Flint Hills of East Central Kansas. The far horizons, changing seasons, and fascinating wildlife of this expanse of prairie have inspired her stories and defined her sensibilities. Most of her writings are designed to appeal to the very young with clever rhymes and engaging situations featuring this place as background.
This story is a departure. Listening to her father’s experiences and remembering his return from WWII raised questions that, with time, grew into a demanding desire for answers. What was the impact of this War on children her own age who found themselves in the middle of conflict? When she began to feel parallels developing in our current political world echoing the situations that brought about that war 75 years ago in Europe, she felt compelled to write this story. The book, a result of research, memories, and imagination, is designed to inform Young Adult readers of today about this terrible Time for Tears.
A Time for Tears Review:
“A Time for Tears” is a beautiful historical fiction middle-grade novel about three people whose lives change during WWII.
I enjoyed the author’s style of writing. She describes the scenes realistically and with a lot of detail, that you know she did a lot of research for the novel. Moreover, even though the author wrote the story for a younger audience, she does not ‘dumb’ down the information. It is a book that a reader of any age would enjoy reading. We learn about snipers and combats, coded messages and assignments, and how the troops prepared to fight the War. The author gives a concise yet comprehensive account of the events that transpired during World War II.
All three characters are distinctive and shine in the way. Out of all of them, I enjoyed Rachel’s storyline and how she took in little Marie and raised her for Benjamin and Esther. The scenes where she confronts the officials to get through were gripping. Similarly, I felt Andre had the most action in the tale as he went on a Normandy mission. Lastly, Daniel is terrific in keeping in touch with Ida and maggie while he embarks on his mission. The tale is heartwarming because the author interprets how even their characters’ families suffered because of the situation. The author also nicely weaves the storylines amongst the three characters. It was interesting to see how they connected throughout the book.
Overall, “A Time for Tears” is a beautiful historical novel to pick up if you want a glimpse of how life was like for people during World War II, with three strong protagonists.
